Speaking about the spring/summer market in the Cotswolds, Helen Whitfield, head of residential agency at Butler Sherborn says:  “We are seeing strong demand for properties that have been completely refurbished to a high standard, and think this will continue.  Buyers at this end of the market are time short and just want to move in and get on with their lives, avoiding taking on an 18 month building project and the inevitable financial uncertainty.”

Added Sam Butler: “At the start of the year, buyers were tending to sit on their hands before making an offer, but in recent weeks we have seen a noticeable increase in the number of buyers registering, viewing and making offers.  Fortunately, there has also been an increase in sellers inviting us to value and list their properties, so supply and demand are in better balance.”

Chestnut Barn, Kempsford, Gloucestershire, GL7 4HD - £875,000

Light and airy, this beautifully presented four bedroom detached period Cotswold stone barn is in an idyllic edge of village location overlooking neighbouring paddocks, and certainly easy to move into.

Positioned off a private lane on the edge of the village, this attractively converted Cotswold stone barn provides light and comfortable accommodation with generous storage.  Completed to a high standard it would make a great family home, and sits centrally within its plot.

On the ground floor, the entrance hall leads to the spacious and well-proportioned sitting room with a fireplace complete with wood-burning stove and French doors to a terrace positioned to catch the evening sun.  The adjacent dining room is open to the spacious kitchen/breakfast room which is fitted with a generous range of units and appliances including a ceramic hob with extractor fan, electric oven and combi oven, a concealed dishwasher and a fridge freezer.  There is a separate utility room and cloakroom with space for a shower cubicle.

On the first floor is a spacious galleried landing with space for a study area, master bedroom with wardrobes and a stylish en-suite shower room.  There are three further bedrooms, one of which has a wall of fitted wardrobes, a good sized family bathroom and a separate shower.

Outside, the property is approached via a five bar gate leading to a gravel driveway with ample parking enclosed by hedging, and a paved terrace adjacent to the sitting room.  A large, paved terrace garden with lovely views is screened by a trellis and beds planted with roses and flowering plants.  There is also an attractive timber summerhouse with power and light and a timber storage shed.  The rear garden is laid to lawn with various mature shrubs and trees.

The barn is located in the hamlet of Reevey on the eastern edge of the village of Kempsford and the Cotswolds.  It is close to the upper reaches of the River Thames, midway between Lechlade and Cricklade and within the eastern part of the Cotswold Water Park, a complex of over 100 lakes.  Kempsford is a thriving community with a cricket club and pub, a Church of England Infant and Primary School.  Farmor’s secondary school is in nearby Fairford, which offers a good range of amenities including a weekly market, while Cirencester is about 11 miles away with a large Waitrose, a variety of independent shops, pubs, restaurants and other services.  There are good road communications to Swindon, the M4 and fast train services to London, Bristol and Bath.

https://www.butlersherborn.co.uk/kempsford/reevey/nid3254

Guide price: £875,000

Butler Sherborn - Cirencester - 01285 883740

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The Grange, Whittington, Gloucestershire GL54 4HB - £1.85million

The Grange is a distinctive, large (4,000 sq ft), well-appointed home that has been in the same family for over 90 years.  Well maintained and easy to move into, it also offers the opportunity for updating and personalising, while there is scope to extend the main house and convert the outbuildings, as well as having planning in principle to build secondary accommodation in the grounds.

Built from Cotswold stone with mullion windows and exposed beams, the generous living space over three floors affords great views over the gardens and valley.  The reception rooms are suited to both formal entertaining and relaxed family living complemented by six good sized bedrooms over the upper two floors.

Ground floor accommodation includes a reception hall with tiled floor, drawing/dining room with stone fireplace and a separate sitting room, both with wood burners and exposed beams.  At the heart of the house, is the kitchen/breakfast room with a range of fitted wooden units, an Aga and separate oven and hob, plus plenty of space for a table, chairs and a sofa.  There is a utility room, boot room, cloakroom and office.  On the upper floors are found a light and airy landing, dual aspect master bedroom with adjoining bath/shower room, bedrooms 2 & 3 both with integrated shower rooms and the fourth bedroom adjoining the family bathroom.  On the upper floor are two further bedrooms, a bathroom and large storeroom. There is oil fired central heating and super-fast broadband.

Positioned in a wonderfully secluded location in some 2.9 acres, The Grange is approached from a private driveway with mature south and west facing gardens featuring tiered lawns, specimen trees and a small orchard.  There are woodland areas, a cave and an enchanting dell.  There is a timber-built garage and a charming single storey building with power and light and a sitting area near the house which could be improved or converted.

The Grange is well positioned on the edge of the village in an elevated position and within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a Conservation Area.  Whittington is a pretty rural village with a Norman church and an Elizabethan Manor House built on an ancient site close to the remains of a Roman Villa and close to the Cotswold Way, yet within easy access of Charlton Kings (3 miles) and Cheltenham 2 miles further on.  There are trains to London, Bristol and Birmingham, with international airports at Bristol and Birmingham and excellent private and state schools in the area.

https://www.butlersherborn.co.uk/whittington-cheltenham/nid3258

Guide price: £1.85million

Butler Sherborn - Stow-on-the-Wold - 01451 830731

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Park House, Alvescot, Oxfordshire, OX18 2QA - £2.25million

Park House is a spacious Cotswold stone property overlooking the former village green with an attractive double fronted Georgian facade.  Dating back to 1741 it is thought to adjoin a much earlier building.  It has been under the same ownership for around 30 years, but has been carefully renovated, remodelled and seamlessly extended to create a welcoming family home with great character yet ideal for contemporary living and entertaining.

Full of period details that include sash windows, working shutters, window seats, fine fireplaces and a wealth of exposed beams and timbers, of immediate note are the semi-circular stone hoods over the main entrance doors.  The interiors are beautifully presented, fusing original features with a contemporary twist.

The ground floor features a spacious reception hall, a pleasingly proportioned drawing room, original entrance hall and quietly situated library/office.  At its heart is the farmhouse kitchen which features a large island and opens to the family/breakfast room.  Flooded with light from the lantern overhead and bi-fold doors, this opens into a vaulted dining room complete with minstrel’s gallery.  Beyond is the sitting room which has a large inglenook fireplace and leads to a garden room with two sets of French doors to the garden.  There is also a cosy snug with low ceilings, panelling and exposed timbers, a boot room, walk-in pantry and cloakroom.

A broad staircase leads to a half landing and the master suite comprising a large double bedroom,

en-suite shower room and large dressing room.  A door from the half landing leads to the family bathroom and further bedrooms, and a concealed staircase rises to the second floor where there is a central sitting room and study area which leads to two separate bedrooms with en-suite dressing and shower rooms.  A further staircase leads from the sitting room to a cinema/media room with a large flat screen television, access to the minstrel’s gallery and to the guest accommodation which comprises a double bedroom with doors to a roof terrace, adjacent wet-room and a separate dressing room.

Approached via a pedestrian gate from the lane and electric gates to the driveway, the property is bound by Cotswold stone walls enclosing gardens which surround the house on three sides and are laid to lawn with mature trees and shrubs, box hedging and herbaceous plants.  There are terraces positioned to enjoy the sun throughout the day, and a courtyard which is paved with slate and granite to provide a sheltered sun trap and features an outside kitchen with a sun awning, dining terrace, two water features, comprehensive lighting and a gas fired bar table/heater. There is a garage to one side with parking for several vehicles along with a bike/log store. 

The small Cotswold village of Alvescot is a thriving community centred around The Plough Inn, St Peter’s church, village hall with recreation ground and a tennis court.  Schools include the village primary school - rated ‘good’ by Ofsted, the highly regarded secondary school at Burford, and private schools in the area including St Hugh’s, Hatherop Castle and Cokethorpe.  Day-to-day facilities are available in Bampton and Burford while Witney (9 miles) offers more comprehensive facilities including Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, a leisure centre and a multi-screen cinema.

https://www.butlersherborn.co.uk/alvescot/lower-end/nid3253

Guide price: £2.25million

Butler Sherborn - Burford - 01993 822325

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Hulse Ground Farm, Little Faringdon, Lechlade, Gloucestershire, GL7 3QR - £2.65million

This attractive four/five bedroom Grade II listed period farmhouse sits in an idyllic 12 acres that comprises paddocks, woodland and delightful, well-established gardens with views.

Dating back to the early 18th century, Hulse Ground Farm has been sympathetically extended and re-modelled to provide a comfortable family home with spacious and stylish accommodation, while the outbuildings which include a range of Cotswold stone barns have planning permission for the creation of two five bedroom dwellings.

The house retains many period features including stone mullion windows, window seats, exposed beams, flagstone flooring, exposed stone walls and a fireplace with bread oven.  Accommodation features a welcoming kitchen/dining/family room at the heart of the house.  With plenty of character there is an old brick fireplace and bread oven, the bespoke kitchen comprising hand painted units with oak worktops, a double butler’s sink, large island, four oven electric Aga, Quooker boiling water tap, Neff single oven, induction hob and integrated dishwasher, plus remote controlled mood lighting.  There is an elegant, triple aspect drawing room with fireplace and wood burning stove, a playroom/dining room/study with original flagstone floor, plus a utility/boot room and cloakroom.

Upstairs is a spacious vaulted landing area/study, master bedroom suite with dressing area and spacious en-suite shower room.  There is a family bathroom and a corridor leading to three further double bedrooms and shower room.  All bedrooms are vaulted, some with exposed original beams and with skylights.

Designed for environmentally friendly living, the property features a bore hole for water, a Klargester drainage system and ground source heat pump to avoid the need for oil-fired heating.  Situated at the end of a ¼ mile single track lane, it is only a short drive from the historic market town of Lechlade, and while it has a Gloucestershire postal address is actually situated in West Oxfordshire.

https://www.butlersherborn.co.uk/lechlade/little-faringdon/nid3249

Guide price: £2.65million

Butler Sherborn - Cirencester - 01285 883740