High Street, Pavenham, MK43

A stone-built chain free bungalow in the pretty Bedfordshire village of Pavenham, Farm Cottage presents good-sized accommodation, a south-facing courtyard, and plenty of off-road parking.

The property has a real village feel, next door to a farm shop, only a few minutes on foot from The Cock Inn pub, and a little further to the osier beds nature reserve. Weekends can be spent cooking local eggs for breakfast, serving local meat for Sunday lunch, heading off for an afternoon walk along the river, and stopping for a pint or two on the way home. There are also golf, tennis and cricket clubs for staying active, and the village hosts flower shows, open gardens, jumble sales and a book club. There’s a thriving WI, an active church, and a village hall for clubs and events.

Pavenham is just 10 minutes by car from the county town of Bedford, and 20 minutes by bus. The town centre has an eclectic mix of food and drink establishments, a range of entertainment for all ages, as well as a train station for direct services into London. Also a short drive away are Milton Ernest Garden Centre, Emmaus Village Carlton, Kathy Brown’s Garden in Stevington, Elderswell Retirement Village in Turvey, and amenities such as a theatre and a sports centre in Sharnbrook.

The property, as well as its position, appeals to many, as a first-time home, somewhere smaller for older residents, as a cottage for visiting the countryside, and with enough room for a young family. The accommodation opens into a wide entrance hall, with space for coats and shoes, and a storage cupboard to tidy things away. Along with the storage cupboard in the entrance hall, there’s an airing cupboard in the inner hall. This houses the large Megaflo hot water tank, replaced in recent years. The property is served by electric only.

The living areas are open to each other, with a lounge one side and a dining room the other. Both have windows at the back for bringing in lots of light, and the lounge has a door to get outside. The kitchen/diner is adjacent to the living areas, and this is fitted with cabinets and worktops. There are gaps for appliances, and a pantry in the corner is great for storage. The kitchen would benefit from modernisation, and there’s space to reconfigure the layout and refresh the style to fit your own preferences.

There are two bedrooms here, with the first at the back and the second to the front, both with fitted wardrobes. Bedroom two is still a double, but if not needed for sleeping, this would make a useful office for those working from home. The bathroom would also benefit from an update, perhaps changing the cream suite to a white one.

To the outside, the plot has a courtyard to the rear, and a gravelled multi-car driveway to the front. The courtyard is practically zero maintenance, yet offers the space and opportunity to enjoy the outside, facing south for as much sun as possible. It’s enclosed and secluded by stone walls, with ivy trailing over for some greenery. The frontage has a mature horse chestnut tree, a well-established border, and a raised bed for flowers.

Farm Cottage has been a much-loved home for the last 27 years, and we’re sure it will continue as such for many more to come.