Location

Titchwell, situated on the famous Norfolk coastline, is a charming village with direct access to the coastal lifestyle. The marshes, dunes and beaches are on your doorstep, with much of the marshes forming part of the Titchwell Marsh Nature reserve. The RSPB reserve is amongst the most renowned in the country, at home to marsh harriers, bittern, curlews, godwits and many other birds, and has a café and trails to follow. The village has the excellent Titchwell Manor, a boutique hotel and restaurant, and further hotel & restaurant at Briarfields.

The coastline as a whole offers stunning sandy beaches, the Royal West Norfolk golf club, delicatessen, village stores and popular public houses in neighbouring Thornham, together with Drove Orchards hosting a farm shop, Gurneys fish shop, and the famous Erics fish & chips, and Erics Pizza. This stretch of coastline is renowned for its superb sailing at Brancaster Staithe, bird watching at all points, with all villages connected by the coastal footpath. There is a plethora of restaurants and gastro pubs. Burnham Market is 7 miles from the house, with an array of boutique independent shops, bakery, butchers, fishmongers and restaurants including Socius and Number 29.

The local and historic market town of Kings Lynn is about 18 miles, with main line rail service to London Kings Cross.

Description

Orchard Cottage is an exceptional coastal home, and far from being a ‘cottage’, it is a stylish, spacious and bright contemporary house of about 2400 sq ft. The original Victorian cottage, of local chalkstone, was transformed in 2023, over doubled in size and remodelled to create open plan living and excellent ceiling heights, in tune with modern day requirements.

The tone is set by the central double height atrium, a stunning space to welcome friends and family at the heart of the house, a clever link between the old and the new and flooded with natural light. This is open to the original cottage, where an impressive kitchen/living space has been created, over 11 metres in length. This area is adept at entertaining as it is at cosy living, with a sociably large island unit with breakfast bar, beside which is a seating area around a modern inset woodburner. The kitchen is bespoke, with plenty of hand built cabinetry, and mellow limestone floor, which continues into the adjoining utility/pantry, and a bootroom area with further cupboards and bench for when returning from coastal walks or some sailing. This end of the house also hosts a useful ground floor bedroom, which could be used as a study or snug, with French doors to the terrace and an adjoining shower room.

Wandering back across the atrium takes you to the new element of the house, comprising a wonderful open plan space with plenty of charm. Again measuring about 11m long, the entire southern gable has floor to ceiling glazing with central glazed doors opening out to the southern terrace. A central double sided wood burner provides a notional divide between the living space and the dining area, allowing for expansive entertaining or more intimate and quiet evenings.

A contemporary steel and oak staircase leads up to a gallery landing linking the old and new. In the new part of the house are two stunning bedrooms, both with sliding glazed doors on to balconies with glass balustrade, and amazing views over rolling countryside. Both rooms have en suite shower rooms with Burlington and Neptune fittings. A further two double bedrooms are at the front of the house, with vaulted ceilings and direct views of the Norfolk coastline. Between the two rooms is the family bathroom, including a bath with a view, and panelling.

The interiors of the house were influenced by renowned interior designed, Sophie Allsopp, who’s work is favoured along the coastline for its calming, light and sophisticated interiors.

Outside
Landscaped to compliment the back drop of the fine looking house made of glass, knapped flint and chalkstone, the gardens are a wonderful space to enjoy. Enclosed by willow weave fencing, hedging and traditional wall, the gardens are predominantly south facing to make the most of all day sun. A significant terrace adjoins the south of the house, leading to an outdoor kitchen kitted out with BBQ, work station and sink, and a feature fireplace, the perfect spot of long summer lunches and suppers. These areas are slight sunken from the main lawn with steps up the expanse of lawn that stretches away to the boundary.

On the east side of the house is an enclosed courtyard garden with breakfast seating area, with further paved paths, beds of ornamental grasses, further lawn and traditional outbuilding used for storage. On the west of the house is a further enclosed patio, opening onto the gravelled parking and turning area with space for boats and cars, softened with pleached red robin, flowerbeds and wrought iron park fencing, leading on to the useful double garage.