Popples Farmhouse - an historic home in an idyllic Suffolk setting

Popples Farmhouse at Brettenham is an historic, listed home in an idyllic Suffolk setting. Despite its rural position it is just four miles from stunning Lavenham, the medieval town so popular with tourists, and nine miles from the market town of Bury St Edmunds.

There are rail links at Stowmarket, about 9.5 miles away, with direct services to London. Ipswich is 18 miles away.

Brettenham is a charming village, within a conservation area, with an active parish council and a village assocation which organises many activities. There is also a church and an independent prep school, Old Buckenham Hall.

Charles Mitchell of agents Strutt & Parker said the house had been a much-loved family home, in the same ownership for more than 20 years. “It is quite spectacular. It has still got all its original features and the gardens are special.

“It is an impressive family home. It has a very warm feel to it, for such a large house. The village is a friendly, tight-knit community, too.”

Popples Farmhouse originally dates back to the 15th Century and was later extended in sympathetic style. It is timber framed, with exposed timbers and plaster infills and with leaded light windows throughout.

There is a moat to the south and west sides of the house and a bridge leads from the lawns to the drawing room.

The medieval house is in a secluded setting, in what is one of the prettiest areas of the county, with approximately 8.2 acres of gardens and grounds surrounding it.

The house itself, listed Grade II, offers an excellent range of accommodation which is well maintained while retaining many period features. It has an entrance hall, a drawing room, sitting room and cloakroom, kitchen/breakfast room, dining room and utility room.

There is a master bedroom suite with a dressing room/shower room and bathroom. A guest suite includes a dressing room/further bedroom and bathroom.

There are four more double bedrooms, a bathroom, a shower room and a separate WC.

The house is set within magnificent gardens and grounds which have a variety of mature trees and plants providing colour and privacy.

There are paddocks, with post and rail fencing, along with a large and productive vegetable garden and an orchard.

Other amenities include a hard surface tennis court and a heated swimming pool.

The range of outbuildings includes traditional barns, stables and greenhouses.

There is an annexe with a shower room, double garaging and workshop, and a pool house has a kitchen, an entertaining area, two shower rooms and a separate WC.

Of particular note is an office, which has been finished to a very high standard, and with a fitted kitchen.

In all the property amounts to about 8.2 acres.