I like Suffolk. I like it for many reasons, but probably one of the most important is that I grew up there. There are also other reasons. There aren’t too many hills, so walking around it is quite easy. I like the miles and miles of colourful farmland. It has a beautiful coast. It also has some of the nicest houses and churches in the country, due to the immense wealth it generated in the Middle Ages. One only needs to look at the houses of towns and villages such as Lavenham to see what I mean.
A house that looks like it could be in Lavenham, but is not in Lavenham, is Elms Farm, near the market town of Halesworth. It is for sale via auction at a starting price of £565,000, with Abbotts, and it is glorious.
Behold the pink exterior, the external beams, the fact that it’s a bit slanty. This is pure Suffolk heritage through and through. It also comes with an acre of gardens.
Originally built in the 12th century and later extended in the 15th, the property is listed Grade II*. It’s set over three floors and offers three bedrooms. The entrance hall/dining room resembles a mediaeval banqueting hall.
One thing Elms Farm is not short of is character and period charm. Just look at all those beams, the stone floors and the fireplaces. According to the agents, the property is believed to be one of two in the UK that still has Queen Beams.
Thankfully, the current owners have made efforts to modernise the property where it’s needed. The kitchen, for example, has been freshly refurbished and the bathrooms have also been updated.
Outside, the gardens extend to an acre and are mostly laid to lawn, while an outbuilding can be used as garaging or extra storage space.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
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