High Street, Sharnbrook, Bedford, Bedfordshire

The Moat House was built in the 18th century of limestone,
rubble and part rendered elevations under a Welsh slate roof. It was altered, enlarged and remodelled in the 19th and 20th centuries in particular with a cross wing extension at the north east end in the 20th century. It is now an L-shaped, two storey house with double fronted sash windows set either side of its porch which has slim Doric columns. The property was given Grade II listed status on 27 August 1987. The property has undergone a restoration and refurbishment programme reinstating period and historic features.

Census records from 1891 show that the house was occupied by a GP from London, Leonard Phillip Banks, with his wife and two servants. By 1901 the property had changed hands to Arthur O Clode, a man of “independent means”, and his family. The Clode family moved away from the district in 1908, after an auction of his household goods was held at the house. Noel Bellair Thompson, who was Chairman of the Parish Council, lived in the house after service in the army in the First World War, until his death in 1942. For a short period in the 1990s the house was known as The Sponge House and one of the
reception rooms, which was used for the sale of natural
sponges, is still called the sponge room.

The house has over 6,000 sq. ft of versatile accommodation with seven bedrooms on the first floor,four with en suite bathrooms and the others sharing a family bathroom as well as a shower on the ground floor. There are six reception rooms in total with a combination of formal rooms for entertaining and more private spaces for family life, and a study for working from home if required. The ground floor also has a kitchen/breakfast/garden room, a utility room, a boot room, and a walk-in shelved pantry. Over 1,500 sq. ft. of outbuildings includes a games room, a garage, a workshop and stables, barns, and a tack room/stable.

The 4 acres plot includes formal gardens, a walled garden, a vegetable garden with two greenhouses, and paddock land. The house is set well back from the road in a tranquil rural location but is within walking distance of local amenities and is only about 15 minutes’ drive from amenities in Bedford.

Ground Floor
A covered pillared porch has steps up to the original front door which opens into an entrance hall with flagstone flooring and an oak staircase to the first floor. There is a cloakroom with panelling to dado height and a Sanitan suite. Stairs from the library lead to a cellar which is used for wine storage and houses the oil fired boiler. An inner lobby has a built-in storage cupboard, a servants’ bell board, and steps down to a shelved pantry which has an exposed brick floor. There is a further cloakroom and a shower room.

Principal Reception Rooms
The sponge room has an open fireplace, and a shuttered window with a window seat overlooking the lawn and driveway. Double doors open into the drawing room which has three pairs of double doors to the flagstone terrace in the walled garden and a traditional fireplace with an open grate. Further double doors and steps down lead to the library which has exposed beams. The dining room overlooks the driveway and courtyard and has an inglenook fireplace with a timber bressumer, open grate and canopied flue. There is period shelving, storage cupboards and recessed display areas.

Other Reception Rooms
The dual aspect study has an open fireplace with grate, picture rails and a bespoke range of fitted furniture. The TV room/playroom is accessed via the breakfast room and has bespoke shelving, a cupboard and a concealed hot water cylinder.

Kitchen/Breakfast/Garden Room
The kitchen is fitted with a bespoke range of hand painted Shaker style units with a gas fired four oven Aga set in a beamed recess with granite work surface on both sides. There is also an integrated conventional oven. A central island has a granite work surface with a ceramic hob and a circular sink. The breakfast area has exposed beams, a corner cupboard, and rustic floor tiling which continues through an opening into a garden room area with a part glazed ceiling and double doors to a paved terrace in the walled garden.

Utility Room and Boot Room
A door from the garden room area leads to the utility room which has fitted cupboards with hardwood work surfaces and plumbing for a washing machine and tumble dryer. A door from the TV room/playroom leads to the boot room which has a vaulted ceiling, a range of fitted units with a sink, and access to a shower room and the second cloakroom.