Property description

SUMMARY
A charming four bedroom character cottage with delightful views across green fields, located just 15 minutes drive from the market Town of Cowbridge in The Vale. Tastefully modernised, large beautifully arranged garden, separate detached stone built Barn!


DESCRIPTION
Occupying an idyllic position, just on the outskirts of the pretty semi-rural village of Llanmaes, charming detached double fronted four bedroom cottage of character enjoys scenic views across open park land opposite, extending across to pretty countryside, and includes a large private garden and a separate detached stone built listed Barn. This substantial detached period home, is reputed to have been built in 1684, extended in the 18th century and boasting exposed beam ceilings, flagstone floors, farmhouse style pine panel doors and charming fireplaces including a large inglenook within the 25 ft sitting room inset with a log burning fire. In recent years the property has been modernised with the addition of many sash cord style double glazed wood replacement windows, gas heating with panel radiators and a conventional Worcester boiler (2009), a full re-wire (1994 no documentation available), a modern fitted kitchen (replaced in 2009) and equipped with a large gas fired Aga, and a stunning new family bathroom. The roof waas retile in reclaimed Welsh slate in 2009. This stylish new white suite is equipped with a free standing roll top bath, a wc with a concealed cistern, a shaped wash hand basin and a separate shower cubicle. The ground floor also includes a spacious lounge (25’1 x 11’10) inset with double glazed french doors and a deep window seat, a separate study with exposed stone walls and two windows, a large utility room (11’9 x 9’1) and a downstairs cloak room.

The Property
The first floor includes four bedrooms, the master being a generous (24’10 x 10’11) plus a deep built in single wardrobe (5’10 x 4’4) with potential to be converted into an ensuite shower room, subject to drainage requirements and building regulations. Special feature are the rear and side gardens which have been designed around oval lawns and patios, screened by trees to afford privacy and security. A further interesting feature is a separate detached stone built barn, listed and located near by, currently used as a garage and log store. This substantial Barn is located off the park opposite and could offer considerable potential for conversion, subject to the necessary planning applications and build regulations together with its listed status requirements.

Llanmaes
Llanmaes is a community and small village in the Vale of Glamorgan near the market town of Llantwit Major and Cowbridge. Llanmaes has a long history, with remains of a Roman fort in fields next to the coast road. There may have been a church at Llanmaes as early as the 5th or 6th century, but the church we see today (St Cattwg’s) was built in the 13th century with the earliest mention in 1254. The four-stage tower was added in 1632 and the church was restored in the late Victorian period. The village has one long road going through the side of the village, linking Llantwit with Cowbridge and passing through the village of St Mary Church, and a second road goes through the centre from the local pub to the church and on to Eglwys Brwys. The older part of the village around the church has the oldest, most picturesque cottages and houses and includes the remains of the keep to the Norman Malefant Castle, which is now a ruin and lies behind a modern house. Much of the village now consists of relatively modern detached housing along the main Llanmaes road. The Village green has been preserved, across from the village’s only remaining public house, “The Blacksmiths Arms”, with the old village pump opposite. The original Brown Lion pub and the quaint post-office/village shop building, now both private dwellings, are in the older part of the village. Llanmaes has a village hall, and has won the Vale of Glamorgan Best Kept Village competition on many occasions. Within 10 minutes driving distance is the Market Town of Cowbridge and within 20 minutes is exit 35 onto the M4, allowing good access to Cardiff and Swansea, Newport and Bristol.

Schools
Local primary schools include Ysgol y Ddraig Primary located 1 mile away in Ham Lane East in Llantwit Major, St Illtyd Primary School and Nursery Unit located 1.1 miles away in Station Road, Llantwit Major and Llanfair Primary school located 1.7 miles away in The Herberts, St Marys Church, Cowbridge.

Porch 5’ 4″ × 5′ 2" ( 1.63m x 1.57m )
Approached by a pretty arch style front entrance door, flagstone floor, skylight window, ceiling light, coat hanging space.

Sitting Room 25’ x 14’ 11" ( 7.62m x 4.55m )
Approached by a part panelled entrance door, exposed beam ceiling, flagstone floor, Inglenook fireplace inset with a Clearview 600 cast iron multifuel burner, solid wood mantle, two double radiators, stable door to rear gardens, single flight staircase to the first floor landing, double glazed replacement sash cord window to front, a charming room.

Lounge 25’ 1″ × 11′ 10" ( 7.65m x 3.61m )
Inset with an imposing character fireplace equipped with an enclosed log burner with clear glass door, replacement double glazed sash cord window to front, two double radiators, double glazed French doors opening onto the side gardens, deep alcove with window seat and double glaze window with side garden aspect.

Study 12’ 2″ × 4′ 5" ( 3.71m x 1.35m )
Single radiator, window to rear, window to side, exposed stone walls, farmhouse panel door to sitting room.

Kitchen 15’ 7″ × 11′ 7" ( 4.75m x 3.53m )
Fitted along three sides with modern floor and eye level units with oak work tops, white Belfast sink with mixer taps, gas fired Aga range cooker, tiled floor, window to rear, double glazed replacement window to front, door to front porch with further door to front road, integrated Bosch dishwasher and refridgerator.

Outer Hall

Cloak Room
WC and handbasin, window to side.

Utility Room 11’ 9″ × 9′ 1" ( 3.58m x 2.77m )
Boiler. Space with plumbing for an automatic washing machine, door to side, window to side, white Belfast sink, space for the housing of a fridge freezer, wall shelves, built out cupboard housing hot water tank.

First Floor Landing
Approached by a single flight staircase, window to rear.

Master Bedroom 15’ 1″ × 10′ 11" ( 4.60m x 3.33m )
Double glazed sash cord window with delightful front views across to open green fields, character fire place with cast iron grate and tiled surround, double radiator, farm house panel door to landing.

Ensuite Dressing Room 10’ 6″ × 10′ 1" ( 3.20m x 3.07m )
Approached from the master bedroom and equipped with two double glazed replacement windows with side aspect to gardens, double radiator. The vendors currently use this room as a study but this would prove ideal as an ensuite dressing room or possibly an ensuite bathroom, subject to drainage and building regulation requirements.

Wardrobe 5’ 10″ × 4′ 4" ( 1.78m x 1.32m )
Walk-in wardrobe approached from the master bedroom.

Bedroom Two 11’ 9″ × 9′ 2" ( 3.58m x 2.79m )
Double glazed replacement sash cord window with delightful front views across green fields, built in over stair wardrobe with stained glass window, radiator.

Bedroom Three 12’ 8″ × 11′ 10" ( 3.86m x 3.61m )
Double glazed replacement sash cord window to front with delightful views across green fields, wash hand basin in white with chrome taps, radiator, farm house panel door to landing.

Bedroom Four 9’ x 8’ 9" ( 2.74m x 2.67m )
Window to rear, double radiator.

Bathroom 11’ 10″ × 6′ 2" ( 3.61m x 1.88m )
A stylish modern white suite, ceramic tiled shower cubicle with chrome shower unit, waterfall shower fitment plus hand fitment, wc with concealed cistern, shaped wash hand basin with chrome mixer taps and a pop up waste, free standing roll top bath with chrome mixer taps and a pop up waste, stylish chrome towel rail/radiator, replacement double glazed window to front.

Gardens
The cottage style gardens were developed with the aid of a professional landscaper in 2012 and lie to the rear and side of the property, they are accessed via the stable door in the dining/sitting room, and the French windows in the lounge. Passing through the stable door access, up a small flight of steps there is a herb garden with two mature and productive damson trees and the outside tap, to the left a path takes you between two mixed borders, behind the right hand border lies a vegetable area with raised beds and soft fruit, a greenhouse on hard standing and a garden shed. Further into the garden on the right there is a stone edged oval lawn surrounded by deep mixed and rose borders, with a seating area at the top of it and with a rose arch between the lawn area and the vegetable garden, and to the left down a few steps there is a lovely secluded area with a mature fish pond and space for seating. Steps then take you down to the French window entrance to the lounge. There is a gate providing external access to the garden. The garden is heavily planted with scented and shade loving plants and has many carefully selected David Austin roses, since 2013 the Brown Lion garden has been ‘opened’ with several others in the village as part of the National Garden Scheme.

Detached Barn 40’ 4″ × 17′ 10" ( 12.29m x 5.44m )
A detached stone built listed barn, fitted with electric power and light, three arrow windows and approached from the road by an electric fob operated up and over door. This barn is currently used as a large double garage and log store.

Property History
Brown Lion House in part dates back to the ‘Eighteenth century, being a two storey building, parallel to the road from Llanmaes to Eglwys Brewis. Formerly used as a public house, a court by the Lord of the manor and as a meeting house for the early Methodist congregations in the Vale. John Wesley preached “on Thursday at Llanmaes four miles from Fonmon to a people of simple, loving, childlike spirit.” (Wesley’s diary 21st August, 1746).’ The house was used as a pub until the early 1920’s. The downstairs room currently used as the study was the ‘beer room’.

Proposed Render Improvements
The South (front) and North West faces of the Brown Lion House were lime rendered in 1997, but although the lime render is in good condition, the lime wash has not adhered well in recent years, and cosmetically looks poor. The owner has taken advice and plans to refinish these faces in conservation grade silica paint (Keim) after light grit blasting to clean off the lime wash. Unfortunately this work cannot be done in the winter months and is scheduled to be completed in March/April 2017.

Marketed by pa black

Property Features :

• Detached four bedroom cottage dating back to 1684.
• 25 FT Lounge, 25 FT Sitting room, Ingle nook Fireplace, exposed beamed ceiling, exposed stone walls
• Sympathetically improved, Gas heating, sash cord double glazed wood replacement windows.
• Separate 40 FT x 18 FT stone built listed Barn.