Lower Road, Blackthorn, Bicester, OX25

An irresistibly charming Grade 2 Listed cottage steeped in history, with a South-West facing garden & double garage, all in superlative order throughout & tucked away behind a gravel driveway opposite the green. Lovely in every way, & offered with NO CHAIN.

Blackthorn is an historic village with ancient roots, situated close to the Oxfordshire/ Buckinghamshire borders. It is quiet and peaceful, surrounded by farmland, but at the same time perfectly placed for amenities and commuting. The community is vibrant if you wish to be part of that, with a social committee that organises various events including Quiz nights, summer BBQ, Christmas Carols, even a very popular classic car show every Summer with an increasingly large attendance. Approximately 3 miles from Bicester and the designer outlet at Bicester village, the M40, A41, A43 (leading to the M1) and A34 are all nearby plus Bicester North offers a great commuter service to London Marylebone in as little as 40 minutes. Bicester itself is an historic market town with a wide range of shops, together with cafes, pubs, numerous restaurants, weekly markets and a new Sainsburys supermarket with cinema complex.

The Cottage is a truly delightful mix of 18th century ex farm building and luxurious modern fittings. From the moment you arrive on the gravel driveway at the front door, it's just right . Everywhere you look character ranging from rough hewn timbers to flagstone floors raises a smile, enforcing the feeling that this is something rather special. The little details like crittal windows with oak separating bars set it apart from the more pedestrian iterations of historic property. And unusually for a cottage, the overall feeling is of great space and great light. The proportions are excellent too, so it's a very easy house to use. And for those looking to work from home but perhaps not inside the house, there is a detached double garage with power connected as well as a garden large enough to house a pod if wished - and with Fibreoptic broadband in this village your productivity will be as good as anywhere.

The entrance to this house really sets the tone. A ledged timber front door under a large oak lintel opens into a hall with flagstone floor, stone wall in front and beams overhead. Cast your eyes left and the living room draws you in. The immaculate stone floor contrasts delightfully with the timber windows and beams, with pristine white walls between. It's such a positive space; windows to two sides join glazed double doors (accessing the terrace and rear garden) to the third in making it deliciously light and airy, flattering the already good space, and there's even a window seat. The main focus is a wood burning stove within a deep, Inglenook fireplace, topped off with a beautiful thick timber lintel that reinforces that feeling of a special, historic house. Across the hall, the dining room is even larger. Those same flagstones found on the hall floor continue through. Another Inglenook fireplace takes centre stage, this time also containing the remains of a bread oven (complete with iron door and a light inside!) alongside the wood burner. And windows to two sides provide the same high level of natural light, with one of them also containing a window seat. Adjacent, another inner hall leads through to the stairs on one side and an immaculate cloak room on the other. The cloak room will initially confuse you! An external door complete with stain glass window has been partially boxed in to create the room, in the process creating an intriguing and unique feature. And next door, the kitchen opens out perfectly with gorgeous wall and ceiling timbers framing a classic kitchen. The integration of the kitchen and the cottage is pleasing to see, with obvious attention to detail everywhere. A long run of work surfaces provide excellent prep space, and wall and base units provide masses of storage that's further embellished by the understairs cupboard. A door to the side also leads out to the terrace, although this is definitely one through which most will need to duck!

Head back to the hallway and through the door to the hidden staircase, and at the top the house rewards again with more character including a glimpse of the wall plate timbers. Straight ahead, what is the smallest bedroom of the three in fact offers generous space. The eaves to the side are pretty, but do not intrude into the head height hence the useable space is very good. And the shape of the room lends itself well to placing a double bed to one end while offering various furnishing options at the other - although covering the (unused) fireplace might be a step too far for some! Along the landing to the right, the main bedroom is delightful. Large and light, it's also practical with a generous range of wardrobes built in on one wall. The double bed currently incumbent leaves great space around it, ample for various cabinets, a dressing table and even an easy chair. And next door the en-suite further reinforces the attention to detail. Mosaic tiled from floor to ceiling, it's immaculate, with a walk-in shower that's fitted with a high quality thermostatic system. And there are two showers, one a soaker head and the other a flexible hose. Combine this with a space saving wall-mounted sink and vanity plus compact wc and it's clear that great thought has been applied. Continue along the landing and the last of the three bedrooms is as delightful as elsewhere. A timber-topped window seat takes centre stage, opposite which the wall is exposed stone. The size is such that the double bed is joined by a good sized sofa currently! And as it's double aspect the light is abundant throughout. Serving all, the bathroom sits at the top of the stairs. If anything, this room really shows the quality applied to this house. The same theme as the en-suite continues here, with a neat modern suite that, this time, includes a bath. Look at the fitting of the tiling around the beams, on the curve of the window opening, and surrounding the window itself. For lovers of quality workmanship, this high level of craftsmanship tells you all you need to know!

Outside offers much to smile about, too. At the front, the house is accessed via a long gravel driveway that serves just three houses. A low stone wall either side of the front path encloses a small front garden stacked with flowers, shrubs and other plants that gently spill over the wall. Round to the right, the double garage is detached from the house and built to a good spec with a tiled and pitched roof above brick walls. Two doors enclose a garage that is quite large, with ample room above for storage, and power already fitted. A gate between the garage and house leads into the rear garden via a terrace that runs across the whole of the back of the house, with a seating area next to the kitchen. This is a truly delightful place to be. Lovely, mature borders meander down both sides of the garden, framing the ample and mature lawn with their splendid array of flowers and shrubs, and various trees punctuate both sides. It is so secluded, and extremely peaceful, a place equally for a quiet afternoon with a book and glass of wine or a party with friends.