Contact Tim or Julia from Stowhill Estates Berkshire for more information about this property – 0118-207-3030
Beautiful home, beautiful location
Some locations are perennially popular. Halls Lane in the heart of Waltham St Lawrence village is a terrific example of this. Being so close to village life, the terrific local pub, the church, village hall and lovely walking routes and footpaths, whilst off the beaten track of the main road, make this a highly desirable setting indeed. But being just 10 minutes from Twyford station and the Elizabeth line or 25 minutes from Heathrow makes this an extremely practical place to live too
It's perhaps not too surprising therefore that properties as versatile as this, presented so beautifully and with great sized plots, don’t crop up all that often. Which is why we are really pleased to be able to share this one with you.
Enviably handsome, both outside and in
This is a traditional, post-war style, brick and timber house that sits comfortably in this semi-rural setting and feels totally in-keeping with the area. The wide grass verges outside the driveway set the house further back from the lane, and the post and rail fencing and hedges along with the 5-bar and pedestrian gate create a sort of softened privacy.
The large gravel driveway happily houses 8 cars if needed and the garage to the left is connected to the property via two brick-built store areas, one accessed from the front and the other from the back garden. There is a side access down both sides of the property, but the right-hand side offers an extra wide space compared to many.
In the centre of the house is the timber-framed porch which connects aesthetically to the gates and fencing and visually joins up the space.
Space to relax and entertain
You enter into a generous sized hall with the main stairs rising in front of you and the hall running along the right. Following that from front to back leads you into the sitting room; a beautiful, triple-aspect, light-filled space thanks to its south-east facing nature. This is further maximised by the combination of the large timber-framed box bay window overlooking the garden and the French doors out to the patio area. There’s also an open fire with a lovely stone hearth, mantle and surround.
Back through the hall you pass the downstairs WC on your right before reaching the doors to the study. This is a good-sized space in its own right, but thanks to the interconnecting double doors, it can be opened up to become an extension of the dining room for those occasions when you need a little extra space. That said, the dining room itself is a really good size and easily accepts a table for eight. It has views out to the front of the house via the two sets of windows and of course has its own dedicated door into the hall meaning you can keep the two areas entirely separate if that’s preferable.
Turning right out of the dining room door, in front of you across the hall is the entrance to the kitchen. This is a well-conceived space with a large central island and breakfast bar with granite worktops, built-in wine racks and extended storage. At the end of the room nearest the front of the house is a box bay window sufficiently large enough to accept a table for four and making a lovely breakfast area or somewhere to keep an eye on homework whilst cooking. On the opposite side of the room at the back of the house is the sink with additional rinser sink and tap, and more worktop space overlooking the patio and garden. There’s a large space for a free-standing fridge-freezer to the right of here and a multi-oven Rangemaster and extractor hood opposite the island. There’s also a built-in AEG coffee machine and microwave space, leaving your worktop spaces clear.
If you do need more worktop space however for those occasionally used appliances, there’s a separate door into the utility room which has space for a separate washing machine and tumble drier as well as extra cupboards, a utility sink and a door out to the patio.
Just off the kitchen and down a step is the sunroom. This is a beautiful room with vaulted ceiling, character beams, double-aspect windows (including French doors to the patio) and over-head Velux windows. There’s also a clever media wall meaning this can be a great room to relax with a quick coffee and catch up on the news, or a snug to sit and enjoy the peace or the TV! It also provides perfect easy access from the kitchen to the patio seating for those occasions when the weather is kind enough to allow us some al fresco dining.
A bedtime story
As you climb the stairs, the landing stretches out in front of you, similar to the hall downstairs. This time however, at the far end you find the principal suite. A very generously sized room, with magnificent floor-to-ceiling timber-framed box bay windows overlooking the tranquil garden. This is undoubtedly the showstopper for this space, and it’s easy to see why with such a pretty outlook. The spacious nature of the room means it lends itself well to a large bed and even extended seating should you wish to do so. When it comes to practicality, there are built-in wardrobes, shelving and plenty of space for additional furniture, such as a dressing table. The smartly appointed en suite is a good size, underfloor heated and features a large, walk-in shower with rainfall head and rinser, as well as a Velux for additional natural light.
As you head back along the landing, on your left is the underfloor heated family bathroom with double sinks, a bath with a rainfall head shower and rinser and of course a WC. This room is equally smart and well finished having also been recently refreshed, and again there is a Velux for plenty of light and ventilation.
Just past the bathroom, you can head left of the staircase into bedroom 2. This triple-aspect room is a good-sized double bedroom with another smart, underfloor heated en suite with walk-in shower and built-in wardrobes.
On the opposite side of the landing in the far corner is bedroom 3; another large double overlooking the front of the house with built-in wardrobes in one corner.
Next door is bedroom 4, still a good-sized room more than capable of being a double bedroom. Lovely and light thanks to the double Velux windows and again with built-in wardrobes.
A garden oasis
One of the major plus-points of this location is the peace and tranquillity that comes from being on a small lane in a village. Sitting in the garden you realise just how calming this is. Birdsong, neighbourly lawnmowers and the occasional distant burble of light aircraft from the nearby White Waltham airfield are really all you hear. There are plenty of options for where to sit, too.
Outside the house is the main patio area, accessible directly from the sunroom, the sitting room and the utility room. A pretty landscaped area then leads to a path to a second patio directly outside the doors to the garden annexe.
The garden contains plenty of mature trees and shrubs as well as some lovely planting of spring bulbs and wildflowers and a large lawned area. There are also 2 sheds, a greenhouse and a log store, as well as plenty of places for compost bins.
This is a large and beautiful garden with a great combination of areas to relax and enjoy, as well as working areas and practical storage. But there is of course one additional major element we have not yet touched on …
Home working and home playing
The stunning garden studio (annexe) was added a few years ago and still feels brand new. This 269 square foot timber-framed building is fully insulated, double glazed and has underfloor heating throughout. The bifold doors open onto the second patio area, while the inside layout is essentially open plan with the main living space flowing into the kitchen area with butler sink, electric hob and built-in fridge. Just behind here is the bathroom which has a walk-in shower with rainfall head and rinser.
This building has various possibilities and all of them work fantastically well. It would make a wonderful home office to ensure work is kept out of the house, an additional entertaining space with the bifold doors to the patio and the kitchen for drinks and food prep, or an ideal guest annexe, fully independent and private but just a short stroll from the house.
Round and about
Waltham St Lawrence is a fantastic village full of character and in a great location for accessing commuter links by road or rail, as well as the charming rural qualities and curiosities that this part of Berkshire has to offer. From village pubs to village cricket, from country walks to outdoor pursuits, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. But part of living on one of the most desirable roads in the heart of a village like this is benefitting from all that brings with it. Things like the monthly community café, church teas, carols at Christmas or the annual inter-Waltham charity cricket match are perfect examples of just how special an area this is. Living just a stone’s throw from such a fantastic local pub and such an historic church isn’t something many people are privileged enough to be able to achieve. Having stunning countryside and delightful walks on your doorstep is a real privilege. Combine that with convenient access to everything else this part of Berkshire has to offer and you start to understand why it’s not easy to ever leave!
Where to go when you need
Milk: An excellent farm shop can be found at Hare Hatch Sheeplands Garden Centre 2 miles away, with an extensive range of locally grown and produced products.
Weekly Shop: Twyford provides a choice of supermarkets, but the largest and most popular is Waitrose, just 3 miles from Halls Lane. You’ll also find an M&S Simply Food, a Tesco Express and some independent stores.
Gym/Fitness: You’re spoilt for choice with country walks on your doorstep, including the Church Farm circuit, Shottesbrooke Park loop and plenty of other routes that include some excellent country pubs. Nearby Twyford or Maidenhead have a choice of gyms and yoga studios and there is a thriving cycling scene. Several polo, tennis, cricket, football and rugby clubs surround this area in Twyford, Wargrave, Wokingham, Binfield, Hurst and Maidenhead to name but a few.
Golf: There are several members only and pay-and-play courses near Waltham St Lawrence. Castle Royle is the closest just 2 miles away, but you’re not far from Hennerton, Billingbear, Bird Hills and Sonning or a little further afield are the world-renowned Wentworth, Sunningdale and The Berkshire.
Dinner/Drinks: The Bell Inn is a matter of seconds from the cottage, serving as the village ‘local’ and promoting real ales from independent breweries, whilst offering good food from fresh, seasonal ingredients. You’ll find log fires in the winter and a good-sized beer garden for sunny summer days. The Horse & Groom is just up the road with seasonally inspired menus and pub favourites. The Beehive in White Waltham maintains an excellent reputation and has lovely views of cricket in summer. The Shurlock Inn steak restaurant and pub in Shurlock Row is first class, as is the Castle in Hurst or the Warren in Wokingham, and in nearby Twyford you’ll find an array of restaurants to suit any mood.
Schools: 1 mile away is Waltham St Lawrence Primary School, rated Outstanding by OFSTED. A little further is another outstanding primary school, Knowl Hill CoE. White Waltham CoE Academy, Newbold School Manor Green, Cox Green and The Piggott are all other local options with good ratings. Regionally there are several excellent independent options, for example Reading Blue Coat in Sonning, Queens Anne's School in Caversham, St. George's in Windsor and both Eton and Wellington Colleges.
