A country home of character

When David and Anne Dickinson first viewed Holly Lodge in High Street, Swineshead near Boston, they immediately fell for its charms.
The couple had two small children at the time and were drawn to both the house and the beautiful and tranquil grounds it stood in.

David said: “When we first viewed the property in 1987, it was a case of love at first sight. With lots of homes, it’s how you feel when you walk in and certainly the house and the grounds just did it for us. We knew immediately that we wanted to buy the property.”

They put in an offer which was accepted and moved in just before Christmas that year. The house was in good condition when they bought it. David said: “The house hasn’t changed much at all. We’ve done quite a bit over the years but internally we haven’t done too much. We’ve added two en-suites – one from scratch and the other that was half there – and we’ve maintained the house well.”

The seven-bedroomed period property features a breakfast kitchen which has access to the cellar, hallway with sweeping staircase, garden room, sitting room, dining room, master bedroom with en-suite, guest bedroom with en-suite, five further good-sized bedrooms and a family bathroom.

The stunning breakfast kitchen is a warm and homely room which David admits his family are drawn to most. It features a gas-fired Aga in racing green and an extensive range of base and wall cupboards with a built-in dishwasher, two built-in fridges and a combination oven. The garden room is a tranquil place overlooking the grounds which French doors leading onto a covered veranda. The feature open fire makes it a great place to relax in the summer and winter months.

An imposing carved open period fireplace serves the large dining room which is an excellent space for entertaining. A square bay window with window seat offers great views of the garden. Meanwhile, the sitting room is a cosy room featuring a marble surround open fire with Georgian sash windows to two elevations.

David said: “My favourite room in the house has to be the dining room, which is a fabulously big room for entertaining. Christmas with our large family is wonderful, with a fire going in the grate and a big Christmas tree in the corner.”

Outside, the gardens provide a relaxing setting and there is a workshop/garage which offers the potential for a number of uses. (The sale of the property comes with the option to purchase two adjoining building plots by separate negotiation.)

The house was the perfect place for the couple’s young family to grow up in. David said: “Our family have grown up here. Our daughters were very small when we moved in 1987, so this to them is their home. They have both been to the local primary school in the village and to secondary schools locally and have now moved away.”

The couple have enjoyed living in the village, which has a range of local facilities and good links into the nearby market town of Boston.

“Swineshead has everything you need in a village. There are two very nice pubs in the marketplace, local shops, a post office, pharmacy, doctors’ surgery, a primary school and a regular bus service into Boston,” said David.

Despite loving their home, David and Anne have decided the time is right to move on. David said: “Now our daughters have left home, the house is a bit too big for us on our own, which is why we are moving. But the house has been a super family home and we will take away lots of happy memories of our time here.”

Holly Lodge on High Street, Swineshead, near Boston is on the market with Pygott and Crone for £625,000. For more information contact the estate agents on (01205) 314134.

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