The Dower House, Main Street, Winster, Derbyshire
Guide price £1,000,000 Sold
Thomas Blake
A superbly presented 17th Century house offering a wonderful range of period features, located within the attractive village of Winster.
Breakfast kitchen
Utility room and boot room
Study/sixth bedroom
Well established walled gardens
Detached double garage
Grade II listed
Winster is a very attractive village sitting within the Peak District National Park. The village is recorded in the Domesday Book as `Winsterne' and, although the early history is rather vague, it is recorded as being one of the 114 Derbyshire Manors held by Henry de Ferrers at the time of the Conquest. The village is designated a conservation area with around 70 listed buildings, most of which were built in the 18th Century when Winster was a thriving and prosperous centre, and as a consequence acquired some very fine houses. A notable landmark is the Market House which stands in the centre of Winster and originates from the 16th Century. It was the first property in this area of Derbyshire to be acquired by the National Trust, in 1906. The village offers a good range of facilities including a village church, shop and post office and two village inns. A wider range of facilities can be found in Matlock, Bakewell and Ashbourne, with other major conurbations including Derby and Sheffield within easy reach. There are a number of state and private schools in the area including Derby Grammar School, St Anselms at Bakewell, and a primary school in the village.
The Dower House is a very impressive house offering spacious and flexible accommodation over three floors. The property originates from the 17th Century and is listed Grade II for its historical and architectural importance. It offers spacious accommodation extending to about 3,660 sq ft (gross internal area - GIA) which offers great flexibility, ideal for a family. There is also cellarage of about 380 sq ft, an excellent Garden Room with a view towards the Church, and a double garage.
The Dower House was constructed in the late 1700s with later alterations and additions made in the 18th and 19th centuries. External architecture includes features such as coursed rubble limestone elevations with gritstone dressings, flush quoins, coped gables, and stone mullion windows. The interior has retained a range of features including fireplaces (one with a date stone of 1681), a flag stone floor in the Reception Hall, and exposed structural timbers. The property is listed Grade II for its historical importance.
From the courtyard area at the front of the house, the front door leads into the impressive Reception Hall with a range of charming features. These include a large fireplace with heavy stone lintel and woodburner, a floor of flagstones and oak, exposed ceiling timbers and both stone mullion and sash windows. Also accessed off the Reception Hall is the main sitting room which is well-proportioned and has an elegant fireplace, windows with plantations shutters and an outlook over the gardens. The second sitting room has in the past been used as the dining room and includes a further fireplace. These three rooms create an excellent space for entertaining. An inner hall provides access to a WC and to the kitchen.
The breakfast kitchen has been fitted to a high specification with units and an island surmounted by granite work surfaces, a gas fired AGA, a further electric oven, and windows with plantation shutters. Accessed from the kitchen is the rear hall with storage and which leads to the utility room, and the Breakfast Room which provides a dining space but also has French doors opening to the garden. An external door from the rear hall provides access to a boot room and leads to a courtyard providing a surprisingly private al-fresco dining area.
A further door from the rear hall leads to the cellar which is comprised of two chambers offering about 380 sq ft.
From the inner hallway the staircase rises to the first floor where there are three well-proportioned bedrooms, the largest being about 16'8" x 16'4". Two of these rooms have wash hand basins and the third has an en suite shower room. Each bedroom has a lovely outlook either over the gardens or over the village, and they include features such as stone mullion and sash windows as well as fireplaces. On this floor there two bathrooms and a linen cupboard.
On the second floor there are two further well-proportioned bedrooms, one with a range of fitted wardrobes, and a bathroom. The second floor study is light and airy and acts as a further sitting room with a relaxed informal feel. It could be utilised as a further bedroom if required.
The Dower House is set behind stone walls and is approached via a pair of timber gates, featuring decorative wrought iron-work, hung between tall gate pillars with carved designs. The gates open into a delightful courtyard with a flagstone path leading to the front door and space for parking about four cars. A wonderful south facing garden is accessed from the courtyard via stone steps which lead to a lawn with mature beds including choice shrubs and formal box hedging. A gravel path leads to a flight of stone steps rising to a covered seating area.
Looking across the garden is a superb contemporary Garden Room which has expansive sliding doors providing a great connection to the garden. This building is insulated and has electric panel heating, and would make a superb home office or space for entertaining.
Positioned across Elton Road is the garage range for The Dower House offering space for two cars.
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