West Edge, Marsh Gibbon
£750,000

Dating back to the 16th century this charming four bedroom Grade II listed stone built cottage has been sympathetically updated in keeping with the charming 400 year history, positioned in highly demanded village of Marsh Gibbon, Buckinghamshire and the outskirts of Bicester. The residence has a warm and homely feel throughout, boasting a host of characterful features including the feature beams, open fire place, solid oak work tops, and feature window seat enjoying the picturesque setting and grounds. The generous living accommodation positioned over two floors with well-manicured south facing rear garden which make the ideal setting for dining al-fresco, with a detached garage complete this delightful family home.

The spacious mature courtyard area is the ideal setting for unwinding after a long day which is accessed by the rear of the property, the formal rear garden itself is private and tranquil with wonderful views across the fields, there are three seating areas which capture the sun throughout the day including a BBQ area, the setting would host gathering and tea parties perfectly.

As you enter the kitchen you are welcomed with a wonderful duel tone country style kitchen fitted with a range of floor and eye level units and wooden worktop with bespoke cabinetry hiding away the freestanding washing machine, dishwasher. Further appliances include a freestanding fridge freezer and range-master cooker with induction hob. The kitchen benefits from duel aspect windows with views to the front the & rear of the cottage, as well having a sense of space throughout with generous head height.

The following room you access from via the kitchen is a cosy dining area with beautiful exposed beams, perfect for more formal dining or could be used as a separate snug or office space. There is a further separate area currently being used as an office which can further be used as a separate reading corner or library.

The charm and character continues into the main living area with a log burning stove, window bench seat and exposed stone walls. There is plenty of space for a couple of sofas and chairs making it perfect for when all the family are together. On the first floor are four bedrooms, two bathrooms and further scope for a further bedroom to the third floor/loft room (subject to planning permission) The main bedroom has views to both the side and front of the cottage, en-suite shower room and built in wardrobes. Three further bedrooms and family bathroom which complete the first floor.

The converted garage has been split into two areas, the first being a boiler room/ utility and storage area with the second room being utilised as a fully insulated music/ home cinema room, this room also lends itself as further office. A bespoke workshop behind the garage houses the extra garden furniture and equipment, this room could further be converted to an office room.

Location:

Being only circa 2 miles to the A41, the property is situated in the village of Marsh Gibbon. The village has many thriving organisations- Village Hall with a diverse range of activities and social events, active Church of England, United Reformed Church, Playgroup, School and PTA activities, Cricket, Football, Badminton, Tennis, Youth Clubs, and Fishing among others. It also benefits from two Public Houses, The Plough Inn which has newly opened and The Greyhound Inn which will reopen after refurbishment and a new village shop. Bicester is approximately 4 miles away and has two railway stations, Bicester North offers a great commuter service to London Marylebone in around 45 minutes and you can reach Birmingham in 1 hour. Bicester Village station offers services into Oxford and again into London Marylebone. The M40 is within easy reach and at J9 or J10 and offers access to London, M25, Oxford and Birmingham.

With our children already at the village school and with a growing group of friends and involvement in the community we very much wanted to move to Marsh Gibbon, but it took us a few years (and a couple of other house moves) before the right opportunity came along.

 Built in 1610, but with extensive renovation and extension done in the late 70s,  2 West Edge Cottage had all the charm that we could have wished for, albeit ready for another complete renovation to bring it up to date.  We have always liked a project and could see the potential of this property straight away and were willing to commit to what we knew would be 5+ years of work to bring the house and gardens back to life and ready for the next phase of the house’s long history.

Before starting work we engaged with Historic Buildings to talk through our plans and had a report written on what they agreed could be done within the rules of the Grade 2 listing. The only part of these discussions that has not yet come to fruition is the conversion of the original loft rooms which Historic Buildings said they would certainly agree to, subject to discussion on how best to access this 3^rd floor.  This would be a fabulous project for any future owner.

The house has been an amazing place to live and in which to bring up our children but this is only really half of the story.  The village is a special place, with a community brought together by the various sports clubs, numerous annual events, well used village hall, church and of course the pubs that have both recently been renovated.  The new village store has enhanced life in Marsh Gibbon even further. 

 For those who want a quiet life, Marsh Gibbon is a beautiful and peaceful village. If however you want to get involved in village life, you will, with little effort,  soon uncover a very friendly and supportive community and find that you have a whole village of friends before you know it!