Barton House, East Lockinge, Wantage, Oxfordshire

Summary Description

A 9-bedroom Georgian country house with consent for use as a guesthouse, outbuildings, extensive grounds and paddock land in a rural but highly accessible location.

Detailed Description

Barton House is a period property situated between the villages of Ardington and East Lockinge. The property comprises the main house, adjoining annexe, stables, outbuildings, beautiful grounds and approximately 1.91 acres of paddock land.

Barton House has been run as a guesthouse for 13 years, however planning permission has been obtained but not yet implemented for reversal of this change of use back to a private dwelling.

The original part of the imposing house is believed to date back to the 1780s, when the then owners of East Lockinge, the Wymondsold family, agreed to provide a new rectory on a plot of land called Barton Close which gave the Georgian house its name. Later additions, including most recently in 2012, have created a large and versatile property, providing private and commercial buyers alike with a fantastic opportunity in a village where property of this size rarely becomes available.

The house became part of the Lockinge Estate in 1853, when Lord Overstone purchased East Lockinge from the Wymondsold family as a present to his daughter Harriet Sarah Jones-Loyd upon her marriage to Colonel Loyd-Lindsay VC, who later became Lord and Lady Wantage. This is therefore the PP obtained for change of use back to a private dwelling

Location
Barton House is located between the sought-after villages of Ardington and East Lockinge, approximately 2 miles to the east of Wantage, which are situated within the North Wessex Downs National Landscape. The property benefits from excellent accessibility, with the A417 and A34 nearby connecting the M4 and M40, and the nearby mainline railway station at Didcot Parkway providing fast trains to London Paddington.

The village of Ardington boasts an excellent village pub, tearoom, the Holy Trinity parish church and the Ardington & Lockinge Sports Club. Lockinge provides All Saints Church to which the original Barton House rectory was linked. More extensive amenities can be found in the nearby market town of Wantage which is serviced by a variety of shops, supermarkets and local amenities.

A number of public footpaths and bridleways across the Estate can be accessed near Barton House.

There is notable schooling nearby including Radley College, Abingdon School and St Helen & St Katharine's as well as an excellent range of schools in Oxford, Newbury and Reading. Further attractions include Newbury and Cheltenham racecourses, the historic Ridgeway and Blenheim Palace.

Directions
From Wantage take the A417 heading east. Take the second right hand turn signposted to Ardington and Lockinge. Follow the road downhill towards the village of East Lockinge. The driveway to Barton House will be found on the left after the turn to Ardington.

Accommodation
The house is approached via a gravel drive between red brick pillars, leading to a large parking and turning area. The front door is accessed from the front parking area through a portico with impressive stone pillars and opens into a hall providing access to the drawing room, reception room, dining room, office and downstairs WC. The impressive drawing room has a fireplace and sash bay windows with window seats that provide wonderful views over the garden and countryside beyond.

The reception room beyond the hall provides further views to the southeast, sash windows and leads to a spectacular triple aspect garden room with a vaulted glass ceiling. Bifold French doors lead from the garden room to the outdoor terrace to seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor living.

The garden room is currently open plan from the reception room and dining room, which gives these rooms ample light and space. The dining room has a superb fireplace and access through to the commercial kitchen.

The house has most recently been run as a guesthouse, with further details provided in the Planning section below. The kitchen is currently fitted with commercial equipment.

To the northwest of the kitchen is a store area and access to the annexe, which itself provides an impressive fireplace, large living space, door to the northeast garden and French doors to a private southwest garden. The annexe is currently used as private accommodation. From the annexe living area there is access to a utility providing a sink and plumbing for a washing machine. The corridor leads to the annexe bedroom, which provides a dressing room and en-suite bathroom. A staircase leads to a mezzanine study.

A further staircase leads down into the basement, which provides a large games room with access to the garden.

Two staircases provide access to 6 en-suite double bedrooms on the first floor. The double aspect principal bedroom is of extremely generous proportions and features exposed beams, with a large sash bay window overlooking the gardens and open countryside beyond. The en-suite is complete with a freestanding bath, shower, WC and basin.

The main staircase leads on to the second floor with a spacious landing providing access to a further 3 en-suite double bedrooms, all with feature fireplaces.

The beautifully landscaped grounds lie to the east of the house and include a section of the Lockinge Brook, a pond and an orchard. Mature trees to the northeast and west provide the property with privacy. The annexe garden is fenced separately to the main garden and the paddocks lie to the north and south of the house.

For further information please see the brochure.

Viewings strictly by appointment only. Please contact Kevin Prince or Alexandra Brown at Brown & Co - Oxford Office.

VAT
Any guide prices quoted or discussed are exclusive of VAT. We understand that VAT will be payable in addition on a proportion of the sale price.

Method of Sale
Barton House is offered for sale by Private Treaty as a whole.

Tenure and Possession
Freehold with vacant possession on completion.

Restrictive Covenant
The sale will be subject to certain covenants including no caravans to be parked on the property and any future external alterations to be approved by the Estate.

Services
Mains electricity, gas and drainage, with water supplied from the Vendor's private water supply.

Wayleave, Easements and Rights of Way
The property is being sold subject to and with the benefit of all rights including rights of way, whether public or private, light, support, drainage, water and electricity supplies and other rights and obligations, easements and quasi easements and restrictive covenants and all existing and proposed wayleaves
from masts, pylons, stays, cables, drains, water and gas and other pipes whether referred to in these particulars or not.

Fixtures and Fittings
Garden statuary, chattels and tenant's fixtures are excluded. Carpets, curtains and light fittings are included within the sale.

Energy Performance Certificate
The property's energy rating is C.

Current Use and Planning Permission
Barton House is currently run as a guesthouse and wedding venue, having had planning granted for this change of use in 2011 (planning reference P11/V1080 (11/01080/FUL)). Planning permission has been obtained but not yet implemented for reversal of this change of use of guesthouse back to a private
dwelling (planning reference P25/V1187/FUL). The current use and grant of reversal for change of use provides private and commercial buyers alike with opportunity and flexibility for the future use of Barton House.

Local Authority, Council Tax and Business Rates
The property falls into Council Tax Band H with the Vale of White Horse District Council. The property is currently classed as Mixed Use.