1 The Cottage

Polstead sits in a fold of the Stour Valley, in the stretch of Suffolk that John Constable painted from the Dedham side and which has changed less than almost anywhere in lowland England. St Mary's Church stands on the hill above the village, its Norman tower visible for miles; below it, The Cock, the village hall, the community shop and a network of footpaths through orchards and meadows. It is the kind of village that gets quietly under your skin. 1 The Cottage occupies a prominent position on Polstead Hill, a key feature of the street scene according to the listing agents, and one glance at the aerial photograph shows why.

The cottage dates from the early 18th century with a later Victorian rear addition, and wears its age well. The render is the warm orange-pink of traditional Suffolk limewash; the thatched roof was recently reconditioned with a new straw ridge. A stable door opens into the kitchen and breakfast room, which has pamment tiles underfoot and heavy oak beams overhead. Beyond it lies the central dining hall with an open fireplace, and the sitting room with a second fireplace beyond that. Three bedrooms occupy the first floor, the front rooms looking toward Stoke-by-Nayland. The accommodation runs to 1,159 square feet.

The garden is elevated and south-west facing, with lawn, herbaceous borders in established planting and a small orchard to one side. Behind the house stand the Victorian stables, brick-built and well proportioned, with conversion potential for an annexe or studio. Stoke-by-Nayland is a short drive; Hadleigh, where Chapman Stickels are based, is six miles. Manningtree station, with direct trains to London Liverpool Street, is within easy reach.