7 bed detached house for sale

Abbey Lane, Delamere, Northwich, Cheshire CW8

A handsome period country house with leisure facilities & extensive outbuildings standing in a private mature garden setting.

Description
Description
The Grange is situated in a picturesque part of the county to the east of the county town of Chester. It is located on the edge of Delamere Forest on land that originally formed part of The Crown Estate until it was sold in the early part of the 20th Century. The Grange comprises an impressive period residence protected by woodland shelterbelts behind a mature beech hedge and the approach is via twin entrance drives. The house bears the date 1910 and in architectural terms has much to commend it being constructed of brick with distinctive decorative black & white elevations at first-floor level beneath a slate roof.

The Main House
Against the east front is an open fronted black & white porch with oak doors opening into the reception hall which contains a Minster style fireplace with carved wood surround and wood block flooring. Off the reception hall is a cloakroom with hand basin, heated towel rail, wood block floor and separate w.c. Accessed off the reception hall is a sitting room with open fireplace & tiled inlay beneath a mahogany surround with brass canopy and again wood block flooring. The reception hall connects to an impressive staircase hall with turned staircase, moulded ceiling cornice, picture & dado rails and wood block floor.

Off the staircase hall are two interconnecting studies/offices with fitted cupboards & drawers. On the opposite side of the staircase hall is the drawing room which is a particularly elegant room and as with all the principal reception rooms it is south facing overlooking the gardens. The drawing room has an open fireplace with tiled inlay and decorative carved wood surround, bay windows, plaster panelled ceiling, picture & dado rails. A side hall with wood block flooring and three quarter glazed doors provides access to the formal gardens and terrace running the full length of the house against the south front. The formal dining room which is now open plan to the kitchen has a double aspect with glazed bi-fold doors accessing a sun terrace. The dining room has an open fireplace with slate inlay beneath a carved wood surround and wood block flooring.

The kitchen which has a contemporary finish is by Mowlem comprising wall & base units under granite work surfaces incorporating a ceramic sink with waste disposal, breakfast cupboard with sink and a central island beneath a quartz work surface with sink. The kitchen appliances include an oil fired Aga, 2 Miele ovens, Miele dishwasher, wine cooler, Sub-Zero fridge & freezer and 3 Quooker hot water taps. The central island also incorporates bench seating to one end with an informal breakfast/dining area and within a further set of fitted units a wide screen Samsung television. The flooring in the kitchen is a porcelonosa tile. Beyond the kitchen is a corridor from which access is gained to the back stairs and an extensive cellar forming 3 rooms.

Beyond the back stairs is the snug and the utility room. The utility room has fitted wall & base units under granite work surfaces, ceramic sink, bin drawer, plumbing for washing machine & tumble dryer, stone flooring and back door to the rear courtyard. The utility room also links to the pantry containing further fitted wall & base units incorporating a Siemens fridge & freezer with icemaker and cold water dispenser and a Liebherr drinks cooler.

Beyond the kitchen access is also gained to the rear hall with an interconnecting door to a lobby with French doors to the sun terrace and a separate door to the boot room which contains full height fitted cupboards with hanging rails and shelving.

From the lobby access is gained to the leisure facilities including the plant room which contains a Worcester oil boiler, Heatstar heat exchanger, pump and filtration unit. The pool room incorporates a vaulted wooden ceiling which has been treated and kiln dried. The swimming pool is tiled with stone edging and the surrounding floor has a resin coated porous pebble finish. The pool room incorporates bay windows with space for gym equipment, chairs & tables and to one end steps lead to a raised seating area beneath which double doors give access to a covered veranda. Also within the pool room there is a kitchenette, sauna, changing room with shower and two separate w.c.’s.

The principal staircase with shallow treads beneath a leaded glass window leads to a galleried front landing which currently serves the principal bedroom and associated rooms. The principal bedroom has a double aspect overlooking the gardens. It has a decorative cast iron fire grate and wiring for wall lights & uplighters. Off the bedroom is an en-suite dressing room with fitted wardrobes & cupboards and on the opposite side of the bedroom is an interconnecting door to a second dressing room which was originally a bedroom and is still accessed independently from the front landing. The second dressing room has built-in wardrobes, dressing table, mirror & drawers and a decorative cast iron fire grate.

Beyond the principal bedroom and accessed from the front landing is a former bedroom which is now a study/hobbies room containing a fitted oak desk, cupboards and drawers. The bathroom serving the principal bedroom has an oval shaped bath set in a granite surround, separate lined shower with body jets & glazed screen, built-in twin hand basins set in granite, shaver point, mirror, cupboards & drawers, twin circular heated towel rails and a tiled floor. Off the rear landing, at the top of the back stairs, are two further double bedrooms both with decorative cast iron fire grates and aspects overlooking the front garden. These bedrooms are served by a recently fitted bathroom with panelled bath set in a limestone surround, separate tiled shower with Hansgrohe fittings & glazed screen, twin oval hand basins set on a glass top with drawers below, heated towel rail, built-in airing cupboard, tiled walls and floor with underfloor heating. Adjoining the bathroom is a linen room with built-in cupboards.

Off the rear landing are three further double bedrooms, the first of which is used as a library/reading room. The adjoining bedroom is a twin room with decorative cast iron fire grate and built in wardrobes housing a hand basin with mirror above. The far bedroom at the end of the rear landing is a double bedroom with dual aspect and both bedrooms are served by an adjoining bathroom which has been recently fitted. It contains a freestanding oval shaped bath with shower fitting, oval handbasin standing on a glass top cabinet with drawers below, tiled shower with glazed screen, twin heated towel rails and tiled floor with underfloor heating.

Location
Situation
The Grange is situated in a rural yet most accessible part of the County with local services in the nearby villages of Kelsall and Tarporley. Likewise the historic county town of Chester is extremely convenient offering a more comprehensive range of services with extensive shopping complemented by several out of town retail parks including the Outlet Village at Cheshire Oaks.

Schooling is well provided for locally in the village together with a selection of state and private schools nearby including The Grange at Hartford, Abbeygate College at Saighton and The King’s & Queen’s in Chester. On the recreational front the nearby Delamere Forest is within walking distance offering scenic walks, mountain bike trails and horse riding. Locally there are golf courses at Delamere, Sandiway and Tarporley, motor racing at Oulton Park, sailing at Manley Mere and rowing on the River Dee in Chester. For the equestrian enthusiasts there is hunting with the Cheshire Hunt, polo at Little Budworth, and horse racing at Chester, Bangor-on-Dee, Haydock Park and Aintree.

Communications: Despite its rural location The Grange is extremely accessible being 10 miles from junction 10 on the M56 allowing for ease of access to the national motorway network. The Chester Business Park, Deeside Industrial Park and Wrexham Industrial Estate are all within daily travelling distance as are Liverpool, Manchester, Warrington, The Potteries and Birmingham. For international travel Liverpool & Manchester airports are 15 and 25 miles respectively. From Delamere station there is a regular rail service to Chester & Manchester and from Crewe Station which is 15 miles distant a 1 hr 30 mins inter-city service to London Euston.

Square Footage: 8,248 sq ft

Acreage:
6.25 Acres

Directions
To reach the property from Chester proceed out of the city on the A51 to the Tarvin roundabout. Shortly after reaching the top of Kelsall Hill, bear right staying on the A54. Continue for approximately 2 miles and upon reaching the crossroads with the Fishpool Inn, turn left onto Abbey Lane signposted for Frodsham. After a short distance the entrance gates to The Grange will be seen on your left-hand side. Postcode: CW8 2HW

Distances: Kelsall – 3 miles, Tarporley – 5 miles, Northwich – 7 miles, Chester – 11 miles, Liverpool – 28 miles, Manchester 31 miles (all distances approximate)

Additional Info
Courtyard Buildings
Accessed from the front drive via white painted wooden gates is the rear courtyard which is behind the main house comprising a range of brick outbuildings beneath slate roofs. The initial range are former stables now forming 4 garages accessed from the estate yard. Attached to this building is garaging for a further 3 cars together with first floor home office. All the garaging has power & light including a security system and they are all accessed via a combination of roller shutter doors.
At the end of the courtyard range is a workshop with inspection pit, ceramic sink and oil boiler serving the cottage. Immediately behind the house is a further brick & slate range with outside w.c., bin store and domestic oil tank.

Stable Cottage
Forming part of the courtyard range is Stable Cottage which is a 2 storey property being ideal for staff or dependent relatives. It is constructed of brick beneath a slate roof with wooden framed windows and has the benefit of oil central heating. At ground floor level is a fitted kitchen with wall & base units beneath work surfaces incorporating a stainless steel sink unit with drainer& mixer tap. The kitchen appliances include a Neff oven & hob, extractor, a former kitchen range, wiring for spotlights and linoleum cushion flooring. Beyond the kitchen is the sitting room with understairs storage and staircase leading to a small landing. At first floor level there are two bedrooms, bedroom 1 being a double and bedroom 2 a single room. Bedroom 2 has the benefit of a built-in wardrobe and airing cupboard housing a hot water cylinder. Both bedrooms are served by a family bathroom with panelled bath, pedestal hand basin, low flush w.c., part tiled walls and linoleum cushion flooring.

Estate Yard
Behind the courtyard range is spacious estate yard with gravel surface serving a collection of buildings including a purpose built three bay steel portal framed commercial storage building with steel profile side cladding and roof on which there are 96 solar panels capable of generating 21 kW per hour serving 3 Tesla batteries. It is an open plan building accessed via sliding roller shutter doors. It has a concrete floor with inspection pit, power supply and heating courtesy of an oil fired industrial blower. The building which has a small self contained office has good clearance with an eaves height of circa 20 feet. It was originally built as a hanger for a helicopter but is capable of housing a collection of cars, commercial vehicles and boats. Within the estate yard is an oak-framed timber clad building housing garden machinery and implements with two open storage bays, two lock up stores and log shed.

Adjacent to the estate yard is a former kitchen garden with soft fruit canes, an orchard with a selection of fruit trees including apples & plums and within a wooded clearing a series of composting bins for mulching grass cuttings & garden waste.

The Gardens & Grounds
The gardens which are fully landscaped and south facing are a notable feature of The Grange. Enclosed by tall beech hedges and bordered by mature woodland the gardens & grounds are completely private and sheltered. To the front of the house extending across the south elevation is a York stone terrace beyond which is a formal lawned garden divided by a series of impressive herbaceous borders extending the full length of the garden. The borders which are divided by a central path contain an array of plants including geraniums, alliums, catmint and euphorbia. At the top of the garden against the southerly boundary is an attractive pond incorporating a rockery with stone boulders which form a waterfall fed by a pumped water supply.

Within a clearing against the woodland is a children’s play area with climbing frame and slide. Against the lawns are a series of established shrub borders containing magnolia, rhododendron, camellia and pieris together with ornamental acers. The shelterbelt of mature trees bordering the garden includes scots pine, oak, silver birch and sweet chestnut underplanted with banks of rhododendrons.

Against the house and accessed directly from the swimming pool and dining room off the kitchen is a recently completed patio with attractive planting which is ideal as a seating and dining area. From the patio area a path extends across the gable end of the swimming pool into a part walled rose garden bordered by a mature yew hedge. The rose garden forms a series of beds together with a pergola covered in climbing roses.