Cottage set in former quarry

It’s fair to say that the sandstone cottages in the hamlet of Hopstone near Claverley don’t come up for sale very often, says Cathy Stanworth, as she visits a 200-year-old home in a pretty hamlet.

The owner of number 15 Hopstone, Tessa Holden, is selling hers after living there for 36 years and she was one of the last of the current neighbours to move in.

Nestling deep in a former quarry - the stone of which is thought to have been used to build Claverley’s church - Number 15 lies in a picturesque and unique setting.

The village of Claverley and its surroundings is one of the most sought after areas to live in Shropshire. It is ideal for commuters and Hopstone is within its outskirts.

Tessa’s pretty home is among a handful of 200-year-old former farm workers cottages that used to serve nearby Dallicote Hall.

Set on a no-through lane, at the end of the which is a bridleway to the hall, the lane separates the cottage from its additional garden and large garage block.

The four garages have been built in keeping with the cottage and include an inspection pit and a workshop. The rear garden at number 15 has an outside cellar which is actually a cave and the back of the property is bordered by high sandstone quarry walls. The garden also has fruit trees.

Tessa, who has a brewery business near Dudley, bought the cottage with her late husband, Edwin. Together they cleverly extended it to create a wonderful family home. Tessa is now relocating to be nearer family.

Number 15 Hopstone, Claverley is therefore up for sale through Berriman Eaton of Bridgnorth for £395,000. (Details correct at time of publication - January 2007).

It has an entrance porch, spacious entrance hall/dining room, breakfast kitchen, two reception rooms, a utility, downstairs wc, landing, en suite master bedroom, three further bedrooms and a family bathroom.

The south facing cottage is positioned on a private shared driveway. The lawned garden on one side of the lane has the garages, inspection pit and workshop plus a shed and brick store and lawn. The cottage has a further front garden plus a hard landscaped rear patio garden with feature sandstone wall and cave.

The cottage itself is much larger inside than it looks from the front. The Holdens extended it twice during the time they and their children lived there.

Features in the original part include ceiling beams and a bread oven. The breakfast kitchen has an Aga and the extended sections of number 15 have large picture windows.

The cottage has plenty of space and a charming upstairs landing leads off to the bedrooms and bathrooms.

This character-packed home offers a great deal of potential as the use of the also plenty of storage, thanks to built-in bedroom furniture and cupboards throughout. From the front entrance porch you step into the spacious entrance hall with French oak flooring.

This is a slightly open plan space, which could be used as a dining room. It has front and side windows and it leads through a small open plan section to the original front facing sitting room. This cosy space has a wood-burning stove and original bread oven.

Behind the sitting room and entrance hall is the charming breakfast kitchen which has a red Aga, fitted appliances and a tiled floor. A wooden staircase from the breakfast kitchen leads up to the bedrooms and bathrooms. Behind the breakfast kitchen is the larger sitting room and a generous utility plus downstairs wc.

The Holdens came across number 15 Hopstone when Tessa was working for an estate agent that was handling its sale. They had wanted to live in the area because they liked Claverley so much.

Tessa said: “We’d always come to Claverley drinking because there was a nice pub there. We bought it (the cottage) off a couple with young children. This was two cottages but it was only two bedrooms and the bathroom was downstairs. There was no proper heating, only storage heaters.”

The Holdens decided to extend the cottage and change the position of the staircase, which originally ascended from the front sitting room. Tessa said: “The side extension gave us two bedrooms upstairs for the children. The rear extension gave us the utility, downstairs cloaks and a larger sitting room.”

The property has been very well maintained. Claverley village is just a ten-minute walk away and has three pubs, the church, a ladies’ hairdresser and a post office. There is a convenience store at The Royal Oak pub at Hilton which is a 20 minute walk away. Bridgnorth is four miles away.

Tessa said: “Claverley is a very friendly village and the societies and groups to join are very good. We have Flicks in the Sticks every month. There are some beautiful walks round here and Worfield Golf Club has a very good restaurant.”

There are good junior schools at Claverley and Worfield and regular bus services.

• Further details are available from Berriman Eaton of Bridgnorth on 01746 766499.
• Details correct at time of publication - January 2007