Historical features abound in house set in ‘fairy-like nook’

A FASCINATING former 15th century schoolhouse is on the market with Knight Frank of Henley.

The Old School House is set into a little hidden hollow in Sonning called The Pit which is named after the medieval gravel pit which helped to build The Bishop’s Palace nearby, residence of the Bishops of Salisbury, in 1135.

This much sought-after historic hamlet was immortalised by Jerome K Jerome as ‘the most fairy-like little nook on the whole river’ in his book Three Men in a Boat (1889).

Dr Rebecca Bullard, her husband Patrick and their three children moved from the outskirts of Oxford to Sonning in 2016 with a desire to live in the heart of a village but with a rural aspect, and The Old School House provided the best of both worlds.

Dr Bullard describes her home as “tucked away, hard to find, but very secure. It is in the middle of a beautiful village surrounded by owls, woodpeckers and wildlife which makes it feel very rural, and yet, we are just 10 minutes from Reading station.” As a listed building, the Bullards set about improving what they could of the 3,313 sq ft of property, which included extending the parking area which now takes three cars, repairing the roof and installing a new boiler.

The large timber garage makes a wonderful storage space and has an electric charging point for cars. There are four bedrooms, three receptions, one of which could be used as a fifth bedroom, two bathrooms and a downstairs cloakroom. A swimming pool can be found at the bottom of the garden.

On the lower ground floor, the flexible accommodation is currently being used as a bedroom and second kitchen but has been used as a utility and sitting room in the past. There is also a door to the rear garden which creates a self-contained space.

Dr Bullard added: “It was a brilliant lockdown home. Working from home here is perfect. The children were in the pool every day.”

As their children became teenagers, they found that privacy within the three-storey house was not a problem and still accommodated all their requirements.

Dr Bullard explains that living here is like being a custodian of the house which is steeped in historical features. An extension with a beautiful inglenook fireplace and bread oven was added in the 17th century where the schoolmaster lived. Dutch stained glass in one of the bedrooms hails from the 16th/17th century and ‘protective’ markings over the fireplace are still visible. In the children’s bedrooms, builders’ marks can be seen on the beams when they were constructed off-site in the 1500s. In the 19th century a servant’s staircase and two bedrooms were added as it is recorded that in 1841, a lawyer and his family lived there. In the Twenties, the kitchen was extended, and a garage was built of English elm, a wood which hasn’t existed since the Forties.

Dr Bullard said: “The large sitting room makes it an excellent party house with an original carved oak hatch which goes through to the kitchen. This beautiful room has exposed timber and oak panels, an open fireplace with herringbone bricks and a woodburning stove.”

The well-fitted kitchen/breakfast room has exposed timbers and panelling with a range cooker, American style double fridge-freezer and door to the south-facing front garden.

The front terraced courtyard garden is pollinator friendly and has been thoughtfully planted in gravel to withstand drought.

Much of the original brickwork has been exposed and is edged with flowers, shrubs and high hedges which ensures the property is not overlooked in this peaceful and private lane.

The Bullard family are moving to be within walking distance of Reading station for work purposes.

The Old School House is Grade II listed and is on the market at a guide price of £1.5million freehold.

For more information or to arrange a viewing, call Knight Frank of Henley on (01491) 844900.