Souldern, Nr Bicester

A converted stables with splendid valley views. 25x20 living room, entrance hall with vaulted ceiling, large kitchen & dining room, en-suite main bedroom, up to three further bedrooms, & a very flexible layout. In all, around 2,800 sq feet. CHAIN FREE

Souldern is, simply, one of our favourite places to live. It is a small village on the North Oxfordshire border, seven miles south-east of Banbury with roots going back at least 900 years. For those in the know it is one of the few remaining truly secluded villages, tucked away off a single entry road and hence almost unknown to most. This is what gives it the feeling of a peaceful lifestyle mostly lost today. There is an excellent pub/restaurant The Fox Inn, a Norman church, a village hall, plus play area and playing field. And from Souldern, everything from road and rail access to excellent schools and shops are just a short drive away.

“So good we’ve owned it twice”! Many properties we represent have interesting histories. But the Old Stables is probably up there with the most intriguing. In the late 1980s, our clients bought this plus what is now Bear Cottage next door, as a working pub. After a successful period the road network changed and passing trade declined whereupon they converted Bear Cottage and The Old Stables into houses, and moved away. Roll forward a few years, and by extraordinary coincidence the owners of the Old Stables were looking to move on just as our clients needed a property with an annex. A deal was struck, and the rest is history.

Today, continuous evolution of the house has resulted in a property packed with lovely features, and one that offers huge flexibility. An internal annex and large living rooms (one is 500 square feet, another vaulted), plus great natural light ensures there's little like it anywhere. And quite aside from anything else, the views in all directions are nothing short of breathtaking.

The front door brings you into the first of four receptions, in what has been used most recently as an annex. The large living room is very inviting, complete with a window seat from which to watch the world go by. To the right, a second reception has been used as a large kitchenette in the past, and could do again, or it could be a downstairs bedroom in which an en-suite could be created as the plumbing connections are already here. Stairs from the main reception lead up to the first two bedrooms. Both are very good sizes and charming, with exposed ceiling timbers that give a little hint of the age and character of this house. And between them the panelled bathroom is tastefully fitted with a traditional suite.

Back downstairs and to the left of the first reception, a pair of glazed doors flanked by further glazed panels (all of which can be folded back) separate the annex from the main house. Head through and the visual impact is impressive. The ceiling above you is open full height into the roof void, giving it a feeling of grandeur and occasion. On the left, a huge original beam runs the full span, providing the framework for a mezzanine floor to the left side and a staircase heading up to another bedroom. This is the primary bedroom space, very private as it’s tucked away from the rest of the house complete with its own large en-suite bathroom as well as a vast bank of wardrobes and store cupboards. Few bedroom suites offer this level of comfort and space.

At the rear of the dining hall, up a couple of wide steps, the main living room is extraordinary. The floor area of this room on its own is 500 sq ft. But it doesn’t feel overly large or impersonal, far from it - the fireplace with its wood burner gives it a cozy central focus, and the general aura is light and relaxed. Looking to the rear of the room, two sets of glazed double doors access the terrace and the conservatory respectively, the latter a peaceful spot from which to enjoy the garden.

That’s the main living spaces. The kitchen is fitted in a pleasant farmhouse style with a broad swathe of work tops plus a breakfast bar facing back through the old opening to the main living room. It's connected directly to the family dining room next door, which so spacious that the current six seater table could double in size without making the space cramped. Whatever dressers, sideboards or similar you may have, they’ll find a space here. If more storage is needed, the utility room next to the dining room will provide it - in addition to washing machine/drier etc. It’s also the perfect dog lobby as there’s the first of several shower rooms next door.

Outside, at the front the house sits well back from the roadway behind both a lay-by (only ever used by these couple of properties) and a low stone wall, behind which are various planted beds. Behind the house a broad terrace offers sunny seating at any time of day, facing South West, with a small summer house sat on the edge. A pretty lawn runs the full width behind the house and all then way behind the neighbour, with a timber fence between it and another tiny cottage behind. Around the edges various beds contain a wide diversity of flowers, trees and shrubs, even a rather fine pond. Parking is catered for with spaces to the right hand end which are accessed via a shared driveway for just this and the neighbour to the rear. It’s all beautifully thought out and well maintained, with plenty to occupy the casual gardener but masses of scope for the more obsessive/expert if desired.

Cherwell District Council
Council tax band F
£3,623-64 p.a. 2026/7
Mains water, electric, oil CH
Freehold