Oldcastle Lane, Threapwood, SY14

Embrace quintessential country living in a friendly, Cheshire village setting at Crab Apple Cottage; a traditional 18th century chocolate box cottage nestled within beautiful gardens less than 30 minutes' drive from the vibrant culture, shops and restaurants of Chester.

Renovated and reloved
Extended and renovated in 2008, Crab Apple Cottage blends the best of country living with modern comforts. Manual solid wood gates open to provide access to a long gravel driveway, where there is plenty of parking for half a dozen cars.

From the driveway, a golden gravel pathway leads through the manicured front lawn, enclosed by hedging and bordered by country cottage planting including fragrant roses. Extending to around three acres, the glorious gardens of Crab Apple Cottage wrap around the home, serving as an extension to the indoor living space.

Chocolate box cottage charm
Make your way indoors, via a handy, quarry tiled boot room entrance, which leads through to the large, open plan kitchen-dining-living room. A fantastic family space, where rustic beams, whitewashed for a light, bright feel, extend overhead. Dating back to 1770 in its oldest parts, Crab Apple Cottage emanates rustic warmth and farmhouse charm.

Open and light, the family kitchen is an ideal space for dining and socialising, with a stable door opening directly out to the garden, inviting light and the outdoors in. Warmed by a traditional Aga and served by a deep, Belfast sink, there is space for all your freestanding kitchen appliances, with a handy walk-in pantry providing additional storage.

Snuggle up
From the kitchen, step through to the cosy snug, where original quarry tiles extend underfoot, and the open fire fills the room with toasty warmth on winter evenings. The cottage windows frame verdant views out over the garden to the front.

OWNER QUOTE: "In the winter, the snug and living room are wonderfully cosy places to be in as the open fire and log-burning stove provide warmth and comfort."

Flow through from the snug into the second sitting room, where an exposed redbrick fireplace houses a log-burning stove, a splendid sight with its flickering flames on crisp December days. Spacious, and serenely dressed in shades of soft green, with whitewashed beams above, this room is cosily carpeted and looks out over the garden.

And so to bed…
Ascend the stairs from the kitchen up to the first floor, where a landing provides access to the bathroom and four bedrooms.

Refresh and revive in the family bathroom on the left, a spacious room, where you can soak up the views as you stretch out in the claw foot, roll top bath, with showerhead attachment. Wooden flooring extends underfoot, whilst a separate, modern metro tiled shower with drench head also features, alongside a WC and chrome heated towel radiator.

Sweet dreams
Arrive at the master bedroom, the first of the double bedrooms, dressed in soft sage creating a soothing ambience. Windows to two sides, including a quaint triangular bay, draw in plenty of light in this serene and airy space.

Along the landing, step down to arrive at the original part of the home, where a second double bedroom awaits on the left. Brimming with character, the exposed brick chimney breast accommodates an ornamental fireplace, whilst windows offer wonderful views to the front and side of the home. Stash all your clothes in the handy, pine wood fitted wardrobes.

At the end of the landing, two characterful single bedrooms, set beneath sloping rooflines await, each light and bright and offering exquisite views out over the garden and Cheshire countryside.

English country garden
Of course, the home is merely a chapter of the story of Crab Apple Cottage, with the vast and varied gardens embracing the home, transforming it into a magical place in which to live.

The lush and green gardens, especially enchanting in summer, feature a beautiful kitchen garden producing food for consumption throughout the year, and enhanced by a Rhino Greenhouse that extends the growing season.

Thoughtfully divided into different garden 'rooms', cottage borders, overflowing with fragrant planting accompany formal hedging, a 'secret garden,' woodland coppices, an orchard, a paddock and even an enchanting path leading down to a babbling brook.

Plum, apple, pear, medlar, quince, crab apple, mulberry, and fig trees, alongside various soft fruit bushes, feature in the orchard, whilst throughout the garden there are numerous inviting spots to sit, dine, and unwind.

Each season brings with it its own, unique beauty. In January, snowdrops planted beneath the specimen birches give way to banks bursting with daffodils, followed by a blanket of spring bulbs and a finale of blossom. In summer, borders burst into life with a myriad of David Austin roses and traditional cottage plants. Autumn sees the trees putting on a vibrant display as the fruit is harvested, marking the annual batch cooking of crab apple jelly.

A magical space for children, the gardens offer the opportunity to build dens, sledge down hills, splash about in the brook or to explore the secret garden. The lawns, perfect for croquet, are also ideal for cricket and football, making Crab Apple Cottage a sanctuary for all the family.

Annexe
Sneak a peek at the annexe, a detached two-storey building with a games room to the lower level and flexible working space above, currently used as a study but which could also potentially serve as a bedroom.

Out and about
Explore all there is to offer on the doorstep. Head into the village to pick up your milk at the local shop, which also offers a newspaper delivery service. Nearby, you can also discover the 'littlest farm shop' which regularly holds a farmers' market. Just four miles away in Malpas, there are a selection of shops, restaurants and cafes, whilst for supermarkets, in the historic town of Whitchurch you can find Sainsbury's and Aldi.

Discover dozens of amazing walks from the front door, with so many footpaths to be explored, including one route that winds in and out of Wales, following a stretch of stream which is abundant with wild garlic in the spring.

OWNER QUOTE: "Just walking to the end of the garden is a treat."

Not far from Chester, just a 30-minute drive away, you are spoiled for choice when it comes to culture, cafes, cinemas and museums, whilst the Sandstone Trail, Bickerton and Peckforton castles, The Bolesworth Estate and Cholmondeley Castle are also close by for days out exploring.

Commuters are well connected, with Liverpool around a 50-minute drive away and Manchester reachable in a little over an hour. There is also a train service that runs from Whitchurch. For days by the coast, from Crab Apple Cottage, you can be in Anglesey in a little over an hour.

Families are perfectly placed, within easy reach of popular Shocklach Primary with its excellent reputation whilst nearby Bishop Heber in Malpas is also highly regarded. Parents also have the option of the Chester private schools and Ellesmere College.

A home with so much to offer for all ages, it is ideal for a young family seeking adventures in the garden, or a couple or family simply looking to enjoy the gardens and the lifestyle Crab Apple Cottage offers.

The quintessential chocolate box cottage nestled within glorious gardens in a wonderful country village, life is rosy, at Crab Apple Cottage.