Splendid 1930s family house in an elevated position with wonderful mature gardens, courtyard, extensive outbuildings and pasture land. Well located being equidistant from Ripon and Thirsk, with easy access to A1.
Entrance hall, cloakroom with shower, drawing room, dining room, breakfast room with Rayburn, kitchen, butler’s pantry, scullery
Principal bedroom with shower room en suite, guest bedroom suite, three further bedrooms and family bathroom, separate WC
Range of domestic outbuildings including boiler room, stores and garage. Stabling and barns by Hodgsons of Cotherstone.
Formal gardens, paddock land
About 7 acres
This splendid and distinctive family house was built in 1932 of red brick with white quoins, making it a landmark property. The first owner was the manager of the local Midland Bank, Mr Mitchell. He fell, inappropriately it seems, for one of his employees, but had to wait until his retirement to marry her and build the house for them to live in. He spared no expense, using the highest quality materials and equipping the house as befitted one of his status.
Subsequently the house was requisitioned as officers’ quarters in the war, and the occupant coincidentally shared the same name as the present incumbent, Hutton. The house has been the subject of restoration and updating by the vendor, including the grounds which have been extensively planted.
Anchor Dykes, Station Road, Topcliffe, Thirsk, North Yorkshire YO7 3SQ
• Substantial family house with land and buildings
• Panelling and open fireplaces to reception rooms
• Breakfast room with Rayburn for cooking and heating
• Original butler’s pantry now a laundry/freezer room
• Five bedrooms (two en suite) and family bathroom
• Extensive outbuildings, garden and pasture land
Outside
The house stands in an elevated position with views to the front towards the River Swale and Topcliffe Mill, while the Hambleton Hills rise to the rear. It is approached through wrought iron gates and via a gravelled drive past lawns with yew topiary and herbaceous borders, and a copse of mainly Scots pines behind a laurel hedge. The drive leads to parking beside the domestic outbuildings which comprise a range in brick and tile with twin bay covered area, boiler house, and stores for coal, logs, bicycles etc. The buildings form a sheltered and south facing courtyard at the rear of the house.
A secret garden to the south has box topiary and a high beech hedge; a broader sweep of lawns has more topiary, and there is a greenhouse, lily pond with bridge, kitchen garden and orchard. The remainder of the land comprises a series of grass fields, well supported by a timber range by Hodgsons of Cotherstone including barns, haystore and loose boxes.
Approximately 6.8 acres in all
Environs
Topcliffe lies almost equidistant from Thirsk and Ripon, just east of A1 and approached from A168. All the major centres are in reach: Leeds and Harrogate to the south and west, Teesside via A19, and York. There are mainline rail connections at Thirsk and York. The village has a primary school, two pubs, church, shop and bus. The famous Crab and Lobster is in neighbouring Asenby. Private and state schooling opportunities abound, with a secondary school in Thirsk, and Queen Mary’s, Cundall Manor, Queen Ethelburga's, Ampleforth and Ripon Grammar in striking distance.
York 21 miles, Thirsk & A19 4 miles, Ripon 6 miles. A1 3 miles (Distances approximate)
Services
All mains services including gas are connected
Local authority: Hambleton District 01609 779977
Directions: Anchor Dykes stands just outside Topcliffe, off the A167 Northallerton road, next to the primary school.