Buckland Newton, Dorchester, Dorset

Bladeley House has Grade II listed status and is understood to have been built by a gentleman farmer in the 1850’s, in what was previously a fruit orchard. The house remained in his ownership until the 1870’s, subsequently passing to a local estate whose family occupied or rented the property out, for about 40 years before it reverted to private ownership around 1920. The house changed hands several more times in the 20th century, remaining largely unaltered until the early 2000’s after which substantial additions were made including the indoor swimming pool, a garage block and in 2011 a superb contemporary two storey extension now providing a large, well-appointed kitchen, main bedroom suite and ancillary facilities for the pool The conservatory was added in 2021.

Bladeley House has classical stuccoed proportions with large sash windows and an elegant wrought iron Regency style canopy, stretching along the main front elevation. Steps lead up to the front door beyond which is a reception hall with a Blue Lias flag stone floor and elegant staircase rising to the first floor. On the left side of the hall is the drawing room with good ceiling heights, an open fire and shutters to the sash windows. To the right is the dining room with its stripped timber floor and open fireplace with a marble surround. A rear hall gives access to a snug with a wood burner, boot room, cloakroom, utility room and the spacious timber framed conservatory.

Adjoining the original building to the northeast is the superb new dining kitchen with its bespoke units including a large central island and impressive range of integrated appliances including an AGA. The fully glazed elevations flood the room with light and provide fine views over the garden and towards the church. Beyond the kitchen is a sun room, which links to the changing room and shower room and provides access to the outstanding pool house with 12.5m x 5.95m heated indoor pool.

On the first floor the landing provides access to a principal bedroom suite with Juliette balcony and picture window, spacious bathroom and dressing room. Four further double bedrooms, two en suite and one Jack and Jill bathroom complete the accommodation on that floor. On the second floor there are three additional rooms, two of which are presently used as overflow bedrooms and offering a multitude of potential uses.

Cottage
The Cottage is detached with stone and brick elevations under a slate roof and was originally used as a stable and it was converted in the early 1990’s to a good standard. The property now provides a kitchen/diner, sitting room, a box room and two double bedrooms, one with an en suite bathroom. There is also a family bathroom. The cottage is accessed off the lane and has its own off street parking and a private garden enclosed by a hedge. Attached to the Cottage is a gardener’s workshop which could be converted to provide an additional habitable room.

Outside
The gardens at Bladeley House are delightful and surround the main house. The House is approached along a no through lane where a private drive sweeps through electrically operated gates to the front of the house where there is ample parking and access to a large garage offering parking for up to five cars. There is also a workshop and toilet within the garage. The woodstore is located behind the garage.

The Cottage is situated in the south-west corner of the plot. To the south-east of the house is a large terrace to which there is access from the sun-room and conservatory and steps from here rise to a lawned area with a wide variety of mature fruit and specimen trees. Sweeping round to the east is the family croquet lawn and to the north is the main lawn alongside the driveway and a large, productive walled kitchen garden with an orchid house, greenhouse and potting shed. To the north-east is a small paddock separating the gardens from the main paddock with its attractive spinney of trees and backing onto open farmland.

Agents note
There is a footpath running through the smaller of the two paddocks to the adjoining open farmland.

Oil-fired heating systems heat the swimming pool, Cottage and the historic part of the main house, the latter through Hudevad radiators. A ground source heat pump provides heating to the modern extensions including the conservatory. The main house is also connected to an emergency generator. The cover to the pool is electrically operated and the pool house is served by a heating and dehumidification unit. The main garage doors, like the main gates are also electrically operated. The property is in the process of having full fibre broadband installed by Wessex Internet which will provide up to 1000mb download speeds.