The Avenue, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9

A handsome and unlisted townhouse set back from one of the town's premier residential roads. Probably dating from the early 19th century, the property is one of a pair of imposing semi-detached houses, with an east/west axis that catches the best of the available natural light throughout the day. It is built of cut, local sandstone under a shallow-pitch slate roof with accommodation spread over four floors, including a lower ground floor. As was typical of such townhouses, the property has spacious, light, airy and well-proportioned rooms with excellent ceiling heights and tall windows with wonderful views out over the town and the surrounding countryside. It has recently been completely refurbished to a very high standard in keeping with the original building, with the refurbishment retaining many of its original architectural fittings. These include some fine, cut-stone fireplaces and plentiful joinery including widow seats, sash windows, working shutters and a graceful staircase that extends the full height of the house. Overall has five reception rooms spread over the ground and lower ground floors including a superb, combined kitchen/dining and garden room with views out over the walled garden, plus six double bedrooms and four bath/shower rooms over three floors.

The house itself is set well back from The Avenue behind a good-sized, parking area where there is space for several cars. The parking area is behind a low sandstone boundary wall. On one side of the house is a double tandem garage, which has sufficient space for a workshop area at the rear. Behind the house is a level, walled garden where the rear of the house is screened from its neighbours and a mix of several native broadleaf trees, including a focal point, large Walnut tree. The garden runs straight back for about 100 feet and consists of a paved terrace immediately beyond the garden room, providing a wonderfully sheltered spot for outside dining and a rectangular lawn fringed by a paved path and narrow, shrub filled borders.

Situated near the southern end of The Avenue, which is one of the principal and most attractive residential streets in Sherborne and only 250 yards from the northern end of Cheap Street, the town's the main shopping street. The town has a wide range of shops, local businesses and facilities including a Waitrose supermarket, which is less than ten minutes away on foot. For wider needs other larger towns within a reasonable driving distance include the regional centre of Yeovil and the county town of Dorchester. Sherborne also has a train station with direct services to Waterloo taking about 2.25 hours and there is a fast service from Castle Cary, 12 miles away, to Paddington, which takes about 90 minutes. The town and local surrounding area also contain a superb choice of schools for children of all ages from both the state and independent sectors.