Escape to the country that is a 20 minute walk into a cathedral city

Ford House, Sharow, RiponPrice: £1.75m
Ford House, Sharrow Lane, RiponFord House, Sharrow Lane, Ripon
Ford House, Sharrow Lane, Ripon

This beautiful village house is a rarity thanks to a location that offers the best of town and country.

Owners Richard and Shelley Lowes snapped it up after a search to find a rural home within walking distance of a town.

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“Our previous property was on a moor and a car drive away from any amenities. Here we are a 20-minute stroll from Ripon,” says Richard.

The dining roomThe dining room
The dining room

The Lowes bought the house in June 2010 from a couple who had run an architect practice from the top floor of the property.

The previous owners used their design skills to add a garden room, which is off-set on an angle to catch the maximum natural light. Richard and Shelley have since put their own mark on the Victorian house, which was built in 1864.

They installed a new kitchen, changed all the bathrooms and turned the top floor office into two en-suite bedrooms using local companies Ripon Interiors and Alpha Kitchens and Bedrooms. They also replaced the conservatory roof and completely redecorated. The granary, which was separate accommodation, is now a gym and outside, they put in a bonded drive, a children’s play area and a vegetable garden.

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“It was a big project. We had the painters and decorators here for six months,” says Richard.

One of the updated bathroomsOne of the updated bathrooms
One of the updated bathrooms

The seven-bedroom property has four reception rooms, a breakfast kitchen with conservatory, a main bedroom with en-suite, six further bedrooms, three of which have en-suites, and a house bathroom. There is also a granary annexe used as gym but which could be converted back into self-contained living space, a double garage and outbuildings plus a two-bedroom cottage. The house sits in three acres.

The Lowes are selling to spend more time at their home on Portugal’s Silver Coast.

“The idea was that we would live here most of the year and it would be large enough for big Christmas parties and family get-togethers but our daughter is moving out to Portugal and the reality is that we will now spend a lot more time at our home there. That’s why we are looking to downsize to something smaller to suit our lifestyle,” says Richard, who adds: “We are very proud of what we have done to this property. It is a lovely home and location and we have really enjoyed this phase of our lives.”

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*For details contact Savills, tel: 01904 617800, www.savills.co.uk

The kitchenThe kitchen
The kitchen

*Sharow is a popular rural village on the outskirts of Ripon. It is a mile from the centre of the cathedralcity. It has a pub, primary school and cricket club. The A1M is just three miles away and Thirsk train station is 10 miles away and has a direct service to London.

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