A 900-year-old farmhouse with higgledy piggledy beams, a suit of armour in the hall — and a very 21st century 'smart' swimming pool

In north-east Essex, Bruce King of Cheffins in Saffron Walden quotes a guide price of £1.675m for the charming, Grade II-listed Byeballs Farm, which sits in 1¾ acres of gardens in the tiny picturesque hamlet of Tindon End, 20 minutes’ drive from the pretty market town of Saffron Walden.

With parts of the impeccably restored, six-bedroom farmhouse dating from the 12th century, Byeballs Farm is said to be one of the oldest privately owned properties in the area. The house was lovingly renovated by the current owners, who bought it more than 20 years ago and took great care to preserve its original medieval and Tudor character.

An ancient panelled front door leads into a vast hall, which dates from the 1500s, from where steps lead, via a study and music room, to a pretty sitting room lined throughout with medieval murals.

A corridor on the other side of the hall leads to a snug, a separate study and a dining room, which together form the 12th-century part of the house. The corridor leads on to an impressive vaulted kitchen, which was added by the current owners.

Behind an old Tudor door, a sweeping staircase leads to three first-floor bedrooms and two bathrooms, with two further bedrooms up another flight of stairs in what was once the servants’ quarters.

The grounds at Byeballs Farm are no less appealing. Outside the kitchen is a smart swimming pool with a gym and outdoor seating area and, to the side of the pool, what remains of the original moat still attracts wildlife throughout the year.

On the other side of the house, the gardens include wooded areas, an orchard and sweeping lawns, with about 1,000 daffodils flowering every spring. A further five acres of land is available by separate negotiation.

Byeballs Farm is for sale with Cheffins for £1.675 million. For more information and pictures, click here

Credit: Strutt and Parker

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