Location

Barton le Clay is a well connected Bedfordshire village set at the foot of the Barton Hills, part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The village provides a strong mix of day today amenities including local shops, pubs, restaurants, healthcare services and a post office. The surrounding area offers excellent access to open countryside, with the Barton Hills Nature Reserve and the Sharpenhoe Clappers providing extensive walking routes, chalk downland and panoramic views.

Harlington Station is approximately an eight minute drive away, offering frequent services to Luton, Luton Airport Parkway, London, Gatwick Airport and Brighton, with easy connections at Farringdon for the Elizabeth Line to Heathrow. Cabs and parking are available at the station.

Air travel is convenient, with Luton Airport around 25 minutes' drive, Heathrow approximately 50+ minutes (traffic dependent), Stansted around 1 hour 5 minutes, Gatwick approximately 1 hour 45 minutes by direct train, and Birmingham and East Midlands also viable options.
A regular bus service connects the village to Luton and Luton Airport

Barton le Clay has well regarded state lower and middle schools within the village such as Ramsey Manor Lower School and Arnold Academy. A private lower/middle option, Orchard School & Nursery, also operates locally. Upper schooling is provided nearby at Harlington, with funded transport for students. Private buses run daily from the village to Bedford's independent schools (Bedford Girls', Bedford School and Bedford Modern)

The village supports a wide range of clubs and societies, including performing arts and sports groups, and benefits from tennis courts and recreation grounds. Stabling and livery facilities sit close by, and several golf clubs including Cainhoe, South Beds and Woburn are within easy reach.

For outdoor enthusiasts, an extensive network of public rights of way provides excellent walking across the adjacent hills and surrounding countryside.

Description

8 Church Road is a charming Grade II listed thatched cottage that enjoys a wonderful village setting in a quiet no through road opposite the 12th century St Nicholas church. Located within the village conservation area and surrounded by areas of outstanding natural beauty, the house dates back to 1601 and offers great charm and character, with leaded light windows, solid oak latched doors and exposed beams to walls and is presented in excellent decorative order throughout.

The roof is thatched in Norfolk reed, was re-ridged in 2020, while the garage/annexe roof was re-thatched and ridged in 2023, so should have a future lifespan of circa 50 years.

The ground floor accommodation features a welcoming entrance hall with guest cloakroom that leads through to a beamed dining room with terracotta floor tiles, fireplace with gas log effect burner and French doors to the garden patio. The bright dual aspect sitting room has a fireplace with log burner and is separated from a family room by exposed wall beams. There is also a study/snug with French doors leading to a poolside patio. The kitchen breakfast room is on the other side of the house and is fitted with white painted wood Shaker style cabinets and granite work surfaces. There is a large range oven, integrated dishwasher and tiled floor. A door leads to a useful covered storm porch/boot room.

On the first floor the house benefits from a large well lit landing and all the bedrooms are particularly bright, each having two windows. The main bedroom has an en suite shower room as well as use of an adjacent dressing room with fitted wardrobes. This room has been converted from a former fifth bedroom and could of course be converted back if required. The second bedroom also has an en suite shower room, there are two further double bedrooms and a stylish family bathroom with free standing bath.

The house sits on a plot of about 0.8 of an acre and the gardens face west and back onto the village park and tennis courts. To the rear of the house there is a formal garden enclosed by hedging which includes a flagstone patio area, lawn with varied herbaceous borders and shrubs and a garden pond. A tiled gazebo has a lovely sunny southerly aspect across the swimming pool, which is heated by air source heat pump. The pool has a high brick wall offering both privacy and shelter, and there is a brick building with pool pump room, toilet facilities and garden and bike sheds. The pool cover and heater are three years old.

On the other side of the garden there is a newly thatched garage that has been converted into additional accommodation. On the ground floor there is a hallway and two rooms, one used a gym and other as a home office. On the first floor there is an additional room, used by the current owners as a tv room/guest accommodation.

To the rear of the formal gardens there is an additional area of garden that is lawned and planted with meadow flowers, a wonderful amenity space for any family to use. There are a number of fruit trees, various apple varieties, pears and plums as well fruit cages containing strawberries, raspberries and red and black currants. A full size golf net is available for those of a more sporting nature. The garden wraps around the plot and has gated access to Church Road. To the front of the garage/annexe there is a driveway affording off street parking for numerous cars.