Period features and modern architecture have been seamlessly interwoven in this house, which dates to c.1740
Period features and modern architecture have been seamlessly interwoven in this house, which dates to c.1740
Built in the 18th century, this golden Cotswold stone cottage sits on the edge of the village green in Delly End, Oxfordshire. It extends over three storeys and 2,128 sq ft of space, with three bright bedrooms plus a study. A large rear garden is bountifully planted, with a vegetable garden, colourful poppies and a productive fig tree. Charlbury rail station is approximately a 13-minute drive away, and runs regular services to London in just over an hour.
Setting the Scene
Roebuck is nestled in Delly End, a peaceful hamlet in the heart of Oxfordshire in the Hailey conservation area. Delly End is known locally for its unusual peace memorial, constructed in 1921 and located on the village green, in front of Roebuck.
This fine house dates from the 1740s and was an inn until the 1930s. In later years, it was renovated by Peter Aldington of world-renowned architects Aldington Craig + Collinge, who made a series of thoughtful modifications to the house while retaining its period features.
The Grand Tour
Wisteria climbs the façade of this slate-topped cottage. Casement windows are trimmed in olive green and, inside, capture views over the village green.
Entry is through a timber front door to an atmospheric living room, criss-crossed with original timber beams. The space has been divided into two separate sitting rooms by a wall and beautiful bespoke walnut bookshelves, handcrafted by the current owner. At one end of the room is an inglenook fireplace with a log-burning fire.
The kitchen sits to the rear, in a later part of the house. Surrounded by full-height glazing, the room has wonderful views of the garden beyond, and has sliding doors that create a seamless flow between indoor and out. There is an original exposed brick wall, and large-format tiles underfoot.
In the kitchen, a large oak-topped island is fitted with a Miele gas hob and Bosch oven with overhead extractor hood and integrated dishwasher.The light-filled dining area has a pitched roof and exposed beams, in keeping with the older parts of the house. On a lower floor is a guest WC plus a boot room with garden access.
A bleached pine staircase with open treads winds up to the first floor. A bright, well-appointed study with built-in shelving is on the first-floor landing. Stairs ascend to two spacious bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, both illuminated by pretty casement windows. One of the rooms has wood-panelled detailing and alcove shelving, while the other has a cast-iron fireplace washed in white. In the latter bathroom walls have been finished with soft grey Fired Earth tiles, and a Duravit basin has Vola taps.
Another bathroom with a bathtub and overhead shower sits on the second-floor landing. Bleached floorboards run underfoot, while overhead glazing allows light to pour in from the hallway.
The principal bedroom is at the top of the house, its pitched roof lined with original timber beams. A spectacular dormer-style window with a wooden frame captures leafy views of the village green and rests on a built-in oak desk with storage. Additional light streams into the space through skylights in the roof, and there is an attached dressing room. While currently used as a bedroom, the wonderful quality of light here makes it equally suitable as a studio; its previous owner used it for this purpose.
The Great Outdoors
A large garden extends to the rear of the house, and a pebbled area close to the kitchen is perfect for outdoor dining and entertaining on a summer’s evening. There is a spacious lawned area, its borders brimming with poppies, roses, and a luscious fig tree.
There is a small orchard of cherry, quince, apple and plum trees plus some gooseberry bushes. A vegetable patch is installed on one side of the garden, with a greenhouse as well as plenty of neat raised beds for green-fingered gardeners plus a potting bench and compost bins. There is also a large shed, and a gate at the rear leads to a covered carport with space for two cars, an EV point, and a log store.
Out and About
Delly End is a tranquil hamlet nestled deep in the Oxfordshire countryside. The nearby town of Witney has an array of useful amenities within easy driving distance, including a Waitrose, a Marks and Spencer, a farmer’s market, a cinema, and a variety of shops, pubs, and restaurants.
The 17th-century Bird in Hand pub is within easy walking distance of the house. Other pubs of note include the newly refurbished The Royal Oak in Ramsden, the Lamb Inn at Crawley and the infamous The Bull in Charlbury. The Edge in Witney is fabulous for coffee and brunch and further afield in Chipping Norton you’ll find many delights including The Old Coal Yard Café.
Opportunities for encountering history are aplenty in the wider area, from nearby Deddington Castle and the Rollright Stones to Blenheim Palace and its remarkable grounds, around a 20-minute drive from the house. A 30-minute drive away, Oxford and its dreaming spires provide an even greater range of cultural distractions, including the Ashmolean, Britain's first public museum. There are brilliant dining options here too, including Gees - a conservatory-set restaurant with a brilliant atmosphere for special occasions.
The perennially popular Soho Farmhouse, is approximately 14 miles away with its rooms, places to dine, a health club, an indoor/outdoor swimming pool, boating lake, and a Cowshed spa. There is also competition local stalwart Daylesford and from the opulent Estelle Manor. The Cotswolds Area of Natural Beauty is a short drive away and is home to many pretty towns and a near endless offering of cosy, atmospheric pubs. Slightly further afield in the opposite direction, the Chilterns offer additional walking and cycling routes.
The school options in the area are wide and varied. Locally Hailey CofE Primary School is within easy walking distance, with others nearby including Finstock CofE Primary and The King's School Witney. Further afield but accessible are Burford School, Woodgreen, Headington, Oxford High, The Dragon in Oxford or Cokethorpe.
Charlbury rail station is a 13-minute drive away and runs services to London in approximately one hour and 17 minutes. There are also convenient road connections via the M40.
Council Tax Band: E
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