Idstone Farm, Idstone, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN6

Lower Idstone Farm is situated on the northern edge of the hamlet of Idstone, which itself lies between the villages of Ashbury and Bishopstone, each about 1 mile distant. Idstone is located immediately under the escarpment of the Berkshire Downs and on the edge of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. To the north, the farm looks out over the Vale of White Horse. The delightful villages of Ashbury and Bishopstone each have a primary school and a village inn. Ashbury also has a village shop and tea rooms. The world renowned Uffington White Horse is only about 4 miles distant, and is accessible by foot along the Ridgeway National Trail, which runs along the top of the adjoining escarpment. Despite its rural position, communications are excellent. Swindon (8 miles to the west) provides a good range of shopping and other facilities, and also provides a main line railway station, putting London (Paddington) within about 1 hour's travelling distance. The M4 Motorway (junction 15) is only 5? miles distant. Although the address for Lower Idstone Farm is Swindon, Wiltshire, it is in fact situated within the County of Oxfordshire. The sale follows the death of the Late Mr J W H Ball. The farm has been in the Seller's Family ownership since 1964, and prior to that it was occupied by the Ball Family as Tenants of The Church Commissioners since the early years of the last Century. The farmhouse is a charming, period dwelling, listed Grade 2 being of special historic and architectural interest. It has a date stone of 1595. The listing paper suggests that the house was rebuilt during the early to mid 18th Century. It is constructed of sarsen stone and squared chalk with brick dressings under a stone slate roof. The house contains many period features, but it would benefit from refurbishment and modernisation. Rose Cottage is attached at the north eastern elevation of the farmhouse. This is also a period dwelling, which is jointly listed with the farmhouse. It is of similar construction to the farmhouse but is roofed with thatch. The cottage has been fully modernised in recent years and is presented in excellent decorative condition. The buildings are situated immediately to the north of the farmhouse and comprise a useful range of structures, both modern and traditional, which have been utilised for the housing of a dairy herd together with fodder and machinery storage. The land lies within a ring fence in a pretty setting, running to the north of the farm buildings. There are 13 field enclosures, mostly bounded by trimmed hedges and post and wire fencing together with numerous hedgerow trees. Most of the field enclosures are served with water to troughs. Access to many of the field enclosures can be taken over Featherbed Lane, which runs along the eastern boundary of the fields. The soils are categorised as Grade 3.