Valley Vale, Great Elm, Frome, BA11

Situated down a quiet country lane, Valley House is perfectly positioned for those who want to be surrounded by nature but with easy access to nearby amenities. The home comes with 4 off road parking spaces and a number of outside storage sheds. The house is accessed via a gate and sits behind a stone retaining wall, reinforced and double skinned. The house itself is particularly attractive, with a handsome double fronted facade on the river side. We believe parts of the home date back to the 17th Century, but was sympathetically extended and renovated in the mid nineties by the previous owner. Lapsed planned exists for a large one and a half storey extension to the rear, and the foundations are in place.  

You enter through the quintessential stable door under a slate-tiled portico into a generous boot room/entrance hall. From here glazed double doors lead to a large utility room and storage space. The kitchen itself is a delightful blend of rustic charm and practical elegance, featuring an eye catching stone fireplace, industrial light fixtures. bespoke oak-framed cabinetry with elm doors, and slate worktops. A traditional British-made Esse stove adds to the cosy ambience, complemented by a Belfast sink set in granite and a modern induction hob. A stable door opens to the garden, while another glazed door leads to the sitting room. The room is bathed in light from the dual aspect windows and the views out across the lawn to the brook and the woods beyond. The entrance hall, utility and kitchen all benefit from hard wearing quarry tiles and country style fixtures and fittings. There is plenty of space for a large farmhouse style dining table and chairs. 

The sitting room is a serene space with an Inglenook fireplace housing a wood-burning stove, painted stonework, exposed beams, flagstone flooring, and French doors opening to the garden.  A custom-built oak cabinet cleverly conceals a hidden Priest Hole and under stairs storage area. A wide, winding staircase—carpeted and crafted from oak—ascends to a bright landing with oak floorboards and castle turret window slits. 

The 1st floor offers three good sized rooms, each with their own fireplace, one featuring intricate herringbone brickwork. 2 are currently set up as bedrooms, with generous ceiling heights and large sash windows, one containing the unusual round window. A 3rd room with casement windows and bright skylight is currently used as an office/music room and houses the water tank, but would also serve as a double bedroom if desired. It has the benefit of built-in cupboards. A good sized family bathroom with imported french roll top bath and striking roof lantern completes this floor. The stairs continue to the top level, revealing a versatile space currently used as an art studio but would suit a variety of uses, including a study, nursery or dressing room, there is a small shower room, with large skylights. Through to the impressively large and serene principal bedroom boasting picturesque views of the river, with high pitched ceilings and a particularly attractive fireplace. Built-in wardrobes line one of the walls, with an attractive ecclesiastical design. A salvaged stain glass window adorns the room's door. 

Outside, the gardens are equally captivating, with beautifully landscaped areas to the front and side, and several seating areas, including a magical riverside terrace set within the ruins of a former cottage. The brook runs along the frontage, and you have the benefit of a small bridge and fishing rights (the current owner's daughter holds the record catch of 47 American Crayfish, which are reputedly excellent with mayo) and surrounded by a rich tapestry of wildlife—including otters, kingfishers, and owls—this is a truly special home in a dreamlike location, with idyllic riverside walks leading towards the nearby villages of Nunney and Mells.