High Street, Ketton, PE9

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What the owner told us…

“We moved here as a couple and this became our first proper family home when we had our son, with our dog very much part of family life here too. It has been much more than simply a house for us. It is where we became a family, where we put down roots and where we have spent a lot of time creating something that genuinely feels like ours.”

Our Thoughts…

Some cottages look beautiful in photographs but ask you to compromise once you actually live in them. Banoffee Cottage isn't one of those.

This is the sort of home that gives you everything you were probably hoping for when you started searching for a character cottage. Local stone, old beams, an inglenook fireplace, high ceilings, little quirks and centuries of history, but you can also move straight in and get on with enjoying it.

And more than anything, it just feels lovely.

Sitting on the High Street in the heart of Ketton, Banoffee Cottage forms part of a Grade II listed pair of stone cottages dating from around 1775 to 1825. Built in local stone beneath a traditional Collyweston stone slate roof, from the pavement it has exactly the sort of character you hope to find in a Rutland village. But you really don't appreciate quite how much is hiding behind it until you step inside.

The dining hall immediately sets the tone. This isn't simply somewhere to squeeze a table into. It is a proper room in its own right, with exposed stone, original beams and a fabulous inglenook fireplace giving you that unmistakable old cottage feel. It's easy to picture a big table in here with friends gathered around it, or a cosy dinner on a winter evening.

The living room sits just off here and feels exactly as a cottage living room should. Comfortable, calm and cosy without feeling small. That balance runs throughout the house actually. It isn't enormous or overwhelming, but the proportions and layout make it feel surprisingly spacious and there is very little wasted space.

Then you reach the kitchen, and this is where the cottage starts showing you that character doesn't have to mean compromising on how you actually want to live.

It stretches across the rear of the house with plenty of room to cook properly, a Rangemaster, Belfast sink and all the charm you would expect to find in a cottage like this. Patio doors open straight out to the garden, which is lovely in the warmer months when you can leave them open and wander in and out.

Tucked alongside the kitchen is something we think makes a huge difference in a cottage, a genuinely useful separate utility room with a ground floor WC. Washing, coats, muddy shoes, dog towels and all the stuff you don't particularly want cluttering up your kitchen have somewhere to go.

The current owners have refreshed and improved the house throughout, but importantly, they haven't tried to make an old cottage look brand new or strip away the things that give it its character.

One of the owners is a building surveyor, and we think that gives some useful context to the work that's been done here. The improvements have been approached with an understanding of an older property and with real attention to how things are done, rather than simply how they look. The result is a cottage that feels properly cared for, updated and ready to move into, while the beams, stonework and original character are still very much part of the house.

Upstairs continues the same story.

There are two bedrooms, both with built in wardrobes, high ceilings and exposed beams. The principal bedroom is particularly generous for a cottage like this, while the second bedroom has worked brilliantly as part of the owners' family home.

Then there is the bathroom, and this is another room where the cottage has managed to keep its character. A freestanding bath takes centre stage, alongside a separate shower, so you haven't had to choose between having the lovely bath you want and the shower you actually use every morning.

But the garden is a huge part of why we think you need to come and see Banoffee Cottage in person.

The owners told us that from the front you simply don't appreciate how much is behind the house, and they're right.

They have put a huge amount of work into creating a garden they could actually use and enjoy as a family. There is a large lawn with plenty of space for children and dogs, raised beds and planting, while the patio seating area is tucked away at the far end of the garden with the summerhouse. It gives you somewhere completely separate from the house to sit outside, eat, have friends over or just make the most of a sunny afternoon.

The garden has become the owners' favourite part of the property and, having seen it, we can understand why. It feels surprisingly tucked away once you're out there and they say that in summer they spend a huge amount of their time outside.

There is another really useful addition too.

The stone outbuilding has been renovated and is currently used as a home office and gym, with a separate storage area. It gives you that extra bit of space away from the main house without having to give up a bedroom. Work from home, work out, paint, make things, or just have somewhere separate for whatever you don't want taking over the house. It can really be whatever you need it to be.

And that's probably what we like most about Banoffee Cottage.

It has all the bits that make an old cottage feel special, but it still works as a home.

You have the beams, stonework, fireplace and history, but you also have a good kitchen, separate utility, downstairs WC, two proper bedrooms with built in storage, a bathroom with a freestanding bath and separate shower, a brilliant garden and that additional space outside.

It feels warm, comfortable and welcoming rather than precious. The sort of place where you walk in, put your things down and very quickly feel at home.

And then there is Ketton.

The owners love the village so much that they're hoping their next home will be here too, which probably tells you more than we could.

There is a village shop, pub, primary school, gym and sports facilities, with countryside around the village and Stamford only a few miles away. You get the slower pace and community of village life without feeling as though you've moved miles away from everything.

There is no private or allocated parking with the cottage, with parking instead available on street. We think that's worth being completely upfront about from the beginning.

Because Banoffee Cottage isn't trying to be a huge house.

It's something much harder to find.

A beautiful old cottage that feels cosy without feeling cramped, full of character without feeling dated and special without being too precious to actually live in. Somewhere that has already had the work put into it, so you can move in and start enjoying it.

The owners described it in three words:

“Characterful, cosy, welcoming.”

We don't think we'd change a single one.

Location…

Banoffee Cottage sits right in the heart of Ketton, and if you don't know the village particularly well, it is worth understanding just how much you have here.

This isn't one of those villages where you have a pretty view but need to get in the car every time you run out of milk. Ketton has its own village shop and Post Office, library, pub, playgrounds and sports facilities, so there is a surprising amount within the village itself.

Families also have Ketton C of E Primary School right here in the village, on High Street, while for secondary education there are further state and independent options across nearby Stamford, Oakham and Uppingham.

And then there are the walks.

There are some brilliant walking routes straight from the village, taking you out through the surrounding countryside and neighbouring villages, along with historic footpaths and routes to explore. Whether you're heading out with the dog, going for a proper Sunday walk or just fancy getting outside without having to drive somewhere first, there is plenty on the doorstep.

You can even wander over to The Rutland Vineyard on Barrowden Road, with its Tasting Barn serving locally produced wine alongside coffee, cheese and homemade cakes. It's the sort of thing that makes living here feel a little bit special rather than simply convenient.

Then you've got the rest of Rutland on your doorstep.

Rutland Water is within easy reach for walking, cycling, sailing, watersports or simply heading out for lunch somewhere lovely, and this part of the world certainly isn't short of seriously good places to eat.

Oakham is around eight miles away, with its market town centre, independent shops, cafés, restaurants and railway station, while Stamford is only around three miles from Ketton.

Stamford gives you even more on the doorstep, with its beautiful historic centre, independent shops, cafés, restaurants, supermarkets and railway station. From Banoffee Cottage, Stamford railway station is approximately 3.2 miles away.

And despite all that countryside and village life, Ketton is really well placed if you need to get anywhere.

The A1 is only a few miles away, giving you straightforward road links north and south, while Stamford railway station provides connections towards Peterborough and onward to London, as well as services towards Leicester and Birmingham.

You don't necessarily need to rely on the car either. Ketton is served by local bus services connecting the village with Stamford and Uppingham, with stops within the village itself.

That's what we think makes Ketton such a good place to live.

You can walk to the shop, Post Office, pub, library, primary school and village facilities. You can head straight out for a countryside walk with the dog, wander over to the vineyard or spend a weekend exploring Rutland Water. There are schooling options for older children across the surrounding towns, Stamford is only a few miles in one direction, Oakham is easily reached in the other and the A1 is close enough that village life doesn't come at the expense of being connected.

And perhaps the best recommendation comes from the current owners themselves. They love Ketton so much that although they're moving from Banoffee Cottage, they're hoping not to leave the village.

Living Room 13' 0" x 12' 1" (3.95m x 3.68m)

Kitchen 7' 3" x 20' 2" (2.20m x 6.14m)

Utility / WC 7' 5" x 7' 7" (2.27m x 2.32m)

Dining Hall 12' 9" x 12' 8" (3.89m x 3.85m)

Landing 3' 0" x 13' 4" (0.92m x 4.07m)

Principal Bedroom 13' 0" x 9' 8" (3.95m x 2.95m)

Bedroom 2 9' 7" x 8' 5" (2.91m x 2.57m)

Bathroom 9' 8" x 5' 8" (2.94m x 1.72m)

Outbuilding 13' 10" x 5' 4" (4.21m x 1.63m)

Disclaimer
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Property details are provided in good faith but may change and should not be taken as a complete or guaranteed description. While we aim for accuracy, all information must be independently checked and does not form part of any contract. Measurements are approximate, services and appliances have not been tested, and images or floorplans are for guidance only. Buyers should verify permissions, consents, and any other matters with their own advisers.

BUYER VERIFICATION:
In line with the Money Laundering Regulations, all purchasers must complete identification and proof/source of funds checks at the offer stage. A non-refundable fee of £35 (inc VAT) per person is payable for these checks. We cannot legally move forward with the sale until the buyers have completed these checks. The property will remain 'for sale' until checks are completed.