Hall Park

The original staircase – a distinctly thirties statement in its own right – rises through the house to four double bedrooms. The principal bedroom looks across the garden and has an en suite shower room, while two further bedrooms have fitted wardrobes. The family bathroom pairs a freestanding bath with a separate walk-in shower. Above, a substantial boarded loft offers further potential for conversion, subject to the necessary consents.

It is outside, however, that Acrea really comes into its own. The rear garden extends to around 140ft and has the layered maturity that only decades can produce. Sweeping lawn disappears between established trees, clipped hedging and deep borders, with secluded places to sit tucked among the planting. There are glimpses of open countryside in the distance and, despite the convenience of the setting, a pleasing sense of seclusion.

Closer to the house, a paved terrace surrounds an open-air swimming pool, heated by its own gas-fired boiler. Both the conservatory and dining room open naturally towards this part of the garden, making the relationship between house and grounds particularly enjoyable through the warmer months.

To the front, mature planting frames a broad driveway with off-road parking. The attached garage is double-length, extending to almost 32ft, and there is an EV charging point.

Acrea has been carefully held for more than three decades, and therein lies much of its appeal. This is a house that has evolved without having its origins polished away: the beautifully-maintained Crittall windows, honey-toned oak floors, original joinery and small pieces of period ironmongery remain part of its fabric. There is considerable scope to extend, remodel and reinterpret it, of course, but its real appeal lies in something rather harder to create. After more than 90 years, Acrea has acquired that rarest quality in a house: a genuine sense of soul.