About this home
A Grade II Listed property with a particularly old Medieval timber frame believed to date from around 1450. In later times the frame was cased in mellow red brick, with a more recent extension to the rear.
The roof is in reed thatch, with the extension having a pantiled roof. Inside, a wealth of exposed timbers remain, complemented by fine fireplaces and brick Pammet floors. The house has been much improved and now has a wetroom and a separate bathroom.
Semer is a tiny village in West Suffolk, close to the River Brett and surrounded by delightful fields and woodlands. The village comprises mainly period houses and cottages, and Old Cottages sits along a quiet lane just outside. The village benefits from the well-renowned Hollow Trees Farm Shop, which is a few minutes' walk from Old Cottages. The nearby village of Monks Eleigh (around 3 miles) provides local shopping, with a further range in Hadleigh (around 4 miles to the south-east). The historic market town of Sudbury (around 10 miles to the west) provides regional shopping, schooling and recreational facilities, with Ipswich, Colchester and Manningtree all within half an hour's drive. Colchester and Manningtree offer main-line rail connections to London.
The accommodation includes four bedrooms upstairs, although two interconnect, and a fifth bedroom on the ground floor. There is oil fired central heating via an external combination boiler and the multi-fuel burner in the sitting room. Outside are charming gardens with lovely rural views, laid out informally with a large tiled semi-circular patio to the rear. There are a range of outbuildings and there is ample space for the construction of a garage, subject to planning consent.
Accommodation & approximate room sizes
On the Ground Floor
Sitting Room
5.05m × 4.67m max (16'7" × 15'4")
Ledged and braced oak front door, a fine brick inglenook fireplace with heavy bressumer above and inset cast iron multi-fuel burner, fine brick Pammet floor, cast iron lattice window to the front aspect, glazed partition with original mullions looking through to the kitchen / breakfast room, fine exposed timbers, double radiator, ledged and braced door with staircase to upstairs and cupboard alongside; doors to inner hall, kitchen / breakfast room and study.
Dining Room
4.90m × 4.04m (16'1" × 13'3")
Cast iron lattice window to the front aspect, brick inglenook fireplace with bread oven on one side, brick Pammet floor, double radiator, ledged and braced oak front door, cupboards, some fine exposed timbers and door to bedroom 5.
Study
3.15m × 3.05m (10'4" × 10'0")
Casement window catching the morning sun and looking out across fields, a range of built-in oak bookshelves all along one wall, brick Pammet floor, exposed timbers, radiator, old mullion window.
Kitchen / Breakfast Room
7.82m × 2.26m (25'8" × 7'5")
Kitchen area with breakfast bar and stools, ample solid wood working surfaces and two casement windows overlooking the patio. Built-in 2-bowl ceramic butler sink unit with mixer tap and plumbing for water softener below. Position and power point for fridge and electric cooker with externally ducted retractable extractor fan. Position, power and plumbing for dishwasher. Pammet tiled floor, ceiling lights and oak stable door to rear garden. Further solid wood working surface with position, power and plumbing for washing machine below, and storage. Small window to the rear garden, and open mullion through from one bedroom upstairs.
Rear Hall
2.15m × 2.25m (7'1" × 7'5")
Brick Pammet floor, corner cupboard housing electricity meters and switch gear, braced back door, small window to the rear and doors to dining room and wetroom.
Wetroom
2.88m × 2.02m (9'5" × 6'8")
Fully tiled with mosaic marble tiles in the shower area, wall-mounted shower head and mixer controls. Modern white pedestal hand basin with mixer tap. White modern dual-flush back-to-wall W.C. Stainless steel towel radiator, extractor fan and ceiling spotlights. Cast iron lattice window and small casement overlooking the rear aspect.
Rear Lobby
0.88m × 1.25m (2'11" × 4'1")
With doors to cloakroom and to the bathroom.
Bathroom
1.75m × 2.35m (5'9" × 7'9")
Fully tiled with modern white pedestal handbasin and white deep modern bath with wall-mounted taps. Stainless steel towel radiator, extractor fan and ceiling spotlights. Cast iron casement window overlooking fields.
Cloakroom
1.00m × 1.28m (3'3" × 4'2")
Fully tiled with white modern wall-hung W.C. and small window to the rear garden.
Front Hall
1.90m × 3.15m (6'3" × 10'4")
Door from the sitting room, brick Pammet floor, storage for coats and bags with cast iron lattice window to the front aspect and oak staircase leading upstairs, with storage underneath.
Bedroom 5
5.18m × 3.25m (17'0" × 10'8")
Cast iron lattice window to the front aspect and wooden casement to the side, exposed timbers, radiator, cast iron Victorian fireplace and surround.
On the First Floor
Bedroom 1
5.08m × 4.95m (16'8" × 16'3")
Some fine exposed timbers and magnificent old floorboards, exposed red brick chimney stack, dormer windows to both front and rear and open mullions looking down over the breakfast area, radiator point, stair access from the front hall and low door through to bedroom 4.
Bedroom 2
5.05m × 3.81m (16'7" × 12'6")
Dormer windows to both front and rear, small cupboard, double radiator, some exposed timbers and door leading through to bedroom 3.
Bedroom 3
5.05m × 3.56m (16'7" × 11'8")
Casement window at one end with far-reaching rural views, cast iron fireplace with surround, double radiator, some exposed timbers, a range of built-in wardrobe cupboards.
Bedroom 4
Irregular shape — maximum 4.00m × 2.98m (13'1" × 9'9"), minimum 3.10m × 2.98m (10'2" × 9'9")
Access from the front hall, casement window with far-reaching rural views, fine exposed timbers, radiator, low door through to bedroom 1. Could perhaps be used as a dressing room or nursery off the main bedroom.
Outside
To the front of the house is a sweep-through gravel driveway providing parking for around four cars. There is a pleasant front garden with bricked path, lawn and some flower beds with one or two shrubs and trees. The main gardens are to the rear with large patio and lawns, flower beds, trees and shrubs. Varieties include Eucalyptus, two Mulberrys, Walnut, Quince, two pears, Cox's apple, Bramley apple, Egremont Russet apple, Kent Cob and Damson. There are four sheds, a children's playhouse and a 24m2 cabin benefitting from double glazing, electricity and internet connection. A 25m2 semi-circular tiled patio is located between the two rear external doors, with cobbled paths. Of irregular shape, the total plot size is approximately one third of an acre.
