Snowdrop Cottage is a charming 3 or 4 bed property set on a private 1/3rd acre plot in a secluded location away from neighbouring properties.

Well suited as a weekend retreat, a couple’s home (perhaps a more mature couple who might have the occasional visitor and who appreciate the peace & tranquility the property offers) or as a holiday cottage rental investment (currently generates £40000 gross rental income per year).

Snowdrop Cottage benefits from a farmhouse style kitchen with an oil fired Aga, large inglenook fireplace with a solid fuel burner and original bread oven in the dining room (dating back around 400 years), three upstairs bedrooms (sharing one bathroom), two/three reception rooms downstairs (one of which could be a guest room / 4th bedroom), with a detached thatched garage.

The grounds comprise landscaped gardens of approx. 1/3 acre with a little running brook at the end of the rear garden which overlooks open fields. There is also an elevated decking area shaded by a mature Weeping Willow.

Since buying the property in 1999, the current owners have upgraded, improved and added considerable value to the cottage in using the space available, to the extent of commissioning a carpenter ( who resided at the cottage for 6 months ) to hand build many of the fixtures and fittings, wardrobes and doorways.

In recent times the property has been operated as a Holiday Cottage Investment and has been rented out through English Country Cottages and generates £40, 000 per year in gross rental income plus offers occasional holiday use for the owners around holiday bookings.

About Harbridge and the surrounding areas.

The area offers many beautiful walks and great cycling, and is famous for its free roaming ponies, donkeys and cattle. The small market town of Fordingbridge is close by, with its renowned stone arched bridge, plenty of shops, pubs, café and riverside location to enjoy, as is the larger town of Ringwood, with its selection of individual shops, pubs and restaurants. Christchurch Harbour is a great area, less than 10 miles away. The coast, with Blue Flag beaches at Bournemouth and Poole, is within easy reach, as is the city of Salisbury with its medieval cathedral. There are many places of interest for families, including Marwell Zoological Park, the New Forest Otter and Owl Wildlife Park or a day out at Beaulieu Motor Museum. Further afield, but worth the trip, are Monkey World and the Tank Museum near Wool, and Southampton with its maritime history and West Quay shopping centre. Nearest Shop is c. 3 miles away and the nearest Pub is c. 1½ miles away from the property.

owners comments.

Snowdrop Cottage was used as the subject of a Lilliput Lane model for the Queens Silver Jubilee – (see ) The owners have an original of this limited edition model.

When the owners were refurbishing the cottage, some years ago, they were fortunate to meet up with a lady who had lived in the cottage 50 years previously as a child. She had some drawings which had been produced by an uncle of the original inglenook fireplace. The owners stripped back the fireplace, and have restored it to what it looked like originally.

Snowdrop Cottage used to be a part of the Somerley Estate. It is understood that the original part of the cottage (the current dining room) was constructed in a day. Tradition has it that neighbours could tear the new cottage down if they saw it being built, but if there was smoke coming through the chimney by nightfall, the owners were entitled to farm the land within the radius of a stone throw.

Harbridge itself dates back to an old Roman settlement. The residents try to preserve the environment and there is a Harbridge Protection Society which meets regularly. There is a local farm (Sampsons) which uses their herd of heavy horses to farm the land opposite the church with traditional methods. The horses can often be seen ploughing the fields and grazing in the field adjacent to the cottage.

The Protection society raised funds for a substantial refurbishment of the Harbridge church, which dates back to the fifteenth century. English Heritage also gave a grant, which allowed the restoration to go ahead.

The thatch was reworked in November 2011 by Nigel Turton, a local thatcher. The ridge of the property and the garage thatch were also completely replaced.

An electrical certificate currently covers the property until 2017 – issued by an niceic contractor. All electrical cables in the roof space are armoured and the chimney is fully lined.

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Viewings are strictly by appointment through VIP International Homes.

Important Notice.

1. Particulars: These particulars are not an offer or contract, nor part of one. You should not rely on statements by VIP International Homes (“VIP”) in the particulars or by word of mouth or in writing (“information”) as being factually accurate about the property, its condition or its value. Neither VIP nor any joint agent has any authority to make any representations about the property, and accordingly any information given is entirely without responsibility on the part of the agents, seller(s) or lessor(s).
2. Photos etc: The photographs show only certain parts of the property as they appeared at the time they were taken. Areas, measurements and distances given are approximate only.
3. Regulations etc: Any reference to alterations to, or use of, any part of the property does not mean that any necessary planning, building regulations or other consent has been obtained. A buyer or lessee must find out by inspection or in other ways that these matters have been properly dealt with and that all information is correct.
4. Vat: The vat position relating to the property may change without notice.

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