Hoggrills End and its timbers

Jun 2 2006

By Marsya Lennox, Property Correspondent

Howkins & Harrison in Atherstone have dared to compare two of their new instructions - in the same village. They have suggested slightly different price tags - and even as agents, they are happy to highlight the differences. But they are also inspired to point out the selling points they share. It does not happen often. The same agent is marketing two timber framed properties at Hoggrills End in North Warwickshire, an old settlement near Nether Whitacre. The selling agents have done some homework to paint the most accurate picture of two properties. One was built during the reign of Elizabeth 1 while Shakespeare was still writing his Sonnets. The other was built nearly 400 years later, in 1992, just 376 after the Bard died, with Elizather 11 on the throne and BSE in the headlines, not Bubonic plague. It's all good fun. The Old House, priced at £875,000 is a listed, black and white house dating to 1593. Dingle Farm is the "imposter", a real house framed in oak, designed to look the part in an old village, nearly new by most people's standards and priced at £825,000. The Old House was built for the Kelynge family, wealthy landowners in the area around Coleshill. Dingle Farm was delivered on the back of a lorry, around 25 tons of English oak, sourced by the specialist Herefordshire company, Border Oak. While the Old House was built by 16th century craftsmen in the way they knew, Dingle Farm was created in the same way, homage to traditional craftsmanship, every single timber in the house joined in the time-honoured way, without nails or glue. The two sets of vendors have some things in common, each couple having spent more than a decade in their homes, only now leaving to downsize after families have grown up. James and Sue Murphy had admired The Old House in the past as they walked in the area. When it came onto the market, they looked - and were hooked, impressed by light and generous rooms. The property had been much smaller until a Birmingham jeweller, Walter Collins added a full north wing and doubled the size of the house. In the original 16th century wing is some distinctive herringbone timber framing and an early stone fireplace with panelled detailing detailing a phoenix with lepards and trefoils. There is a hall, dining room and breakfast kitchen with beams and Aga. An original staircase remains and there is a large games room, converted from the adjacent barn. There are four bedrooms over the two upper floors including the main suite with bathroom plus an upstairs study. Colin and Linda Mould own Dingle Farm but spent many years on the "site" before they were able to build their period-style house. They bought a six acre field and lived in a mobile home while rearing hens, pigs and sheep after down-shifting in 1985. In 1991 they won planning permission to build something permanent. Admiring existing timbered houses I the village, they thought of recreating the look in a brand new house. "Today, in 2006, it looks as though it had been here for hundreds of years," said Linda Mould. The house was built in 16th century style, with a few exceptions. Infill panels were plastered poly-styrene instead of wattle and daub. Reclaimed tiles were found for the roof and local sandstone for the big chimney stacks. They planned the house to make best use of the sun, unlike many old houses. And modern luxuries were built in, such as underfloor heating and a ventilation system, two jacuzzi baths and a steam cabinet - plus, a proper boot room. The Moulds even gave talks to local schools about building houses in Tudor times. The house has an inglenook fireplace in its living room, sepsrate dining room with French doors to an oak-framed veranda, kitchen with another beamed inglenook and range cooker, utility, pantry and office. The property has included a livery business and retains an equestrian occupancy condition. There is a pond and orchard, stabling with 10 boxes, workshop, two floodlit manages and some 5.67acres. Hoggrills end is described by the agents as a "sleepy corner of Warwickshire", but with all desired commuter connections, 20 minutes from the airport. Details on both houses are available from Howkins & Harrison, telephone 01827 718021.