Lovely home with views captured by Hockney
Rickman House, Warter Price: £1.265m www.savills.co.uk
Artist David Hockney recognised the beauty and tranquility of Warter and brought it to a worldwide stage with his largest ever work.
Bigger Trees Near Warter, which is 12 metres wide, was captured by Hockney while working outside “en plein air”.
Karen Butterworth, the owner of Rickman House, in Warter, has the great pleasure of looking at those trees and the surrounding Wolds countryside everyday.
She has lived there since 2005 after moving out of the city to “find life affirming joy in the country”.
“Our criteria were daunting but this property had everything. It has easy and swift access to York and the train to London, it is on a hill on the edge of a picturesque village and it is close to a thriving market town, Pocklington,” says Karen.
“We really did fall in love at first sight when we found this joyous Georgian farmhouse with well-proportioned and generous rooms. The place just made us feel at home and we quickly realised how easy it was to entertain here. We even had my daughter’s wedding here with glamping in the grounds.”
She adds: “The outstanding views from every room in every direction offer tranquility and it is a place to find solace. David
Hockney chose the Wolds to depict beauty and we effectively live in the middle of a Hockney painting.”
Rickman House also offers business potential as a B&B and its annexe with garden room would make the perfect home office/ workspace.
The property has been totally refurbished. An oak garden room has been added and the grounds transformed with seating and entertainment areas, a wildlife pond, an orchard and raised beds.
The house has 3,450 sq ft of living space with a kitchen, sitting room, dining room, two formal reception rooms, a utility and an orangery. On the lower ground floor is a study and a cellar.
Upstairs are four bedrooms and three bathrooms. Outside is an annexe and glorious gardens.
Karen is selling to relocate but, while sad to be leaving, she is taking lots of happy memories with her: “Rickman is a kind and generous home that has offered us everything and more and to say we have been happy here is an understatement.
“We have been both blessed and totally content. The next owners will no doubt thank their lucky stars.”
We have been both been blessed and are totally content. The next owners will no doubt thank their lucky stars.