Property description

Nestled on the fringes of the pretty hamlet of Fencott, not far from the banks of the River Ray, is The Rockies, a picture perfect thatched cottage that is believed to date back to the 1650s. “When we began our search for a new home just over nine years ago we had a six-month old,” says Steph, “and so we were looking for a ‘forever’ house, one that felt like a real family home but also had character. I suppose we were looking for around eight months to a year before we stumbled across The Rockies, but the minute we set foot through the door we knew it was the one.”“One of the things that was at the top of my wish list was to have a kitchen big enough to take a sofa,” continues Steph. “It sounds trivial, but for me it was important that the room was big enough to be a sociable space, one where we could cook, eat and also sit and chat; that’s exactly what it has turned out to be, the real heart of our home. We fitted a beautiful, bespoke kitchen with a big island in the centre and all mod cons, one feature that we have found particularly effective are the workstations at each end. They have power points, so there’s space for the mixer, the coffee machine… that sort of thing, but when you’ve finished with them they can be completely hidden away.”“The house was in need of a lot of love when we found it,” says Steph, “and so over the years we’ve made a number of improvements, the most recent of which was to have the roof re-thatched and re-ridged. Everything we have done has been sympathetic to the style and history of the building, painstakingly sourcing period fixtures and fittings, but in places such as the bathrooms we have injected a more contemporary feel. There’s a lovely mix throughout that works extremely well.”“The garden is another lovely feature of the property,” says Steph. “We don’t have lawns, so it’s extremely low maintenance and it’s also a very peaceful and relaxing space to sit out in and enjoy. We have a pretty courtyard area just outside the kitchen door, with raised beds and a water feature, and then we have a larger area just beyond which again has raised beds and also a patio terrace which is a real sun trap.”“The house and garden are just lovely and the location has been absolutely superb, especially for us as a family,” continues Steph. “I commute into London every day, which only takes around forty-five minutes from the nearest station, and for our day-to-day needs Bicester is only fifteen minutes away. We overlook Otmoor to the front and fields to the back, and there’s a small primary school just a stroll away in Charlton-on-Otmoor.”“We have all loved our time here,” concludes Steph, “but I think what I’ll miss most is my lovely kitchen and the sheer size of the house. We have five children, but as all of the rooms are large we never get the feeling of being on top of one another. It has been the perfect family home.”All in all a beautifully presented character family home in a semi-rural location.

Property Features :

• Detached Period Thatched Cottage
• Semi-rural location with excellent access to Bicester and M40 junction 9
• 5 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms
• Two Reception Rooms
• Family Kitchen