The Grange with All Saints' Church, Chelsworth
The Old Pottery at The Grange in detail
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The Old Pottery is part of a larger medieval range of buildings collectively called The Grange, but has its own private entrance, modest garden and terrace. The Grange is a Grade II* listed medieval timber-framed “hall house” dating from 1300 onwards. The Old Pottery is a self-contained annex off the west wing and dates from about 1600. The Pottery too is timber framed with the oak frame exposed externally.
A wealth of original Medieval beams is to be found in the interior, particularly in the main bedroom which retains the medieval wall boarding that is extremely scarce now. The mullion windows offer an excellent view over the field at the back of the property, All Saint’s Church, The Snayle and the woods beyond.
Painstakingly restored by local craftsmen in a project that started in 2006 The Old Pottery was finished in Spring 2009. Great care has been taken to achieve maximum energy efficiency / insulation, use of local / traditional / sustainable materials as permitted by English Heritage.
Layout
The property's layout is as follows:
Ground Floor: Local hand-made mellow brick floor with lovely under-floor heating for real cosiness.
Entrance Hall: private entrance from rear courtyard of The Grange. Stairs to the main bedroom. Solid oak doors to bathroom and to ...
Sitting room: Nice bright room with two double sofas, wide-screen TV, DVD, coffee table, antique painted dresser etc, glazed door to terrace, old box staircase to second bedroom. Low timbered wall to...
Kitchen: Solid oak work-top on painted solid wood quality kitchen units.
Ceramic sink / drainer, dishwasher, washing machine, fridge (with freezer compartment), oven, ceramic hob, microwave, toaster, kettle etc.
Bathroom: Wood panelled and with Italian marble tiled walls. Luxurious 1800x800 large shower-bath with traditional style thermostatic shower and clear glass screen. Ceramic bowl basin on reclaimed marble wash-stand top with cupboard under. WC. Heated towel rail.
First Floor: Each bedroom has its separate staircase but there is a small interconnecting door between the bedrooms which can be bolted or used as one sees fit. The second bedroom is a twin and is above the kitchen. The access door at the bottom of its staircase allows noise to be kept down.
Main Bedroom: Spacious room with lots of medieval oak beams, very rare oak wall boarding and broad solid english oak floor. Kingsize bedstead with very high quality mattress. Two mullion windows facing west. Gothic cast-iron radiators. Jacobean oak wardrobe, chest of drawers etc.
Second Bedroom: Twin bedded room. Interior dates from Victorian era conversion. Broad solid english oak flooring. Twin single brass beds with high quality mattresses. Mullion window facing west, casement window east, rooflight west. Small oak wardrobe, oak chest of drawers. The stairs down to the sitting room are relatively steep and might not suit particularly frail elderly guests or very young children.
Outside: Stone-flagged terrace to rear which leads through a wrought-iron gate to garden with patio area, painted wooden shed, beds and containers, large bay tree and willow hurdling up which grow three clematis. There is ample outside lighting for evening meals al fresco. There is a barbeque and all the usual garden and patio furniture.
There is easy 'off-street' parking next to the coach-house with vehicular access through the coach-house direct to the door for unloading etc.
The Grounds: The Grange is set in about 10 acres of grounds which include a private formal garden for the main house, three water meadow areas some wooded areas and a one acre island in the river )called The Snayle since Tudor times at least). The River Brett, one side branch and one tributary run through and around to meadows / wooded areas. Church Meadow is part of the property and this extends right to the very centre of the village. There are a couple of views of it in the gallery. It is managed in the traditional way to maximise biodiversity and to encourge wild flowers in particular.
There are several hundred yards to river bank to explore. The fishing here is good enough for the Hadleigh Angling Club to hold several competitions here every year. The river is broad enough for some very pleasant rowing down to the Old Bridge at the centre of the village, or up stream towards Monks Eleigh. Reed growth in late summer makes it harder going in late summer / autumn but the peace and quiet and the wildlife make it utterly idyllic.
Wildlife teems here including a pleasing high number of differed species of dragonfly (always a good sign!), birds, crested newt, badger, fox, deer and of course rabbits. There are otters in residence along the river at this point. They are very shy and rarely seen. We have a small number of very free range chickens who have access to the whole 10 acres and who produce the finest eggs imaginable.
Guests have access to the majority of the 10 acres and almost all the river. The only areas off bounds are the formal rear garden of The Grange and The Snayle. You would be welcome to fish on the Snayle if you wished but the best fishing is in Church Meadow and the 'Middle Field'.
View of The Old Pottery from the North.
Please note: Sorry no smoking and no dogs
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