Earls Lane, Deddington, Banbury, OX15

One of the most wonderful houses we have seen for some time. Immaculate in every sense, thoughtfully & intelligently extended with 4 main beds (1 en-suite), a study, a partly vaulted 22 x 19 ft living room, & a stunning kitchen, in c.1/4 acre plot of glorious gardens with fields front & rear.

Deddington is a vibrant, active market town dating back over 1,000 years. It was notably home to William the Conqueror's step-brother, the Bishop of Bayeux, in the 11th century, at which point he owned Deddington Castle - now no more than a few remaining earthworks, but a place of fabulous dog walks! The town still features a traditional centre that is packed with character and offers many amenities. Various shops and several pubs, a post office, a health centre at the end of the road, a very popular community centre (The Windmill) with adjacent sports facilities, library, plus the Church of St Peter and St Paul; it's a place with a lot to offer. The C of E primary school is particularly well regarded, and Deddington is within catchment for the Warriner secondary school. Oxford and Banbury are easily accessible and M40 access North and South, plus mainline stations providing fast access to London, are both within a short distance.

Without a word of exaggeration, we really can t remember dealing with a house so immaculate. It is warm and cosseting, practical but also stylish, and extremely well cared for by an owner who clearly adores it. It s really no surprise when you hear they had it built for themselves nearly 50 years ago. And from that day to this, the house has undergone continuous expansion and improvement. The sum total of the works is a house that is light, bright, inviting and in stunning condition. Combine all that with a quarter acre plot, views over fields both front and rear, and all the amenities of this lovely market town within walking distance, and we really think it offers something for everybody.

Approach from the immaculate, block-paved driveway, and the front door leads into a useful porch. Beyond, look left, and the downstairs cloakroom is both immaculate and practical, with a broad vanity unit with storage beneath. The kitchen is a true delight for any family - well designed, stylish and ergonomic, and including electric underfloor heating. To the right, a neat island with a breakfast bar to the far end, polished quartz top, and storage underneath, is practical and pretty.

On the left, the space is perfect for a breakfast table. Softly pastel-painted units, topped off with the same quartz work surface, offer all the storage you re ever likely to need. Behind the dining space, bifold doors lead into a very attractive conservatory that provides a lovely view of the garden and meadow behind. The electric underfloor heating continues through hence between that and the tinted, anti-glare roof above, this is a room you can use all year round.

From the kitchen, take a right, past stairs with a deep cupboard underneath, and the flooring changes from smart polished limestone to warm, smooth oak. A better mix of practical and attractive would be quite hard to find. On the left-hand wall, a full run of low-level cupboards is topped off with shelves above. The attention to detail includes pull-out drawers inside the cupboards for greater practicality, and painting both the shelving and wall behind has added a little extra depth and character.

Windows and glazed doors flood in great natural light to the rear, also offering a serene view across the rear gardens. And on the right, an extension has doubled the size of this living room, with a vaulted ceiling including Velux roof lights with electronic blinds. More bifold doors on the right open onto a gorgeous terrace which is fitted with a sun shade canopy from which to enjoy the largest part of the garden.

Head upstairs for more of the same. Starting on the right we find a pleasantly bright double bedroom, with wardrobe built-in, and the window looks out across the frontage to a gorgeous meadow beyond. Next door, another double bedroom includes a bank of mirror fronted wardrobes covering the whole right-hand wall, to the left of which the view is over our own garden to meadows at the rear. And yet another wardrobe occupies the left corner.

Further down the landing, another double bedroom offers practical space, and is also fitted with yet more storage. Thereafter the landing heads right, and to the left hand corner there is an airing cupboard, next to which the immaculate bathroom is fitted with both a bath and a corner shower with Aqualisa modern fittings. It s in beautiful condition, as you would expect, and tiled throughout for the easiest of maintenance and cleanliness.

The smallest of the bedrooms is currently used as a study room for home working, although as elsewhere in this house, the view is rather distracting! Completing the upstairs, the star of the show is the main bedroom. A broad window provides the best position from which to enjoy the outlook to the front - an ever-changing and joyous outlook every day. It s a well proportioned and practical double bedroom, made even more so by a quite generous en-suite shower room next door. Following the same design as the family bathroom, another Aqualisa shower is fitted, plus a vanity with very useful storage. As elsewhere, it s all in beautiful condition.

Turning to the exterior, the wide main frontage has been block paved for several vehicles, behind a five bar gate flanked by traditional stone walling. There is also an integral garage to the left-hand end, with an electric roller door, which we suspect could be integrated into the main accommodation (subject to consent). And there is a link door from it at the rear to the conservatory, for ease.

On the right side of the driveway, a gate leads to a path that runs round the house, past the sitting room doors and all the way round to the conservatory at the rear, thereby offering masses of sunny seating area. The gardens are deliciously mature, beautifully planned and in immaculate condition. A hedge runs round the right hand boundary, behind a beautiful, painted timber summerhouse, and continues along the rear border line right up to where a stone wall replaces it running to a small gate at the back of the garden.

To the right of the house the lawn is large and immaculately kept, and various trees are dotted across it. Pretty borders are each perfectly placed to provide a wide range of flowering plants and shrubs that give different colours, textures and hues much of the year round. And it s rather lovely that the old well from the time when this land was part of the farm still exists at the rear. more enthusiastic gardeners than I would describe the many different types of trees and foliage in greater depth. However, I would say that we have rarely found a garden that strikes such a wonderful balance between pleasantly usable, easy to maintain, and irresistibly attractive. And that is no mean compliment!Mains water, electric, Gas CHCherwell District CouncilFreeholdCouncil tax band E?2,562-12 p.a. 2022/23