Windermere, The Lake District

THE OLD VICARAGE

In the heart of the Winter Valley, dating back to 1623 and believed to be the second oldest house in the charming and unspoiled Lakeland village of Winster, lying a few miles south of Bowness on Windermere.

The house has a royal pedigree, originally called Garnet House it was purchased by the Queen Mother as a stop over when travelling from London to Scotland. The story goes that despite owning it, the Queen Mother never actually stayed here, but Princess Margaret apparently did once spend the night. The house was given to the gardener at the local church who changed the name to The Old Vicarage despite it having no previous connection with the church. The current owners bought the house at auction in 1987 and over the years have extended and remodeled the house to suit their family life; a conservatory was added to provide a large room for entertaining, the size of the kitchen was increased by reducing the size of the adjoining pantry, a former stable was converted to form a self contained one bedroom annex, an extension provided an extra bedroom and entrance hall and finally, a detached garage block with garden stores and wine cellar was built.

This is a quaint and characterful property. If you much prefer traditional rooms to the modern trend for open plan living, then you will love The Old Vicarage. Rooms have clear purpose and with family life or a difference opinion as to TV viewing habits then a choice of venues makes complete sense and will no doubt promote family harmony. The Old Vicarage is decorated with colour and pattern, a house where nooks, crannies, quirks and eccentricities of older properties are celebrated. Not for them a palette of beige and straight lines. This is a house for living and embracing life.

The existing accommodation is delightfully rambling, instantly welcoming and friendly. This is a house that positively invites you to sit down and relax. Once familiar with the layout, it offers great flexibility for a growing family with his and her snugs, a formal drawing room and a large conservatory. For those that love to host, there is an atmospheric dining room, a hospitable kitchen and to make life easier, a series of useful pantries and stores. A home office makes working from home convenient and for guests, dependent relatives or staff, there is a self contained one bedroom annex. Apart from the annex, in terms of bedrooms, there are two ensuite bedrooms, four further bedrooms and a house bathroom.

Outside formal and informal gardens surround the house with a detached double garage, plenty of parking, a wine cellar, outdoor kitchen, kitchen garden and orchard. An adjacent paddock offers c.1 acre, making the total package of just over 3 acres.

There isn’t a bad view to be had from inside the house and in the gardens too, every orientation offering a different aspect over the gardens to the undulating beauty of the wider valley. This isn’t so much a house as a lifestyle, offering a private and secluded place to call home, enjoying all the accessibility of a central Lakeland location whilst occupying a quiet and peaceful setting.

We fell in love with the house and valley views on first sight. The house is completely unique and undeniably quirky which we adore. Christmases here have been wonderful. There’s plenty of space for extended family to stay and it’s a great house for entertaining.”

Location

The adjacent Winster and Lyth Valleys are a quiet and relatively hidden corner of Cumbria, famed for their damsons. In early spring, frothy clouds of white blossom greet the onlooker at every turn - a snowy spectacle marked by Damson Day in mid-April. By autumn, the trees are laden with purple fruits and numerous roadside stalls appear advertising damsons for sale.

The Lyth and Winster Valleys form a landscape of unspoilt pastoral delights - damson trees clustered in small orchards close to white-washed farmhouses, broadleaved woodlands brimming with bluebells, green undulating pastures with rocky outcrops of limestone and yellow gorse adding a splash of colour to the countryside palette. At its heart are the villages of Winster, Bowland Bridge, Crosthwaite and Underbarrow, connected by a network of lanes and footpaths.

Convenient for all that the Lake District has to offer it is a location that on the one hand is just off the beaten so as to retain a good degree of accessibility for road and rail links; whilst on the other, it is a quiet and secluded setting offering an enviable and exclusive lifestyle. The best of both worlds.

Step inside

At the very heart of the existing house is the original 1600s dwelling, there was a later 1800s extension and then a series of smaller extensions and adaptations in the last 30 years. The result is a house that spans the centuries with atmospheric architectural details that reflect this; period fireplaces, shutters, sash windows, window seats, ornate plasterwork and paneled walls. There are exposed beams and lintels galore, floors are often flagged, old oak or more recent oak boards, there is much use of mellow pitch pine as well as both dark aged oak and more recent modern oak paneled or boarded doors.

To start your grand tour, there are three routes into the house as well as doors into the conservatory. On an everyday basis the porch straight into the kitchen is nearest the garages and parking area and makes sense if you are laden with shopping. If you’re returning from a wet weather walk or a muddy march out with the dogs, then entering through the entrance hall (the owners call this their ‘dog room’) is probably the best route to avoid tramping mess through the house. If guests are approaching on foot or on a spring or summer’s day when you have all of the doors open into the garden to allow the warmer air to drift through the house then the formal vestibule and hall on the south west elevation provides a welcome.

There are four reception rooms, the bright triple aspect formal drawing room has an impressive arched marble fireplace and is a lovely place to spend a summer’s evening or to enjoy cocktails before dinner or a soft seat and coffee after dining with guests.

There are two connecting cosy sitting rooms, the snug and the parlour, both have period fire surrounds one fitted with a wood burner, the other with a gas powered stove. The dining room has an oak paneled wall over which is painted trompe-l’œil commissioned to reflect the hobbies of the family. Sunday lunches, Christmas dinners and too many special occasions to mention have been celebrated here, it’s a distinctive room that is wonderfully atmospheric, looking especially magical by candlelight.

The kitchen is highly individual and embraces bold use of colour with hand painted bespoke cabinets having local green slate worktops and a blue Aga. The kitchen is cosy, a place for informal suppers and pots of tea. It doesn’t need to be huge as there are a number of ancillary rooms; a shelved walk in store off the parlour, a pantry and understairs store off the kitchen.

The ‘dog room’ is an effect a third entrance hall and leads to the boiler/laundry. Here are housed the washing machine, tumble drier, two central heating boilers and the plant connected with the water filtration system.

There are two staircases leading to the first floor at either end of the house. The master bedroom suite provides a double aspect sunny bedroom, a walk through dressing room with oak wardrobes leading to a bathroom with a heritage style suite comprising a centrally placed roll top bath, separate shower cubicle, wash basin and loo. The adjacent double bedroom has a heavily carved oak four poster bed reported to be “the Queen Mother’s bed”.

With old oak floorboards, a passageway provides a gallery for display and leads to a light and airy second landing with a ceiling rising to the apex with skylights flooding the area with light. The staircase located here lead down to the dining room. There is a second ensuite bedroom looking out to the orchard garden and tarn beyond, the ensuite bathroom enjoys the same view and has a roll top bath, a large pedestal wash basin and loo. The house bathroom serves four double bedrooms and has a heritage style three piece suite.

A third set of stairs leads off the landing to the annex which also has a private door from outside, making for a flexible arrangement. The open plan living kitchen has fitted units, sink, oven, hob and fridge. There’s a double bedroom with ensuite shower room. Small and sweet, it’s perfect for one.

The conservatory was added in 1997 and is as traditional as it is bright and colourful with sage green woodwork, Victorian style tiled floor with underfloor heating with vents, coloured glass top lights and roof lanterns. Between levels it is accessed off the first floor at two places but leads straight out to the garden due to the varying external levels.

It’s hard to pick a favourite room within the house; we love them all for the different character they bring to the overall property. Despi te its size, it’s a cosy house and has been a wonderful family home.”

Step outside

Wrought iron gates open to the paved drive with attractive landscaping either side, following the drive round it opens to a large parking area. The detached garage block topped with a clock tower offers space for two with an attached outside loo, as well as garden, bin and fuel stores. There is an underbuilt wine cellar complete with arched wine bins and a central table for tasting parties.

A courtyard is enclosed by railings and is cobbled with a well. Situated to the west of the house, this is the main approach to both the kitchen and entrance hall. Enclosed it is handy for letting the dogs out unaccompanied and for small children. There is a raised seating terrace which makes a lovely spot for morning coffee. The annex and office are both entered off the courtyard, the office making a great place for home working – the commute across the courtyard won’t eat into your day but provides a useful degree of separation.

The garden is divided into rooms or areas that surround the house, each with a specific purpose.

The formal garden is structured in its landscaping, edged by a clipped yew hedge. The kitchen garden has been a hive of activity with cold frames, beds and a large greenhouse with an established grape vine. There is an hexagonal wooden detached outside kitchen with a slated roof, fully equipped for catering and across the path a wooden tiki hut with a thatched roof. The two together provide a great combination for outside dining, whatever the weather. A walled orchard has both apple and damson trees on a rolling lawn, under planted with daffodils for a springtime splash of colour. Providing a necessary working area of the garden there are a series of sheds, compost bins and a garage for the machinery. The adjoining paddock offers great amenity value for those looking to embrace a rural lifestyle with space to allow children to let off steam, exercise dogs, keep chickens or a perhaps pony.

We’ve loved the garden and the views it offers. For the children it has provided a great venue for their birthday parties and for us, it’s been a lovely place to enjoy relaxed lunches and dinners with friends. The outside kitchen has been really a really useful addition.

Every season brings something new and special, both in the planting in the garden and wider countryside. The wildlife that visits the garden has been a great joy.”

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 18.05.2023

FURTHER INFORMATION

On the road

Windermere 4.8 miles

M6 J36 14 miles

Lancaster 28.4 miles

Kendal 9.1 miles

Manchester 81.2 miles

Manchester airport 88.2 miles

Liverpool airport 93.9 miles

The above journey distances are for approximate guidance only and have been sourced from the fastest route on the AA website from the property postcode.

Schools

Primary

There are several in both Windermere and Kendal Windermere School (independent school)

Sedbergh School (independent preparatory school at Casterton)

Secondary

The Lakes School (Troutbeck Bridge)

The Queen Katherine School and Kirkie Kendal School (Kendal)

Windermere School (independent school)

Sedbergh School (independent school)

Rail Journeys

Based on approximate direct train journey durations from Lancaster train station. Train service durations vary, please check nationalrail. co.uk for further details.

Services

Mains electricity.

Drainage to a private septic tank located within the boundaries.

13mins

1hr, 14mins

Lancaster Manchester (Piccadilly)

Private water from a spring supply located on third party land. Holding tank on own curtilage.

LPG central heating.

2hr, 47mins 2hr, 4mins

London (Euston) Edinburgh

Local Authority

Directions

what3words: ///receiving.rebounded.lunching

Use Sat Nav LA23 3NU with reference to the directions below:

Leave Bowness on Windermere and head south on the A5074. Arriving in the village of Winster, The Brown Horse pub is on the left, turn right opposite here and head down the lane. After passing Holy Trinity Church on the left there is a cluster of houses on the right, pass these and take the next drive on the right. Turn first left to reach The Old Vicarage.

Westmorland and Furness Council

Things to do in the area

Blackwell – The Arts and Crafts house (Bowness on Windermere)

Windermere Motor Boat Racing Club

Royal Windermere Yacht Club

Windermere Golf Club, Kendal Golf Club and Carus Green Golf Club (also at Kendal)

Local eateries

Informal country pub dining:

The Brown Horse (Winster) – an easy walk away

The Punch Bowl Inn (Crosthwaite)

The Black Labrador (Underbarrow)

Fine dining:

Linthwaite House (Bowness on Windermere)

Gilpin Hotel and Lake House (Bowness on Windermere)

The Samling (Windermere)

Forest Side Hotel (Grasmere)

L’Enclume and Rogan & Co (both at Cartmel)

Great walks nearby

Included in

the

Curtains

Curtain poles

Blinds

Light fittings

Integral kitchen appliances as described

Please note

The first small section of driveway is owned by a neighbouring property. The Old Vicarage has a right of way over it subject to a contribution in respect of upkeep.

Guide price £3,750,000

Council tax band - H

Tenure - Freehold

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