Location

North Curry is a highly sought-after village set on the edge of the Somerset Levels, between Langport and Taunton. The village has an excellent general store, post office, a community café, health centre, a soon to re-open pub, as well as a primary school rated outstanding by OFSTED. It has an active community with many local societies, a May Fair, and a Music Festival. There is a village sports field with football and cricket clubs, which welcomes all ages.

The county town of Taunton is about 6 miles away, offering a range of shopping, leisure, and recreational activities, including the Somerset County Cricket Ground. The area is well known for its schools, including Richard Huish, King's and Queen's Colleges, and Taunton School.

Communications to the area are excellent, with a mainline rail station at Taunton providing regular services to Penzance, Bristol, Cardiff, the North, and Scotland, as well as a fast service to London in about 1 hour 45 minutes. The M5 can be easily joined at Junction 25 for the South West, Junction 24 for the North, and the M4 to Wales and London.

Description

Nestling just below the village's 12th-century Church, this fine former Rectory is grade II listed and believed to date from 1640. It has Georgian and Victorian extensions. The present owners have sympathetically renovated the house to an exceptionally high standard, paying particular attention to the fittings and overall finish. The result is a distinctive and welcoming home with beautifully proportioned rooms and period features throughout.

The Old Rectory is of traditional construction with a Georgian redbrick facade to the north and west elevations and Blue Lias stone with brick detailing to the south and east under a slate roof. Within the grounds is a red brick studio/annexe with pantile roof, which has been sympathetically refurbished and modernised, providing opportunity for a multi-generational setup, if required.
 
The secluded gardens, which extend to about 0.68 acres, are a particular feature, having been completely redesigned by the current owners. The formal gardens adjoin the house giving way to fruit trees in a wildflower meadow that stretches to the rear boundary, adjoining the churchyard.

The House - As you approach the property, an impressive open cloister welcomes you. The studded front door opens into a Lobby and spacious Hallway with an elegant turned staircase, gothic arched windows and restored parquet floor. The Drawing Room has a dual aspect, exposed Elm beams and generous proportions, as well as a log burning stove.

The Sitting Room is also well proportioned, with fitted bookcases and cupboards as well as a Clearview stove. The Dining Room, with Jotul stove, offers fitted cupboards, which have a display cupboard and bookshelves above, and opens into the Kitchen with stunning views to the North and West as well as the courtyard garden to the east.

The Kitchen leads through to a large Utility room and separate WC. All have been refitted with modern base and wall units with granite, marble or wood finish surfaces.  Appliances include a new 4 oven Gas AGA, Miele integrated dishwasher and Quooker hot tap.

Upstairs, a generous landing opens onto 4 double bedrooms, 3 of which have fitted bespoke double wardrobes and a single bedroom currently used as a study.  They are served by 2 shower rooms and a family bathroom. 

The Studio/annexe - Set in a gravelled area with wild rose hedge, planted raised beds and old paving, offers beautifully presented flexible accommodation suitable for inter-generational living.  The full length doors open out into the garden providing a sense of bringing the outside inside. On opening the stable door,  you are met by mellow old Elm boards which clad some of the walls and breakfast bar.  There are opening electric rain sensitive roof lights and engineered oak flooring.  It has a kitchen area with fitted cupboards, integrated Bosch fridge and Quooker multi-tap. There is also a good sized sitting room, which could serve as a bedroom if required, with useful built-in cupboards.

There is a modern shower room/wc and a small store room housing the Worcester Bosch boiler and hot water cylinder.  Adjacent is a garden tool store and garden wc/store room; these could be incorporated subject to necessary planning consents.

The Gardens and Grounds - A gravelled drive welcomes you.  It offers parking for several cars and continues around the side of the House to the Studio. To soften the strong brick of the house raised beds have been used along the west face where a wildlife hedge edges Moor Lane.

The gardens were designed with butterflies, bees and birds in mind, not to mention autumn colour and scent - a haven of calm in today's world. Pleached Hornbeams front the Pergola which uses shades of pink and blue and features old roses, iris, paeonies, clematis and lavender as well as shrubs which give structure. 

In the part-walled Courtyard the colour emphasis changes to soft apricot, creams and blues. The gravelled area by the Studio annex has a wild rose hedge;  shrubs and trees are planted in French oak raised beds whilst further oak sleepers offer additional seating.

The wildflower meadow, which rises towards the Church, has been planted with a mix of fruit trees, and wildflower seeds, including yellow rattle, ragged robin, vipers bugloss and knapweed, to name a few. An informal lily pond nestles at the foot of a bank whilst two majestic Ash trees which can be seen from across the Levels stand as 'Guardians'.

Directions

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