Stour Provost, Dorset

A handsome Georgian village house set within beautifully designed gardens on the edge of this popular village

SITUATION

King’s Provost is located towards the northern fringe of the charming unspoilt village of Stour Provost within the popular Blackmore Vale. Near by in the village of West Stour is a good pub and garage / local store and the renowned Udder Farm Shop is in the neighbouring village of East Stour.

Additional facilities are available in Gillingham which has a Waitrose and railway station to London (Waterloo) taking from 2 hours, as well as Shaftesbury or Sherborne. Other attractions locally include Stourhead, The Newt at Hadspen, nr Castle Cary and Hauser & Wirth at Bruton. There are excellent road links to the other main towns in the region including Bath, Salisbury and the South Coast. The nearby A303 provides access to London, the West Country and motorway network. The nearest regional airports are at Bristol or Southampton.

The property is situated on the edge of the Blackmore Vale with many beautiful footpaths and bridleways ideal for participating in a variety of rural pursuits including walking, riding, cycling. The area is also renowned for its field sports. Racing is at Wincanton, Bath & Salisbury with golf at Wincanton & Sherborne. There are a good state schools at Gillingham or Shaftesbury and private schools locally include Port Regis, Sandroyd, Hanford, Hazelgrove, Sherborne, Bryanston, King’s Bruton, Millfield & Downside.

DESCRIPTION

King’s Provost is a most handsome Georgian house which is believed to date from the 18th Century with later additions. The property is not listed and is built of mellow Marnhull stone elevations clad with wisteria under a slate roof. The Dining room wing was tastefully added in around 2003 and the charming Orangery which has under floor heating was added at a similar time.

Internally, the rooms are well-proportioned with good ceiling heights and abound with period detail including stone and wood floors, exposed beams, ornate fireplaces and cornicing. The accommodation is well laid out for both family living and entertaining alike.

There are two staircases to the first floor, one from the main hall leading to 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The other is by the dining room and leads up to a charming guest bedroom and en-suite bathroom. There are superb views over the gardens and grounds from many of the rooms in the house. For room dimensions and layouts please see the floor plans.

OUTSIDE

The house is approached from the center of the village into a no-through lane which leads to electric entrance gates and a gravel parking area with horse chesnut tree, flanked by a pretty stone wall. There is a useful stone and tile outbuilding for storage / workshop with attractive greenhouse to the rear. The charming gardens provide a wonderful setting for house and have been significantly improved by the current owners. Adjoining the main façade is a wide flagstone terrace which wraps around the house giving a variety of different seating areas during the day. Lawns are intersperced with elegant Box & Yew topiary and herbaceous borders. Steps lead down to the lower garden (also accessed by a gate near the outbuilding) divided by mature laurel hedge with lawns and further Yew topiary and a charming Kentian Seat with lead roof after William Kent.

Towards the bottom of the garden is a red and blue Chinese Tea House which overlooks an ornamental pond with fountain. This leads down to a wooden pontoon, where one can launch a rowing boat on the River Stour. There are beautiful views to the west over open farmland. The gardens have a huge variety of specimen trees and shrubs including liquidambar, several acers, magnolia, Canadian redbud, pear, apple, fig and bay.
In all the gardens extend to about 0.6 acres.

GENERAL REMARKS & STIPULATIONS

TENURE Freehold
PLANNING Not Listed
LOCAL AUTHORITY AND COUNCIL TAX BAND
Dorset Council, Council tax: band G
EPC E

SERVICES
Mains water and electricity. Private drainage. Oil fired heating including oil fired Aga.

FIXTURES & FITTINGS
Please note that unless specifically mentioned all fixtures and
fittings and garden ornaments are excluded from the sale but
some items may be available by separate negotiation.

DIRECTIONS
SP8 5RZ. Head west on the A30 from Shaftesbury. After the Udder Farm Shop take the next left to Marnhull and continue for a mile or so. Take a right turn signed to Stour Provost. In the middle of the village bear right and continue straight on into a no-through lane where it narrows slightly. The entrance gates to King’s Provost (with name) will be found on the left.

W3W ///tagging.inherits.scoop

VIEWING
Strictly by appointment with sole agents Rural View

AGENT’S NOTE
Some of the pictures were taken in 2019.