A COUNTRY property with plenty of character and privacy has been the perfect setting for Edith and Alec Gawne. As they told SUSAN GOODSON, their spacious family home is much loved but they have foreign shores in their sights and can’t take it with them

THE Gawne home is in a dream location with private gardens overlooking fields, but just a few minutes walk from the buses into town.

Add to that the charming village setting and it all proved irresistible 16 years ago. The cottage - Smithy Cottage, Pennington - has been significantly extended and improved, making it extremely appealing to a modern family.

It is situated in the sought-after village of Pennington, which has a working farm, church, primary school, community hall and a car servicing garage. It is only a mile or so away from Ulverston with its range of facilities, including boutique-style shops, restaurants, cafés, pubs, schools and sixth form college.

The house is a detached cottage over three levels with four bedrooms, two reception rooms and three bathrooms. Outside there are generous gardens with extensive lawns, patio areas and a range of outbuildings, including two substantial garages.

Having lived in Rampside and Dendrom, Edith and Alec finally found the house they “really wanted” in Pennington.

Edith explained: “We loved its country character and that it is detached. Inside there are beams and barn doors.

“With its spacious rooms and big gardens it is a wonderful family home and a great place to entertain.

“Pennington has a very good school, which my daughter went to, and people do move here so their children can go to it.”

After the couple had been in the house several years they did have an extension built to the back of the property to create a master bedroom with an en suite. It left a spare bedroom for visitors to stay. Later on they also had a porch put on the front.

The master bedroom has a walk-in wardrobe and a classic three-piece suite with a shower, WC and wash basin.

The second bedroom, which easily takes a double bed, has an enclosed staircase leading up to the loft room which Edith and Alec’s daughter used as a quiet place to study - but it would also make an excellent space for anyone working from home.

The lower ground floor has its own separate access door leading into the utility room with space for washing machine, dryer, fridge and freezer, as well as a large area of work surface with its own sink. The inner ground floor hallway leads to the first two bedrooms, which have their own full three-piece bathroom.

Edith said: “It is really handy when we have guests staying because they have their own space so no-one is on top of each other.

“It would also be a great space for anyone who had an elderly relative staying or adult child because it is virtually self contained.”

The living room has windows which overlook the grounds and has a central multi-fuel stove. The second reception room is used as a dining room with the kitchen alongside it. There is also a further shower room between the kitchen and the lounge accessed separately from the hallway.

“We love the privacy, with the house sitting on its own grounds with no near neighbours. It is nice and private but then a short walk to the buses.

“Outside we have plenty of off-road parking which is another handy factor when people visit or stay and there are two garages.

“It definitely is a place for entertaining,” Edith added.

With their daughter now in London, Edith and Alec are ready to move, but not just house - they are moving country to France. If they were not leaving the country they would not move from their home.

The house - Smithy Cottage, Pennington - is on the market with Poole Townsend Estate Agents for £436,000 (no chain). For further details or to arrange a viewing please call the agent on 01229 588111 or pop into the Ulverston offices at County Square.