There is a reason why Stuart and Sue Kaynes’ stunning Ironbridge home is so beautiful - they have been working on it for the past 20 years.
Greenacres in Buildwas Road, Ironbridge is a large five-bedroomed, three-bathroomed delightful Victorian farmhouse home which was formerly known as Strethill Farm.
It lies in grounds of about one acre with open fields surrounding the property. It is just three quarters of a mile from the World Heritage Site of the Severn Gorge.
Features include wood block flooring, original cast iron fire grates, and some original cast and glazed windows.
The Kayneses have invested an awful lot of time and money in their home, which included converting one outbuilding into an office and another into a self-contained, one-bedroomed annexe.
Work to the grounds included adding a stunning, sweeping driveway leading to plenty of parking space, a car port and a detached, four-car garage, plus a sun terrace which is the length of the house and lies adjacent to a large conservatory that can be used throughout the year. The garden features Mediterranean plants.
As Sue and Stuart have just retired and are planning to move nearer relatives in the south of the country, they have put Greenacres up for sale through Nock Deighton of Ironbridge for about £580,000.
It has a storm porch, reception hall with original cast and glazed windows to the side, morning room, sitting room, dining room, study, excellent conservatory, breakfast kitchen, utility room, ground floor bathroom one, built-in boiler room, first floor galleried landing, inner landing, master bedroom one, en suite shower room, bedrooms two, three, four and five and bathrooms two and three.
Outside a wooden bar gate opens over a pea gravelled sweeping driveway. The front garden is mainly lawned with some shrubs and bedding plants and the gardens slope down to a natural wildlife pool.
A paved path leads to the side of the house with attractive landscaped garden with bedding plants and shrubs, flagged sun patio area to the corner of the annexe as well as outside the house.
The rear garden has an ornamental rockery, pond and waterfall, sun terrace extending the length of the property with bespoke wrought iron railings in the Coalbrookdale style.
Outside buildings include a store room/office, detached annexe, brick and timber store, shed, large carport, a four car garage and a further outside store.
When Stuart and Sue first saw Greenacres they were looking for a home from where Stuart could also run his business. Greenacres was so ideal that he has run his firm from there for the past 20 years.
Sue said: “We took the house over with ducks, a goat, guinea fowl and a chicken shed!”
The work to Greenacres has been substantial and meticulous. The chimney has been rebuilt, the roof has been redone, as have the electrics and dampcourse. The house has “just about been gutted” and “restored throughout”.
The Kayneses replaced the kitchen and bathrooms and laid new floors. The outbuildings have been converted and the garage has been built.
It took 4,000 tonnes of hardcore to create the sweeping drive and the Kayneses also created the picturesque waterfall garden feature. They have also had patios laid and the wrought iron work specially commissioned.
The stunning wooden conservatory, which has a specially insulated roof, has created even more space, while the three-year-old Aga in the kitchen is an economical, off-peak one.
Stuart said that they had constantly been working on the house and its gardens since they first arrived there.
He said: “Strethill Farmhouse was owned by the Darbys. The history is that in 1868 it burnt down. This house was two farm cottages at that time.
After the fire they became the farmhouse. The first section of this house was built in the 1840s and later sections were built in 1880 and 1890.”
Greenacres is being sold with no chain, as they can move into rented accommodation. The Kayneses will also consider part exchange.
Stuart said: “We’ve put a lot into this house. We’ve been working solidly on it for 20 years.”
Further details on Greenacres are available from Nock Deighton of Ironbridge on 01952 432533.
By Cathy Stanworth
* Details correct at time of publication
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