The Green, Hethe

Owned by the same family for generations & very recently renovated to a high standard, a charming stone cottage near the end of a sleepy lane in a small village near Bicester. Two double bedrooms, living room & sun room, refitted kitchen & bathroom, gated drive & a newly-landscaped garden. NO CHAIN!

Hethe is a gorgeous and ancient village surrounded by farmland and tucked away from the modern world but offering easy access to it. Dating to Saxon times, many properties in the village are of significant age, hence the village has a real feeling of history to it, no more evident than the lovely Norman church. It is also brilliant that there is a newly-opened farm shop barely two minutes' walk away! By contrast, Bicester sits just a few miles away, offering easy access to a great swathe of amenities ranging from the shopping outlet of Bicester Village to Bicester Motion, to a wide range of popular eateries, a 10 screen cinema etc, plus fast rail to London Marylebone (40 minutes at peak), and A34/A43/M40 road access to everywhere. As a combination of historic village and convenient town proximity, Hethe has few rivals.

Having been renovated for family, the cottage is presented in beautiful condition throughout with no corners cut. High-quality modern fittings integrate smoothly with the charm that old timbers and local stone provide, making this a very peaceful and attractive proposition. And unlike most cottages we find, this one has great light, a lovely outlook, gated driveway, a pretty garden, AND a location with almost no noise from any source save the odd tractor.

As with most cottages, the main entrance door is the one least frequently used! Hence, we will start our tour from the natural access. Opening the gates to the right hand side, walk up the gravel driveway (ample space for two vehicles) and take the door in the side of the conservatory to bring you into the house.

Facing South West, this sunroom is a delight with a fine view over the rear garden. Some can be too hot and bright, however the several trees dotted around offer shade at different times ensuring some respite. The floor is covered with very attractive smooth stone tiles, and all the glazing is modern high efficiency double panel which, combined with a large radiator, make it a useful room all year.

At its front, a timber stable door opens into the kitchen. The same flooring continues through, topped off with an attractive and generous range of timber-fronted kitchen units stretching round three sides. Stainless steel sink oven and hob are all as you would expect, and there is space for a large fridge/freezer. The stairs to the side run up to the first floor, and beneath them are a pair of useful store cabinets as well as an immaculate modern cloak room.

Adjacent to the kitchen, the living room is everything you would hope it to be. The changes of centuries are obvious here, from the recesses once housing doors or windows to a deep alcove now fitted with shelving. And the exposed stone of a fireplace containing a wood burner simply oozes history and character. Combine that with view from the broad window (next to the rarely used front door) of the sleepy lane outside, and it's charming.

Heading upstairs, you instantly notice windows at both the bottom and the top, which really accentuate the natural light throughout the house. The broad landing features a bedroom to either side and the bathroom in the middle.

Go right, and the first of the double bedrooms is very characterful, with good ceiling height culminating in a gently slanted eaves to one end. There is a large cupboard to the opposite wall, above the stairs. And the window to the rear provides a lovely view over the back garden.

Opposite, the larger of the two bedrooms is a very ample double. with that same eaves feature, and this time the opposite wall is covered with a full bank of wardrobes and storage behind bespoke doors, the central one of the three being mirrored. Here the view is out across the lane, equally lovely.

Serving the pair, the bathroom is particularly well fitted and pristine, with a white suite that includes an enamel bath. Tiling from floor to ceiling around the bath ensures easy cleaning, and there is a thermostatic shower above the bath. Finished off with a chrome towel rail, lit mirror and a modern fan, it offers all you could need.

Heading outside, we should explain the frontage more comprehensively. The paved village lane runs to the left-hand side of a broad grassy area, to the right of which is the gravel, original lane that only serves four or five houses, including this one. Just a few hundred yards later both end at the farm entrance, hence passing traffic is slim at best. Outside the front door a low rockery runs either side of the step, with various pretty flowers dotted around. The double gates to the right, as previously mentioned, open to a gravel driveway, although with so much unrestricted on-lane parking available we suspect most people will never use it as a driveway.

At the rear, behind the sunroom a newly laid lawn fills the majority of the space, bordered by low red brick edging enclosing planter beds that are topped with gravel to minimise weeds. At the rear, the shed could just as easily double as a summer house, or be replaced by an outside office, as it is a generous size - power is already connected. Behind it there is a secondary lean-to shed against the rear boundary wall. And the oil tank lives behind the hedge to the rear right. The whole garden is securely enclosed hence safe for children and animals.