PROPERTY OF THE WEEK
LOCATION: Nr Whippingham
BEDROOMS: Five
PRICE: £740,000
AGENT: Fox Estate Agents
TEL: 01983 524000

THE next owner of a handsome farmhouse, near Whippingham, with charm and space galore, will find themselves in distinguished company, as it once belonged to Queen Victoria.
Heathfield Farm, standing along a short access lane off Whippingham Road, not far from Osborne House, is a real one off, with views over its large gardens and five acres of land to countryside, the River Medina and even distant Carisbrooke Castle.
There is much to delight here — from original Victorian fireplaces in two of the five double bedrooms and the downstairs dining room — to many lovely original doors and high ceilings, both upstairs and down.

The owners of 21 years have done much to restore the farmhouse to its former glory, replicating attractive details.
Carefully matched are a detached garage and a second lounge which joins the home to a wash house in a courtyard area which they converted into a one-bedroom annexe, ideal for generating an income.
Sunny lawned gardens with shrubs are at the front and one side, where there is a veg area and big raised terrace with rural views.
A long, brick-paved driveway lined by sheds leads to the garage.
Beyond the wide front door, within an elegant covered porch, is a hallway with stairs to the first floor.
Two tall front windows and thick mahogany flooring enhances the 21ft long drawing room off, with a period-style fireplace with gas fire and the music room opposite, which also has a side window.
The same flooring features in the side-facing dining room with an original fireplace.
What was the dairy now houses a utility room with a high-sloping ceiling, plumbing for a washing machine and a shower room off.
Follow an inner hall with windows to the courtyard and you come to the kitchen, with maple flooring matching hand-crafted solid maple worksurfaces to extensive fitted wooden units. It has space for appliances and a table and windows to the side.
In the spacious second lounge, with decorative exposed brick walls, there is a brick and stone hearth with a coal-effect fire, French doors to the terrace and access to the courtyard.
On the rambling second floor and with attractive views in all directions is a bathroom and five bedrooms all with plain pale walls and high attractively shaped ceilings. Bedrooms two and three each have a handsome Victorian cast iron fireplace, while bedroom one has a built-in wardrobe concealing the intriguing feature window.
There is a good river view from bedroom five.