Features list
Property type: 56-bedroom
House, Detached for sale
Number of bedrooms: 56
Garden: Yes
SITUATION
The Beeches is situated about 3 miles to the north of the city centre in the parish of Old Catton which still retains its village community. The village of Old Catton certainly goes back as far as the Domesday book and is now a conservation area where just to the north of the house is the Deer Park which Anna Sewell looked out onto during her time in Old Catton writing Black Beauty. To the west of the house are some lovely walks through Old Catton Hall Park and there is good local schooling and shops.
Norwich has a wonderful Cathedral and Cathedral Close and is the regional centre for shopping and cultural amenities, in particular the recently refurbished Theatre Royal. A prominent market stands in the city centre nearly in the shadow of the castle, and close by is the Forum, which also houses the new library. There is an extensive variety of restaurants, wine bars and leisure pursuits available in the city, and a number of schools in both the state and private sectors. Norwich has a thriving business community and there is a mainline railway station to London Liverpool Street (about 100 minutes travel time) and to the north of the city Norwich International Airport.
THE PROPERTY
The Beeches is an elegant early nineteenth century property with an earlier core. The house has extensive accommodation and in particular, the large drawing room and the panelled dining room with deep bay windows looking out over the gardens. The house has been well maintained but is now in need of bringing up to modern day standards, allowing the next owner to put their own mark on the property. Just to the south of the house is the Coach House which the planners have given a favourable indication on for further accommodation subject to any necessary consents. There are two entrances, one off Spixworth Road and one off George Hill. There are lovely secluded mature country gardens and on the front and the back of the house abundant mature wisteria.
ACCOMMODATION
To the front of the house are some splendid (listed) wrought iron railings, with a wonderful ancient wisteria running across the front of the property. There is a panelled front door with a light over and pedimented portico. This leads to an Entrance Lobby, with wide casement door in part glazed screen, leading to the Entrance Hall. To the left of the entrance hall is an opening to the Sitting Room, which is a well proportioned room with two shuttered sash windows and an open fireplace with stone surround, tiled hearth and wooden mantel. At the rear of the sitting room a door leads to a small Lobby with shelved storage cupboard, with a further door to a Cloakroom with wash hand basin and tiled flooring, and then a door to a separate WC.
From the entrance hall a doorway with deep architraving and panelling leads to the Staircase Hall, which is well lit with natural light from a large window on the half landing, and also from a part glazed hardwood door at the rear of the staircase hall, which leads out to the gardens. There is a fine wide staircase leading to the first floor and an under stairs storage cupboard. The Drawing Room is a large room with ceiling height to some 12 feet, with magnificent large bay window with nearly full length hardwood leaded windows and window seats with storage. There are fine views from this bay window over the secluded mature gardens. Open fireplace with tiled hearth and brick surround. Bookshelving.
From the staircase hall, an oak door leads to a large oak panelled and oak floored Dining Room, again with a high ceiling with fine, detailed mouldings with fleur de lys amongst other details. Two oak framed leaded windows look out over the gardens. Open fireplace with brick surround and stone slips with oak mantel with detailed scrolling. The doors in this room match the panelling, and one of the doors leads to the Office/Bedroom 6, which has a large bay window with oak framed leaded windows and oak window seats with storage and fine views over the gardens. Storage cupboard and bookshelving. Cloakroom with tiled shower cubicle, WC and wash hand basin and heated towel rail.
From the dining room, a door leads to the Rear Hall, which has pamment flooring and a shelved storage cupboard. From the rear hall, a door leads to the Kitchen/Breakfast Room, which has fitted wall and base units with work surfaces and stainless steel double drainer sink unit with mixer tap. Space and plumbing for dishwasher, and there is a central island unit with storage cupboards, breakfast bar and inset four ring gas hob. There are further base and wall units with fitted cooker and space for fridge/freezer. There is a Walk-in Larder with shelving and shuttered windows. There is a large Pantry off the kitchen/breakfast room, and across one wall is a fitted dresser with drawers and storage shelving, and over this, glass fronted storage cupboards. Door to Second Larder, with storage shelving, original meat hooks and vented windows.
From the rear hallway is the Rear Lobby/Utility Room, with tiled flooring, large double basin ceramic sink with drainer and storage cupboards and door to Side Courtyard. In the rear hall, under the secondary staircase, is a door to the Cellars, with stairs leading down to a passageway with one room off with the central heating boiler and beyond this, a further room with slatted storage shelving, brick flooring and basement window, and a door leading to a wine room with bins and slate shelving.
First Floor: A wide staircase with hardwood hand rail leads up to the Main Landing, which is well lit with natural light from a large sash window looking out over the gardens. On the landing is the frame of a doorway which is at present blocked, but which leads to the bedrooms at the front of the house.
Turning right leads to the Master Bedroom, which is a large room (being over the main drawing room) with two sash windows with lovely views over the gardens. Fireplace (at present blocked) with wooden mantel and detailed plaster work on the ceiling. Fitted wardrobe cupboards. Door to Bathroom, with large cast iron bath, wash hand basin and heated towel rail and separate WC. Bedroom 2, with sash window with views over the gardens. Fireplace (at present blocked) with wooden mantel and fitted storage cupboard. Cloakroom with WC and part tiled walling. Door to Side Landing with airing cupboard with slatted shelving and Bathroom with original steam cubicle, panelled bath with mixer tap, separate wash hand basin and some fine Delph tiling.
Stairs from the side landing lead down to the secondary staircase landing, which has sash windows and a door leading to the other first floor rooms, which have been used as a separate apartment. Bathroom with cast iron bath and wash hand basin and WC. Small Kitchen/Breakfast Room with base units with stainless steel double drainer sink unit with mixer tap and storage cupboards. Sitting Room/Bedroom 5 is an attractive, well proportioned room in the older, front part of the house. Fireplace with wooden mantel and cast iron grate with ornate cast iron surround. Shelved alcove. A door from here leads to a passageway, where there are also steps up to an alcove, which is the doorway leading back to the main landing of the house. This could easily be reopened. In this hallway is a storage cupboard and door to Bedroom 4, with alcove with bookshelving and storage cupboard. Fireplace (at present blocked) with mantelpiece. Bedroom 3 is a good sized double bedroom with fireplace (at present blocked) with mantelpiece and fitted cupboards to either side of the chimney breast, and further shallow storage cupboard. (On the secondary staircase landing is a leaded basin with taps over, which would have been used for bathing water).
OUTSIDE
The Beeches is set back from the road behind some fine, listed detailed cast iron railings and has a wonderful ancient wisteria across the front of the house. To either side of the house are mellow red brick garden walls, and on one side of this an entrance gate and double gates which lead to a Courtyard on the southern side of the house, which has hard standing and turning for cars. Between this and the southern end of the house is a small courtyard with a large flowerbed with flowers and shrubs, a tiled area and a storage shed.
On the southern side of the main courtyard is the Coach House, which is a brick and pantiled two storey building, with one room approximately 19” x 14”5’ with electric roller door and two large doors, concrete flooring and large loft over with good head room. The second part of the coach house is approximately 15” 9’ x 12” 9’ with double doors, brick flooring and a loft over (open to the other loft) with good ceiling height. The coach house makes excellent garaging and storage space and has great potential, subject to any necessary consents, to provide excellent further accommodation. (This possibility has been confirmed by the planners). The coach house is attached to a separately owned cottage (not part of the ownership of the whole property) and behind the coach house is a further courtyard with hard standing and a separate access onto George Hill. This area of the property is screened from the main gardens by mature trees and hedgerows.
Immediately to the rear of the house is a gravelled pathway, and attached to the house, facing south, is a part open loggia with pamment flooring and a wonderful ancient wisteria.
GARDENS & GROUNDS
One of the main features of this property is its glorious garden, which is mainly laid to lawn with mature boundaries offering seclusion and privacy, and although this is a city property, it has very much the feeling of a country garden. The main part of the lawns are interspersed with flower and shrub borders, and on both sides of the grounds the gardens rise up on one side to further flower beds, interspersed with espaliered fruit trees with tall, mature hedgerow behind. There are some wonderful trees in the garden, including a magnolia and some large mature beech trees and other specimen trees. On the other side of the gardens, which again rise up, and border George Hill, is a small area of Woodland, interspersed with bluebells and closer to the house, some wonderful camellias.
SERVICES
Mains water, electricity and drainage are connected. Gas fired central heating.
OUTGOINGS
Broadland District Council 01603 431133
Council Tax Band: G
FIXTURES AND FITTINGS
Items regarded as fixtures and fittings including carpets, curtains, light fittings, kitchen appliances and garden ornaments are excluded although these items may be available by separate negotiation.
TENURE
Vacant possession of the freehold will be given upon completion. No onward chain.
VIEWINGS
Strictly by prior appointment with sole agents Jackson-Stops & Staff, telephone 01603 612333.
DIRECTIONS
From the inner ring road, follow signs for Wroxham on the A1151. By The Artichoke pub at the traffic lights, turn right into Magdalen Road, and then fork left into the B1150 for North Walsham. Magdalen road runs into Constitution Hill and follow this away from the city centre over a mini roundabout to the main roundabout on the outer ring road. Go straight over at the roundabout heading for North Walsham on B1150 and on the first set of traffic lights turn left onto George Hill. At the bottom of George Hill turn right signposted Spixworth and Spixworth Road and the house is immediately on the right.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
These particulars have been prepared in good faith to give a fair overall view of the property, do not form any part of an offer or contract to the purchaser or any third party, and must not be relied upon as statements or representations of fact. Purchasers must rely on their own enquiries by inspections or otherwise on all matters including planning or other consents. The information in these particulars is given without responsibility on the part of Jackson-Stops & Staff or their clients. Neither Jackson-Stops & Staff nor their employees have any authority to make or give any representations or warranties whatever in relation to this property. Any areas, measurements or distances referred to are given as a guide only and are not precise. Photographs are not necessarily comprehensive or current; no assumption should be made that any contents shown are included in the sale nor with regards to parts of the property which have not been photographed. Jackson-Stops & Staff have not tested any services or equipment and nothing in these particulars should be deemed to be a statement that they are in good working order nor that the property is in good structural condition.
June 2008 Property agent
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