Highcroft Cottage & Land At Abdon Abdon, Craven Arms, Shropshire, SY7 9HX

Property Description

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Highcroft Cottage and Land at Abdon offers an attractive and productive upland livestock rearing unit, with the potential of diversifications options, if desired. Highcroft Cottages presents a beautifully appointed extended three/four-bedroom country cottage enjoying panoramic views across the Shropshire landscape and beyond. It also offers a useful modern farm building with conversion potential, subject to planning consent, and approximately 78.99 acres (31.97 hectares) of valuable upland pasture. Positioned abreast the Brown Clee, Shropshire’s highest hill, in a private rural setting in unspoilt rolling countryside, relishing excellent rural walks and bridleways along the Shropshire Way, and open countryside views across to the Wenlock Edge, Long Mynd and beyond.

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Having been farmed by the present owner, it is a productive holding, capable of producing good quality livestock, and would also be an ideal semi-retirement holding or a smallholding for someone wishing to invest in ‘country life’. It has good access from the unclassified public highway onto a stone private driveway, which leads to the house and building, providing an idyllic private location. The modern farm building has valuable agricultural value for the accommodation of livestock, machinery and fodder, but would also create a great holiday let or commercial recreational diversification.

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The rural hamlet of Abdon is situated amidst the stunning Corvedale within the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) approximately 5 miles from the village of Diddlebury, having a well-regarded primary school and a Church, sited equidistance from the market towns of Bridgnorth and Church Stretton, where there is a mainline railway station with connections to London and a dual carriageway link at Shrewsbury to the national motorway system. Ludlow and Much Wenlock are just over 20 minutes away.

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The thriving village of Ditton Priors is just 4 miles north providing a church, primary school and nursery, a post office, well stocked village store open 6 days a week, doctor’s surgery, butchers, commercial businesses, heritage centre and petrol station.

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The market town of Craven Arms offers local amenities including, a post office, doctor’s surgery, dental practice, and large supermarket, alongside several attractions including the Secret Hills Discovery Centre, and the fortified manor house of Stokesay Castle.

A wide range of state and independent schools are available in local vicinity, with preparatory, secondary and colleges all within an hours’ drive.

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Available as a whole, or in the following lots:
LOT 1: HIGHCROFT COTTAGE, GARDENS, OUTBUILDINGS, AND THE CROFT AMOUNTING TO APPROXIMATELY 1.20 ACRES.

LOT 2: LOWER WOODBANK AMOUNTING TO APPROXIMATELY 25.03 ACRES OF PASTURELAND

LOT 3: UPPER WOODBANK AMOUNTING TO APPROIMATELY 9.42 ACRES OF PASTURELAND

LOT 4: MODERN FARMBUILDINGS & APPROXIMATELY 2.67 ACRES OF PASTURELAND

LOT 5: BARNSIDE AMOUNTING TO APPROXIMATELY 6.94 ACRES OF PASTURELAND

LOT 6: LAND AT MARSDENS AMOUNTING TO APPROXIMATELY 33.73 ACRES OF UPLAND PASTURELAND

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The property offers a rare opportunity to acquire a country small holding enjoying a spectacular position with uninterrupted views over the unspoilt Shropshire countryside. Lots 1 to 5 lies within a ring fence and offers fantastic development potential, subject to the necessary consents. The property is ideally situated for those looking to enjoy the amenity found within this rural aspect.

LOT 1 – HIGHCROFT COTTAGE, GARDENS, OUTBUILDINGS, AND THE CROFT AMOUNTING TO APPROXIMATELY 1.20 ACRES.
Highcroft Cottages offers a substantial, superbly presented family residence, constructed of stone under a tiled roof providing a striking and desirable homestead with endless opportunities. The house is approached via a private stone track that leads to an idyllic and private setting. The accommodation comprises:

Boot Room
with windows to side and rear, radiator, and doors to:

Entrance Hall
with radiator, windows to side, understairs storage, and doors to:

Dining Room / Bedroom 4
with radiator, windows to side, stone inglenook fireplace with Oak mantle over and lined chimney, and exposed timbers.

Farmhouse Kitchen
with brick fireplace with Stovax woodburning store, fitted wall and base units with granite worksurface over, exposed beams, double Belfast sink and mixer tap, 5-door oil AGA with hotplate set within a brick fireplace and mantle over, integrated gas double oven and hob, plumbing for dishwasher, spotlights, fitted display cabinets, space for American fridge/freezer, stable door to rear, windows to front and rear, and doors to:

WC
with radiator, window to side, fully tiled walls, and wash basin.

Utility Room
with radiator, window to side, door to front, fitted wall and base units with laminated worksurface over, and plumbing for washing machine.

Sitting Room
with radiators, windows to both sides, exposed beams, stone fireplace with Clearview woodburning store set on stone hearth with mantle over, and double doors to:

Garden Room
with windows to front, French doors to side, radiator and spotlights.

Carpeted stairs ascending to:

Landing
with radiator, window to side, eaves storage, and doors to:

Bedroom 2
with stunning views over the Corvedale across to the mountains of Wales, radiator, window to front, access to loft, and door to:

Ensuite
with radiator, fully tiled walls, panelled P-shape bath, WC, wash basin, spotlights, heated towel rail, and window to side.

Bedroom 3
with access to loft, radiator, window to side, and built-in-wardrobe.

Landing
with fitted linen cupboards access to loft, and doors to:

Family Bathroom
with panelled bath, wash basin, WC, walk-in shower cubicle, radiator with fitted towel rail, and Velux window.

Bedroom 1
is a stunning principal bedroom boasting outstanding views across the Corvedale with radiator, window to front, Velux windows to rear, and door to:

Dressing Room
with a range of His & Her’s fitted hanging rails, drawers, shelving and pull-out trouser hangers.

Gardens
The dwelling sits centrally within its formal gardens enjoying a fabulous aspect and benefitting from the far-reaching views towards the Corvedale and the Welsh mountains. Consisting of a lawned garden to the front and side elevations with floral borders, mature trees, ornamental bushes, shrubs and floral beds, bound by post and rail fencing. There is also a large raised, paved terrace area with access from the Farmhouse Kitchen and the Garden Room creating a fantastic space for entertaining and al-fresco dining alike. To the rear there is a paved pathway and a pebbled area dividing the access driveway and the property. There is also an numerous external taps.

Approach
The property is approached off the stone track onto a private gravelled driveway and a parking area to the front of the side of the dwelling.

Outbuildings
Situated to the side of the dwellinghouse is an extensive gravelled turning area and a useful range of buildings offering a variety of uses, more particularly described as:

Double Garage
with stone walls and tiled roof, concrete flooring, fitted workbench, power and lighting.

Lean-too
with timber pole and box profile sheeting, concrete flooring, and tiled roof.

Concrete Yard
housing oil tank.

Rear Lean-too
with concrete flooring, half height walls, box profile sheeting sides and roof, gated access to Croft with vegetable beds and access to:

Two Stables
with concrete flooring and lighting.

The Croft
With gated access from the garden and the stables, the land lies to the front of the homestead creating a fabulous entity and is laid to permanent pasture in one enclosure, having a natural water supply, in total extending to approximately 1.20 acres.

Additional Land
Lots 2 to 5 surrounds homestead (Lot 1) on all elevations creating a very private and accessible unit. The land offers a productive block of gently sloping upland permanent grassland bound by mature hedgerows and trees providing shelter and biodiversity. It has been currently used for grazing livestock and leads itself to a variety of uses including agriculture, amenity, equestrian, tourism and offers future opportunities for investment in natural capital, carbon sequestration and biodiversity.

LOT 2: LOWER WOODBANK AMOUNTING TO APPROXIMATELY 25.03 ACRES (10.12 HA) OF PASTURELAND
The land is laid to permanent pasture, lying within several conveniently sized enclosures, having a natural water supply, in total extending to approximately 25.03 acres (10.12 hectares) in a ring fence, benefiting from direct access from private stone track, the croft, and Lot 3.

There is an easement that traverses this land in benefit of the adjacent property, Cartway. Please contact the agent’s office for further information.

LOT 3: UPPER WOODBANK AMOUNTING TO APPROIMATELY 9.42 ACRES (3.80 HA) OF PASTURELAND
The land is laid to permanent pasture, in one enclosure, having a natural water supply, extending in total to approximately 9.42 acres (3.80 hectares) in a ring fence, and benefits from direct access from private stone track.

There is a right of way that traverses the land in benefit of the adjacent property, Upper Woodbank, comprising of a stoned track with gated access onto the stone track.

LOT 4: MODERN FARMBUILDINGS & APPROXIMATELY 2.67 ACRES (1.08 HA) OF PASTURELAND
This building offers huge potential, subject to the necessary consents being sought, whether this is conversion into stabling and menage, accommodation or ancillary uses, as well as agricultural purposes as it is currently being used. The buildings benefit from separate access off the private stone track, located on the opposite side of the track from the dwellinghouse, and is more particularly described as follows:

LOT 4: .
4-bay steel portal frame General Purpose Building with concrete and hardcore flooring, fibre cement roof, concrete block walls with corrugated iron over, having feeding barrier and divided sections, gated access to the sides and open fronted. There is also a separate power and water supply.

LOT 4: ..
There is a hardcore yard area to the front and side of the barn.

The land is laid to permanent pasture, in one enclosure, having natural water supplies, extending in total to approximately 2.67 acres (1.08 hectares) in a ring fence, benefiting from direct access from hardcore yard.

The present owners have approached National Grid and received consent to remove the telegraph pole in the centre of the yard into the hedge-line, if desired.

LOT 5: BARNSIDE AMOUNTING TO APPROXIMATELY 6.94 ACRES (2.81 HA) OF PASTURELAND
The land is laid to species-rich permanent pasture, in four conveniently sized enclosures, having natural water supplies, extending in total to approximately 6.94 acres (2.81 hectares) in a ring fence, benefiting from direct access from private stone track.

LOT 6: LAND AT MARSDENS AMOUNTING TO APPROXIMATELY 33.73 ACRES (13.65 HA) OF UPLAND PASTURELAND
The land is laid to permanent pasture, in several conveniently sized enclosures, having a natural water supply, extending in total to approximately 33.73 acres (13.65 hectares) in a ring fence. It offers a block highly valuable sloping unimproved permanent grassland bound by mature hedgerows and trees providing shelter and biodiversity.

LOT 6: .
The land benefits from direct access from the council-maintained highway. The land has been currently used for grazing livestock and leads itself to a variety of uses including agriculture, amenity, equestrian, tourism and offers future opportunities for investment in natural capital, carbon sequestration and biodiversity.

SPORTING & MINERAL RIGHTS
These are in hand and will pass with the sale of the freehold.

TIMBER
All sanding timber is included in the sale.

RURAL PAYMENT AGENCY & POLICY
The land is registered with the Rural Payments Agency. The land is entered into a Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier agreement, which expires 31st December 2024.

SERVICES
The property is connected to mains electricity, mains and spring water, with private septic tank drainage. Oil fired central heating. Council Tax Band ‘F’.

TENURE
We have been informed that the property is freehold, with vacant possession given on completion.

FIXTURES AND FITTINGS
Those items mentioned in the sale particulars are included in the freehold sale. All other fixtures and fittings and furnishings are expressly excluded.

EASEMENTS, WAYLEAVES AND RIGHTS OF WAY
The property is offered subject to, and with the benefit of, any rights-of-way both public and private, all wayleaves, easements and other rights whether or not specifically referred to.

There are no public rights of way that traverses Lot 1-5, however, the Shropshire Way traverses Lot 6. The holding has a whole provides great access to the nearby footpaths and bridleways.

AUTHORITIES
Shropshire Council: 0345 678 9016
RPA: 03000 200 301

GUIDE PRICE
Lot 1 £725,000
Lot 2 £200,000
Lot 3 £65,000 - £85,000
Lot 4 £100,000
Lot 5 £45,000 - £65,000
Lot 6 £175,000

METHOD OF SALE
The property is offered for sale as a whole, or in six lots, by Informal Tender (unless previously sold). The tender forms will be available from the Vendor’s agents
Tenders close Thursday 12th September 2024 at 12 noon. Tenders are to be delivered to; McCartneys LLP, Corvedale Road, Craven Arms, Shropshire, SY7 9NE marked “Tender – Highcroft Cottage and Land at Abdon”.
The Vendor reserves the right not to accept the highest, or indeed, any offer. The Vendor reserves the right to accept offers prior to the tender date.

TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING
The property is offered subject to any development plans, tree preservation orders, ancient orders, public rights-of-way, town planning schedules, or resolutions which may be or may come into force. The purchaser(s) will be deemed to have full knowledge of these and have satisfied themselves as to the effects such matters have on the property.

PLANS, AREAS AND SCHEDULES
These are based on Ordnance Survey and are for reference only. They have been checked and compiled by the vendor’s agents and the purchaser(s) shall be deemed to have satisfied themselves as to the description of the property. Any error or misstatement shall not annul a sale or entitle any party to compensation in respect thereof.

BOUNDARIES, ROADS AND FENCES
The purchaser(s) shall be deemed to have full knowledge of the boundaries and neither the Vendor nor the Vendors agents will be responsible for defining the boundaries of ownership thereof.

WHAT3WORDS
Lot 1 to 5 ///cautious.panoramic.pine
Lot 6 ///suiting.mulls.drummers

VIEWINGS
Strictly by appointment through the selling agents.

HEALTH AND SAFETY
The agents advise all prospective purchasers when viewing the property to take due care.

ANTI MONEY LAUNDERING
The successful purchaser should please provide a photographic form of ID such as driver’s licence or passport, and a utility bill or bank statement confirming their home address.