Couple’s difficult decision to leave haven of peace
Swiftholme, Holme on Swale, £700,000
PEACE and beauty led Melanie Armsby and her family to Holme on Swale, a small, rural hamlet just six miles from Thirsk.
They bought Swiftholme, their detached home there, 17 years ago knowing that it needed renovation but realising that this gave them the chance to create a property to perfectly suit their needs.
“It’s a beautiful, quiet place to live and the people here are lovely. You feel like you are away from it all and yet Thirsk and Bedale are a 15-minute drive away and it’s a five-minute drive to the A1,” says Melanie, who adds: “Commuting is easy as you can get the train to London and Leeds from Thirsk and there is a great doctor’s surgery that serves the village and a lovely primary school at nearby Pickhill.”
The work carried out on the property by the Armsbys, including extensions and a complete redesigning of the interiors, is hugely impressive.
“We have doubled the size of the downstairs living space and that includes creating what could be a self-contained annexe with lounge/bedroom and a bathroom,” says Melanie.
Leaving their home will be a huge wrench but she and her husband are looking to downsize and she adds: “It has been a hard decision because we love living here and we will miss this beautiful place and our lovely neighbours.”
On the market with Strutt & Parker for £700,000, the property has an entrance hall with Karndean
flooring and stylish fitted units. This leads to a dual aspect sitting room, which has a brick-built fireplace and a wood-burning stove.
The drawing room is another large, light-filled reception room with tiled underfloor heating, recessed LED lighting and bi-fold doors, which open onto the patio and the pretty well-stocked gardens.
The gym/music room has long distance views and bi-fold doors leading onto the patio and also can also function as a downstairs bedroom with en-suite facilities.
The kitchen and breakfast room has a central island, and integrated appliances, including an AEG induction hob and built-in oven.
The ground floor also has a utility room, and cloakroom and the integrated garage with an electric roller door and charging point has built-in storage units.
Upstairs there are three double bedrooms plus a study which could be an additional bedroom. The main bedroom has fitted storage and an en-suite shower room. The first floor also has a wet room with a Laufen suite.
Outside, the house is accessed via electric gates and there are front gardens with a lawn, along with borders, shrubs and trees. There is also a gravel driveway with parking for several vehicles.
The rear gardens have a paved terrace and exceptional views of the surrounding countryside.
Nearby Thirsk and Bedale both have shops and supermarkets, along with restaurants, pubs, and cafés, along with easy access to the Dales.
Schools nearby include the outstanding-rated primary South Otterington Church of England Primary School, while Thirsk has several schools, including a secondary school and the independent Queen Mary's School.