South Barrow, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22

The property has a peaceful setting on the eastern edge of the village, looking out across its garden onto unspoilt countryside. Its surroundings have changed little from the time that the property used to be part of the adjacent Church Farm, a prosperous mixed farm consisting of small fields surrounded by hedgerows, woodland and a large orchard. Built in 1896, The Church Byres was once a series of single storey agricultural buildings arranged in a square, creating a livestock yard at its centre. The buildings, which once consisted of cattle stalls, calf and poultry houses, stables and a wagon and implement store, were converted in 2002 into a family home with a separate annexe, called Little Barn. Incorporated within the layout of the property is a building between the main house and the annexe, which remains part of Church Farm. In addition, a converted stable block, now called Church Stables, forms the fourth side of the yard (see attached floor plan). Neither of these buildings form part of the freehold of The Church Byres and neither have windows looking into the yard. The Church Byres therefore has a high level of privacy from its neighbours. All the buildings are built to the same design of walls of local stone, a continuous Roman clay tile roof and attractive brick detailing around door openings and windows. Where possible original features such as oak roof timbers have been retained and exposed, to create vaulted ceilings in several rooms including the kitchen, sitting room and principal bedroom. This provides an overall feeling of light and space alongside one of simple, rustic charm. The property has been carefully maintained and updated by the current owners during their period of tenure. This has included repointing where necessary and renewing the property's two wood burning stoves. Internally the property has well-proportioned rooms with good ceiling heights and the principal rooms all have windows on two or more sides. The kitchen/dining room has windows on three sides including a glazed door to the garden and a stable door to the courtyard and is equipped with a variety of units including a large central island and a range of built-in electric appliances including a Rangemaster electric range cooker. In total the main house has four double bedrooms. The principal bedroom is at one end of the house and has its own stable door to the courtyard and an ensuite shower room, whilst the remaining bedrooms share the family bathroom and shower room between them.

On the far side of the courtyard opposite the main house and tucked away behind its own courtyard garden is the property's self-contained annexe. It is known as Little Barn and consists of two main rooms, both with vaulted ceilings: a combined living room and kitchen and a double bedroom with an ensuite shower room. The courtyard garden is paved and bound by a dwarf stone wall topped by fencing that provides a good level of mutual privacy. Over recent years Little Barn has been let very successfully under an Assured Shorthold Tenancy.

The property is approached via a 120 yard long driveway. The drive enters the courtyard at its south eastern corner onto a 2,700 ft² (250 m²) gravelled parking area, which provides space for several cars along with a timber-built, good-sized garden store. As the pre-existing stable doors have been preserved within the design of the conversion, the courtyard can be accessed through four stable/glazed doors. The property's garden extends out on its eastern side, with a view of the adjacent farmland visible through the post and rail boundary fence. The garden is level and designed to be easily maintained, consisting of a paved terrace and a lawn bisected by a brick-paved path leading to the drive. Privacy is provided by a partial screen of mature flowering shrubs and trees including Seven Sons Flower Tree, Atlantic Ninebark, Mock Orange, Judas Tree and Lilac.

The property is situated on the eastern edge of the small village of South Barrow, which has a pretty Grade II* listed parish church and a friendly and thriving community of about 165 residents and is surrounded by miles of unspoilt, open countryside. Whilst the village itself has no other amenities, the nearby Shell petrol station on the Sparkford roundabout just off the A303 has a convenience store for immediate needs, the neighbouring village of Queen Camel has a GP surgery and village shop/post office and there are several highly rated and popular pubs in the surrounding, local area. The property also lies centrally between three towns, Castle Cary, Sherborne and Yeovil, all of which have a good selection of shops and local businesses capable of providing most day to day needs. There are good transport links within a reasonable driving distance too. The A303 main arterial road is only two miles to the south and Sherborne and Castle Cary both have railway stations with direct services to Waterloo and Paddington respectively. Bristol Airport is also only about an hour's drive away.