Ready Token House sits quietly within a tiny Cotswold hamlet, a handsome limestone house under a stone-tiled roof, believed to have once been the village coaching inn. Stone mullioned windows, generous rooms and beautiful period detail give it its character; a thoughtful remodelling and a landscaping scheme that has had time to mature give it its ease. Around it, almost sixty acres of lawn, meadow and woodland fall away towards the North Wessex Downs.
FIRESIDE ROOMS FACING SOUTH
A welcoming hall opens into three south-facing reception rooms, linked by elegant Crittall doors that let the light travel through the house. Two sitting rooms are centred on great stone fireplaces, one of them panelled in a deep, intimate blue. Beyond, a study and games room with its own wood-burning stove connects to the main house through a bespoke bar with built-in wine storage — a natural place for the evening to end up.
THE KITCHEN
The east wing is given over to a kitchen made for cooking together, arranged around a substantial island with a wood-burning stove, underfloor heating and room for a long table. Doors lead straight into the garden, so lunch can follow the sun.
BEDROOMS WITH A VIEW
Upstairs, the principal bedroom has far-reaching views, a dressing room with fitted wardrobes and a marble bathroom with a bath and generous walk-in shower. Three further double bedrooms each have their own bathroom, one in the east wing with its own private staircase. A fifth double bedroom and bathroom on the second floor makes ideal guest accommodation.
THE GUEST COTTAGE
Beside the house, a beautifully converted two-bedroom cottage has its own kitchen, sitting and dining room and bathroom — perfect for a second family, grandparents, or anyone who likes their own front door.
POOL, POND & KITCHEN GARDEN
Below the terrace, clipped topiary and generous borders frame a heated outdoor swimming pool, with an elegant pool house offering a shower and changing room. Further out, meadows dotted with woodland lead to a natural pool, private and still — a place for a quiet early swim. A kitchen garden with raised beds and a glasshouse sits to one side, and there are seating areas throughout the grounds for long dinners with an uninterrupted view.
SPACE TO WANDER
With almost sixty acres to roam, children can disappear for the afternoon and walkers can set out from the door. Cirencester, with its market, restaurants and independent shops, is a short drive away, as are the villages and pubs of the southern Cotswolds.
