SewardsBrickendon Lane | Brickendon | Nr Hertford | SG13 8NY

* These comments are the personal views of the current owner and are included as an insight into life at the property. They have not been independently verified, should not be relied on without verifica-tion and do not necessarily reflect the views of the agent.

Seller InsightSewards was originally purchased by my late father,” explains the owner. “He had originally visited the property as a young boy scout when he came camping in the grounds as, back then, the owner ran the local Scouts group. Growing up, he always had an eye for the beautiful house

as he drove past, and when it came up for sale in 1976, he decided he must purchase it. At the time, he was very fortunate to acquire some of the additional land and barns surrounding the property during his ownership – all of which is being sold with the property now.”

“My father renovated much of the house during the 1970s and 80s,” continues the owner, “but sadly, he never quite completed it all. However, he always did say, “leave something to the next man”, so I hope the next owners will be able to put their stamp on things – especially with the planning permission, which has been granted, for a huge open-plan kitchen/living space.”

“My favourite rooms within Sewards have got to be the kitchen and breakfast rooms. They’re truly the hearts of the home, and with the fireplace lit, the breakfast room is the cosiest in the winter. It is where we spend most of our time and where we gather as a family. While cooking, you can hear and see all the hubbub going on, and so we tend to use this room more than the formal dining room. I also love the master bedroom with its beautiful view out across the front garden, the high ceilings and large windows. It is wonderfully bright and airy – particularly in the afternoon.”

“Sewards has been a lovely home, filled with happy memories of laughter and fun,” says the owner. “The tranquillity of the house and gardens provide a refuge against the stresses of life, while not being miles from the centre of Hertford. I love the fact that if you open the door to walk the dog, there are different footpaths and bridleways in multiple directions – many of which link up to Broxbourne woods and beyond. There is a great affiliation with nature, and you can regularly see deer visiting the garden to take apples, two varieties of woodpecker, owls, red kites, badgers, rabbits, and even the odd sheep who manages to trespass!”

“It really is a beautiful home, set in stunning grounds and surrounded by trees and farmland. The fact that it is set back from the road also gives it a wonderful feeling of seclusion, and there is a wow factor as you drive up towards the house – quite an imposing building really. There are some lovely seating areas in the garden, and each provides a different vista of the property. The courtyard garden is also wonderful with the well immediately outside the kitchen. It’s a pretty area to sit and relax with a glass of wine or a morning coffee.”

“Some interesting facts about Sewards are that the house was originally built in 1699 as a wedding gift. I am told that the Cupola, which sits on the roof, was to allow the landowner to survey all of his surrounding fields so that he could ensure his labourers were doing their jobs! All of these fields used to have names as well – Home Mead and Lower Branches are the names of the fields that are on sale with Sewards now.”*

Fine & Country are delighted to offer for sale Sewards, a magnificent William and Mary Grade II listed detached property, set within the pretty village of Brickendon, Nr Hertford. This grand 17th Century residence is set over three floors and boasts a wealth of period features and 4500sqft of accommodation, including seven/eight wonderful bedrooms, four reception rooms, and a wonderful kitchen and breakfast room. This stunning family home is set in formal gardens of one acre and has the added benefit of an additional 10 acres together with a detached barn which has planning permission to be converted into a separate property.

Step InsideAfter stepping through the front door, the lobby opens into a large entrance hallway with a delightful, spacious sitting area. The sitting area is quite unique with exposed beams and an L-shaped staircase with intricate balustrades sits as a central focus to the room. There are two large leaded windows to a dual aspect, keeping the space lovely and bright, a cupboard under the stairs for extra storage. There is a rear hallway, off which is a cloakroom. The ground floor further comprises a comfortable family room, a formal dining area, a bright kitchen, a pretty breakfast room, and a large utility area, which used to be the old dairy. From the hallway a door and staircase leads down to the two large cellar rooms that provide useful storage.

The family room is a bright and comfortable room, decorated in neutral colours and enjoys an abundance of light from three large leaded windows to a dual aspect. This room features many period qualities, such as beautiful bolection moulding, pretty wall lights, an attractive 18th Century cast iron fireplace grate and a large oak surround. Across the entrance hallway, the formal dining area is similar in size to the family room and boasts a stunning inglenook fireplace with exposed brickwork and wood surround. There are further wonderful period features such as exposed beams and wall lights, as well as two large leaded windows to a front aspect.

The kitchen is a lovely original space with pretty terracotta quarry tiles, a neutral and bright theme, exposed beams, two windows to the rear, and a door to the patio courtyard. There is a good range of base and wall units, integrated kitchen appliances including an oven and a hob, and space for a dishwasher. It’s important to note that planning permission has been granted to significantly enlarge the kitchen, if required, to create an extensive, open-plan kitchen/living space.

The breakfast room is large and spacious and boasts its own impressive fireplace and hearth, formed entirely from brick with an attractive oak beam lintel. There is a cosy wood-burning stove, exposed beams and wood panelling to the walls. The utility area can be accessed from the breakfast room, and originally formed the old dairy. It is an extensive room with pretty quarry tiles, a range of units, a deep storage cupboard, a sink, plumbing for a washing machine, a leaded window to the rear and a large brick fireplace which houses the central heating boiler.

Step insideSewards

Upstairs, to the first floor, Sewards continues to offer impressive accommodation with beamed ceilings, storage cupboards, and a long, wide landing, which provides access to four of the eight bedrooms, including the master suite and family bathroom.

The master bedroom is particularly impressive and offers a fantastic amount of space for a variety of bedroom furniture. This beautiful room boasts exposed beams, two windows to a front aspect enjoying wonderful views over the gardens. It has the added benefits of a dressing room with integrated wardrobes and an en suite bathroom. The second and third bedrooms are a similar size to the master and offer similar features, such as exposed beams, neutral colours and two leaded windows each. The eighth bedroom is a good size single room with a window to a side aspect and could also be used as a study, if required. The family bathroom can also be found on this floor.

Upstairs, to the second floor, Sewards offers a generous storage cupboard and four more double bedrooms, each with a window to a side aspect and many period features, such as exposed beams, brickwork, and a feature fireplace in bedroom four. A roof hatch allows access to the roof where the lead roofed glazed square timber Cupola is found from which there are amazing views over the surrounding countryside.

Step OutsideSewards

Outside, this grand heritage property can be accessed via a 5-bar gate and approached by a long driveway with grassy verges, trees and shrubs on either side. The road leads down to the left of the property where a double garage and workshop are found, as well as parking spaces for several vehicles.

Sewards enjoys a strikingly beautiful frontage with red brick and black headers in Flemish bond, a gabled oak-timbered porch with a tiled roof, a 6-panel fielded oak front door, a lead roofed glazed square timber Cupola on the centre of the roof, an ogee cup and ball finial to the centre of the cupola, and two magnificent chimney breasts with terracotta pots, which adorn each end of the house.

Sewards is set in approximately one acre of formal gardens with an extensive lawned area with a wide gravel pathway and a feature sundial at its centre. The current owners have put much thought and care into keeping these wonderful grounds at their best, and there is a thatched summerhouse, which is the perfect spot to relax and enjoy a book, and a variety of walls, trees, hedgerows and shrubs to maintain privacy. To the rear of the property, there is a walled patio courtyard with a beautiful well. This courtyard can we accessed via the kitchen and is a wonderful space to relax or entertain guests.

Sewards comes to the market with approximately 10 acres of additional grounds and paddocks that adjoin the formal gardens together with planning permission to convert a substantial barn and into a further standalone property. Please request further details regarding these plans from Fine & Country. In addition, there is a large open barn/car port that has potential for a variety of uses.

LocationSituated in the pretty village of Brickendon, just two miles outside Hertford, Sewards is wonderfully placed to enjoy a rural lifestyle, but it is also very close to various towns, cities and major road links. Brickendon enjoys a village pub, a village hall, Brickendon Grange golf club and a number of very good primary and secondary schools nearby. The village community itself is very active with lots of things to do, and there are many businesses in operation.

General InformationLocal Authority: East Herts DC 01279 655261Council Tax Band: GServices: Mains Water, electricity and drainage. Oil fired central heating.

Agents notes: All measurements are approximate and for general guidance only and whilst every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy, they must not be relied on. The fixtures, fittings and appliances referred to have not been tested and therefore no guarantee can be given that they are in working order. Internal photographs are reproduced for general information and it must not be inferred that any item shown is included with the property. For a free valuation, contact the numbers listed on the brochure. Copyright © 2019 Fine & Country Ltd. Registered in England and Wales. Company Reg No: 05488780 Registered office address: Market Rd, Saint Ives, Cambridgeshire PE27 5YZ Printed 02.09.2019

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Fine & Country – Selling the finest homes in Welwyn, Hertford, Ware and Buntingford areasTel: +44 (0)1920 443898ware@fineandcountry.com110 High Street, Ware, Hertfordshire SG12 9AP