Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire

THE GABLES

KEY FEATURES

This exquisite period home is nestled in the heart of the village, on a generous plot of 0.41 acres with south-facing gardens. Boasting an impressive 4477 square feet of accommodation, including a detached lodge.

An entrance hall with a glazed door to the rear garden and quarry tile floor opens onto the flexible accommodation with the charm of period features throughout, including exposed beams and open fireplaces. The sitting room captures the essence of relaxation with its walkout box bay window, offering stunning views of the garden. A cosy inglenook fireplace, complete with a wood-burning stove, sets the perfect ambiance for cosy evenings. There are a further three unique reception rooms providing ample space and versatility. The kitchen breakfast room is also graced with a further walkout box bay window and sits alongside a large utility/prep kitchen with Aga and a vaulted ceiling. A conservatory overlooks a side garden featuring a pond.

Upstairs, many of the rooms benefit from exposed polished floorboards and part vaulted ceilings. The five bedrooms provide ample space for family and guests, with the principal bedroom benefiting from its own en suite for added privacy and convenience. There is also a family bathroom.

The south-facing rear garden is very private with an abundance of mature trees and shrubs. The terrace leads to a lawn with well-stocked beds and steps down to a secluded seating area and further lawn. A timber lodge with a cloakroom is incredibly flexible and would make an ideal games room, office, or garden room. Gates open onto a gravel drive providing parking and access to the garage with an adjoining store, ensuring convenience and security.

SELLER INSIGHT

After more than 20 years living in a town whilst our children were growing up, we wanted to move to a country village with a strong sense of community and with countryside on our doorstep,” say the current owners of The Gables. “Brington has delivered this very well, and we have enjoyed participating in and contributing to the many community events and facilities that it offers, including the excellent village school, the church, various social groups and activities, theatrical events and more.”

The house itself was perfect, too. “We fell in love with The Gables instantly, for its enormous character and evident history, as well as its excellent location,” the owners say. “It provides an ideal base to access the pretty countryside of Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire, being in the crook of all three counties. It is a short hop to the A14 and A1, enabling fast commuting East/West and North/South. We are well served for local shopping and other facilities in Kimbolton 5 miles away, including Budgens, an excellent butcher, post office, pharmacy, surgery, pubs, and of course the well-known school. Our children were able to access a school bus yards from our door.”

“The house is estimated to have stood for about 500 years,” the owners continue, “and is located in a cluster of ancient buildings in the old heart of the village. During its history it has been a farmhouse, a nonconformist meeting house, a Victorian rest home for distressed young women and for the last 150 years a family home to some interesting characters. It has a cellar that appears to be even older than the house itself, suggesting that something more ancient still was on the site before the farmhouse was built in the first quarter of the 16th century.”

During their time here, the owners have made various improvements to the property. “When we moved in we fitted new bathrooms and laid the stone floors downstairs, complete with underfloor heating” they say. “We turned what had been an indoor gym into what is now a small library, forming an ideal winter parlour for curling up with a book. We also raised the ceiling in the back kitchen to expose the lovely old chimney breast. During lockdown we restored the original Tudor oak flooring (which was hiding under a coating of black Victorian floor paint!) and spent twelve months lifting every individual floorboard, stripping off the paint, and waxing each one before replacing them to restore the lovely original floors. In doing so we unearthed some fascinating historical secrets including the likely location of the original Tudor ‘solar’.”

“Our favourite room is the green drawing room,” the owners continue, “partly because we maintain this as a ‘TV-free zone’ and partly because it is one of the most original and untouched parts of the house with a great feeling of antiquity and atmosphere. The Lodge overlooking the garden is a close second. We have installed a cocktail bar in it for fun and have spent some great evenings over there with friends and neighbours.”

Outside, the gardens serve as an extension of the indoor living accommodation during the warmer months.

“The garden has a number of separate areas,” say the owners, “including a secluded west-facing patio area with ponds and water feature, and a wild area where we keep bees and grow some vegetables. The main garden faces south and has an ornamental pond and a choice of patios and seating areas, with mature planting including some trees that are at least 100 years old. We have happy memories of hosting special birthday parties in the garden for our now grown-up children.”

Indeed, both the house and its setting hold fond memories for the owners. “We will miss our wonderful and supportive neighbours very much,” they say, “and hope that the house will find new owners who will love it and its history as much as we have.”*

*These comments are the personal views of the current owner and are included as an insight into life at the property. They have not been independently verified, should not be relied on without verification and do not necessarily reflect the views of the agent.

Village information

Brington is a tranquil village with a great sense of community. The rolling Cambridgeshire countryside surrounding Brington provides an opportunity to explore the footpaths and byways that crisscross the county. Grafham Water is a short drive away, offering a whole host of water-based sporting activities set in 2,400 acres of beautiful countryside. Nearby Oundle, Huntingdon, St Ives and St Neots provide shoppers with an excellent range of high street names and independent shops; whilst for some serious retail therapy, Cambridge is just over half an hour away by road.

Transport

Huntingdon town is 14 minutes away, offering trains into London Kings Cross from 50 minutes, whilst Cambridge is a 35-minute drive away.

Trains: Regular train services to London and to the North (via Peterborough) run from Huntingdon Station with journeys into London from 50 minutes.

Huntingdon to London King’s Cross – 50 minutes

Huntingdon to Peterborough – 17 minutes

Education

Primary:

Brington CofE Primary School (0.4 miles). Ofsted Rating: Good

Spaldwick Community Primary School (3.6 miles). Ofsted Rating: Go od

Laxton Junior School, Oundle (12.3 miles). Independent school for boys and girls aged 4-11.

Secondary:

Sawtry Village Academy (7 miles). Ofsted Rating: Good

Prince William School (7.5 miles). Ofsted Rating: Good

Kimbolton School (5.5 miles). Independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 4 to 18. Oundle School (11.6 miles). Independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 11-18.

INFORMATION

• 0.41 Acre Plot

• South Facing Garden

• Period Features

• Garden Lodge with Cloakroom

• Four Reception Rooms

Agents Notes

Tenure: Freehold

Year Built: Early 1500s

EPC: Exempt - Grade II Listed

Local Authority: Huntingdonshire District Council

Council Tax Band: G

To conform with government Money Laundering Regulation 2017, we are required to confirm the identity of all prospective buyers. We use the services of a third party, Lifetime Legal, who will contact you directly at an agreed time to do this. They will need the full name, date of birth and current address of all buyers. There is a nominal charge of £60 including VAT for this (for the transaction not per person), payable directly to Lifetime Legal. Please note, we are unable to issue a memorandum of sale until the checks are complete.

We may refer you to recommended providers of ancillary services such as Conveyancing, Financial Services, Insurance and Surveying. We may receive a commission payment fee or other benefit (known as a referral fee) for recommending their services. You are not under any obligation to use the services of the recommended provider. The ancillary service provider may be an associated company of Fine & Country or Thomas Morris Sales & Lettings.

Agents notes: All measurements are approximate and for general guidance only and whilst every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy, they must not be relied on. The fixtures, fittings and appliances referred to have not been tested and therefore no guarantee can be given that they are in working order. Internal photographs are reproduced for general information and it must not be inferred that any item shown is included with the property. For a free valuation, contact the numbers listed on the brochure. Printed 04.08.2023

FINE & COUNTRY

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