It's a manse world!

5:07pm Tuesday 8th July 2008

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Amanda Hopps has brought up her three daughters in this five bedroom Victorian manse in East Morton... and loved every minute of it.

“It was more than 17 years ago when we saw it, and thought it would be a lovely home to bring up children. My parents lived in the village and we’d just driven up and saw it for sale.

“At that time my eldest daughter was two, my middle one six months and I had the youngest while we were living there.

“It’s been great. There’s plenty of room, and the children all went to local schools.”

Heathfield was originally the manse of Bethel Independent Chapel, which was built around the 1860s. It’s a substantial house with none of the stylisation of the vicarage, which is its Anglican counterpart and neighbour.

“Although it is quintessentially Victorian, with its high ceilings, large rooms and deep skirting boards, it doesn’t have the flamboyant bits that you often get with architecture of this age,” says Amanda.

“The position is really great. It has nice views, an open aspect, yet it’s near all the amenities. It’s right in the heart of the village, but we aren’t overlooked, and we have two access points – one along a drive and another down Bethel Street.”

The first changes the family made were to put in an en-suite bathroom and extend the kitchen.

“There was a lean-to at the back which we knocked down, and then used the stone to build the extension, then a double garage and store. It’s made a nice courtyard area at the back.

“When we came here the kitchen was hand-built in pine by a local craftsman, so we also got someone local to put in the new kitchen which is an ornate shaker style, ragged over the top of a base colour.”

There’s no doubt that the dining kitchen is the heart of this home, with the whole thing constructed around a green enamel Aga, the glazed display cupboards and work surfaces being a mixture of polished wood and slate.

“This was my first Aga, and I love it. It makes the house so warm, and it’s so easy to cook with. You just open the door, bang it in and wait until it’s done!”

This is a superb and well though-out space which is flooded with light thanks to windows on two sides, including French windows to the patio and two roof lights in the extension.

“There is also a dining room, but once we extended the kitchen it became rather redundant. It has a couple of cupboards with big drawers so it would make a great study. I couple of years ago I did a degree and I could shut myself away in there.”

Space is something Heathfield has in abundance, with a sitting room with arts and crafts style cast iron fireplace with open grate and a living room with lovely views, polished wood fireplace with inset gas coal effect fire and French windows leading to the patio. Both rooms have dual aspect windows and polished wooden floors.

Then there’s the ‘redundant’ dining room, which has a flagged floor that matches the hallway with two alcove dressers and windows on two sides, rear porch with stone flagged floor and fitted cupboards and a cloakroom.

Off the half-landing, which has a particularly attractive skylight incorporating stained glass flooding the space with natural light, is the fifth bedroom.

Many of the rooms upstairs have lovely views and are full of period touches, like the fire surround in the master bedroom and period-style en-suite bathroom. Two of the other bedrooms have stone fire surrounds, while the period style family bathroom has a pedestal wash basin and panelled bath with shower over.

“Which is my favourite room? That’s a tough one,” Amanda admits. “I really can’t choose. I love the kitchen because it is the heart of the house, but I also love the lounge because it has a real fire and looks lovely at Christmas with the smell of pine and roast chestnuts. Then there’s my bedroom, which is another favourite. The second lounge which the girls use is also great; they can go in there and close the doors, which is nice for them.”

Heathfield has lawned gardens, a rear courtyard with cobbled and granite sets and a flagged area which you reach from the rear hall.

“I’m going to miss the space and the views. The gardens have been marvellous. When the girls were young we had a trampoline and water slides and it felt like an extension of the recreation ground opposite. The drive is nice and flat so they could ride bikes and roller skates to their hearts’ content in safety. This is the perfect home for someone with a young family.”

Heathfield in Morton Lane, East Morton, is on the market for OIRO £595,000 with Rentons Countrywide, Bingley, (01274) 564528.