A detached flint cottage in a north Norfolk ‘ghost village’ has come up for sale for £899,950.
Pestle Cottage in Bessingham is on the market with Bedfords and is described as “a spacious four-bedroom period cottage standing in immaculate gardens of 0.8 of an acre”.
It would be well-suited to a family who want to experience country life, as it offers over
3,000 sq ft of living space and overlooks meadows and farmland.
The property was built in 1857, around the time that Bessingham, the village – near Holt and the north Norfolk coast – and Bessingham, the estate, were thriving.
The estate had been bought by Johnathan Spurrell in 1766, who went on to found the village as it is today.
By the time Pestle Cottage was built, around 20 men worked full-time on the nearby Bessingham estate. Well-known residents of Bessingham Manor included Edmund Denham Spurrell, who is rumoured to have kept a bear in the cellar and was known as ‘Toad of Toad Hall’ for his erratic driving, and his sister, Katherine, who bred prize-winning daffodils.
The estate was broken up and sold in the 1970s. The manor house fell into disrepair and Bessingham, a once-thriving agricultural village, became known as a ‘ghost’ village – although for many, it’s the perfect rural idyll, especially in a home such as this.
Accommodation comprises an entrance hall, cloakroom, utility room and kitchen/breakfast room on the ground floor, as well as a study and formal reception rooms which include a drawing room, dining room and sitting room.
Two double bedrooms and a bath/shower room are arranged on the first floor, which is accessed by a staircase from the rear hall.
A separate staircase from the study leads to two further bedrooms, including the master, and a further shower room.
Outside, there is a large shingled parking area and a timber cart lodge with a useful room above.
The rear garden is largely laid to lawn, with shingled paths, pergolas and a timber summer house. A private, south-facing paved terrace looks out over the lawns, towards an area of woodland.
Contact Bedfords for more information.
PROPERTY FACTS
Bessingham, Norfolk
Guide price: £899,950
Bedfords, 01328 730500, www.bedfords.co.uk
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