Anyone looking to buy an equestrian property should have Dove House on their shortlist — but even for those who have no interest in horses, it's is an all-singing, all-dancing affair, offering a sought-after combination of picturesque Grade II-listed farmhouse with an annexe, a pair of holiday cottages and a pool. It’s on the market for £2,150,000 via Strutt & Parker.
It's an eye-catching equestrian property set in the village of Semer, Suffolk, just under an hour’s drive from Newmarket, the home of horse racing.
Dating back to the 16th century, Dove House has been carefully-preserved over the years. Its attractive features include exposed beams, wall timbers and oak mullioned windows. But while it may scream ‘historic’, it also comes across as a warm, much-loved home. Who wouldn’t want to curl up with a good book in front of that fabulous inglenook fireplace?
The main house ticks all the boxes: four spacious reception rooms and a large kitchen with AGA. There’s also a utility and boot room, plus a cloakroom — essential rooms in any busy country home. And upstairs, there are five bedrooms, one with an ensuite bathroom, and a family bathroom.
The beams in the ceilings, wooden doors and windows offer gorgeous charm, and make one of the bedrooms feel almost like being inside a medieval tent by a jousting field.
The adjoining annexe has got ‘granny and grandpa’ written all over it. It comprises a kitchen, sitting room, and bedroom with an ensuite. The annexe is reached via a room described by Strutt & Parker as ‘the library / party room’. A party room sounds like jolly good fun to us. But if the grandparents are living in this wing of the house, for the sake of good family relations, a library might be better.
There’s also an opportunity to earn extra income, thanks to two holiday cottages set away from the main house. Though ‘cottage’ suggests that they may be on the cosy side. On the contrary, Stable Cottage and The Old Barn have no less than four bedrooms each. They form a neat courtyard around the swimming pool (which is heated, you’ll be pleased to know).
The pretty, well-kept garden surrounding Dove House is home to mature trees, shrubs and hedges as well as a pergola and aviary. And to the east of the house is a lake stocked with coarse fish; It even has an island in the middle, which you can row out to and pretend you're Robinson Crusoe.
But for very horsey types, the real draw, of course, is the equestrian facilities. Post and rail grazing extends to 22 acres and borders the River Brett to the south (with riparian rights).
There’s also a variety of buildings, with scope to use them for agricultural or equestrian activities, according to Strutt & Parker. They include the main stable block with eight loose boxes as well as a framed barn with another five loose boxes and hard standing.
Sharnie Rogers, Head of Office, Strutt & Parker Essex & Suffolk, says: ‘With a glorious main farmhouse, equestrian facilities, and two holiday cottages, Dove House is truly an "all-rounder" home,' she says.
‘The main house is fantastic in its own right — particularly with its original period features — but the fact that there’s also two four-bedroom holiday lets for income potential, as well as stables and paddocks, is what really sets this country house apart.
‘The house has an enviable position in the Brett Valley and with views across open countryside, along with 22 acres of grounds, you are self-contained and secluded here. Yet it is conveniently only a 30-minute drive of Ipswich.’
Dove House is on the market for £2,150,000 via Strutt & Parker — see more details and pictures.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
What you need to know about buying an equestrian property
Owning a house with land where you can keep and ride your own horses is the dream for equestrians everywhere
Credit: Matt Hillier / Savills
An 18th century gem that's immaculate inside and out, with beautiful interiors, spa pool and outstanding equestrian facilities
Normanby Hill House is a beautiful Georgian house that's one of the best homes for sale right now in North
This grand Georgian home with charming stable block is every equestrian's dream
A fabulous Grade II-listed property and stud farm in Dorset is for sale, with seven bedrooms, swimming pool and tennis
Credit: Savills
A house offering total serenity and seclusion, with outstanding stables and equestrian facilities
The Grove is a former racehorse trainer's home fresh to the market in the idyllic Lincolnshire Wolds.
Credit: Steve Coulthard/ Finest Properties
The 'perfect rural retreat' in County Durham with a self-contained leisure suite and excellent equestrian facilities
The magnificent Sadberge Hall showcases exquisite detail both inside its expansive interiors and outside in the spectacular 41 acre grounds.
Credit: Strutt & Parker
An idyllic Cotswold farmhouse completely immersed in nature that is great for anglers and equestrians alike
Baxters Farm, in the hamlet of Fyfield, is the epitome of a country idyll thanks to its secluded location, inviting
-
Dawn Chorus: A Blue Plaque for Marc Bolan, holidaying in the Caribbean with Francis Ford Coppola and a history of the National Gallery in 25 picturesPlus the best of the property pages, and how the railways will save the countryside.
-
Game, set, match: 12 of the world’s most beautiful tennis courtsFrom Italy to Indonesia, when it comes to hotel amenities, a picturesque tennis court will always trump a 24-hour gym. So, before you book your next holiday, take a look at our pick of the 12 best.
-
Five palatial mansions for sale, including one with its own private swimming lake, as seen in Country LifeSometimes bigger really is better.
-
Gaze over Cap Ferrat in this four-bedroom French villaIgnore the wind and the rain. Imagine yourself in this hillside home with some of the best views the Mediterranean can offer.
-
Classical style meets fun and flair in a seven-bedroom manor in CornwallAt Polstrong Manor, the current owners have combined period charm and elegant modern interiors to create a flamboyant country home 10-minutes from the beach.
-
Two halves make a sublime four-bedroom home in Kent's North DownsA contemporary extension to a traditional clapboard house brings light and life to Lavington House.
-
The week in property statistics: Service charges reach record highPlus, how first-time buyers prop up the mortgage market, why you need to move north if you want to live by yourself, and house-price growth slows
-
A seven-bedroom oast house for sale in East Sussex, where your dreams can run riotUnlisted, yet full of character, this property in the High Weald National Landscape is an eccentrically furnished family home that screams fun.
-
Character, history and comfort combine in a four-bedroom farmhouse in NorfolkWillow Farm near Southburgh is that rarest of things — a perfect combination of period charm and modern elegance in some of England's best countryside.
-
A Grade I-listed Georgian townhouse that's part of the fabric of Bath's historyWith 5,500sq ft set over six floors in the centre of Britain's most architecturally rich city, there is much to love here.
