With imposing rooms, high ceilings and beams, Swincliffe Cottage will be looking its best in the festive season, with pride of place in the lounge given to an imposing Christmas tree.

Built in around 1864 as the coach house to Swincliffe House, this home has been carefully extended over the years – losing none of its character in the process.

The current owners have lived there for three years and fell in love with the house because of its character.

“It’s unique. There was nothing else on the market like it when we were looking,” they say.

It’s an imposing home and quite unusual. Most coach houses are definitely on the small side, but this one has two impressively sized reception rooms, cloakroom, utility area, dining kitchen, four bedrooms – one of which has an en-suite shower room– dressing room and family bathroom.

Because the cottage is set back from the main road, with access to a driveway offering parking for up to three cars, there is a pleasant, well-stocked, family-sized lawned garden to the front.

The present owners had no sooner moved in than they started work. “It was fine living in it while the work was going on. It was quite interesting seeing it transforming day by day. We planned it well, but I think you have to when it’s your home and you have to live in it throughout the work.”

It took six months to add an en-suite to the master bedroom, replace the kitchen and family bathroom and then decorate and re-carpet throughout.

The decor has been kept simple and the cottage practically oozes charm, with its ceiling beams, feature fire surround and tiled hallway. But it also has plenty of modern touches like the splendid bathroom, en-suite shower room and dining kitchen.

“We practically gutted the kitchen, putting in a fitted kitchen in pippy oak along three walls, with a moveable breakfast bar island unit, six-burner gas range with electric oven and stainless steel extractor, integrated dishwasher and larder fridge, plus ceramic tiled floor.”

You could certainly cook up a Christmas storm in this kitchen.

There is also a cloakroom and utility area on the ground floor, together with plenty of storage; and you can never have too much of that.

The lounge is the owner’s favourite space: “The lounge is very spacious, and has a serene and calming atmosphere.”

Upstairs, there’s more storage on the landing with both a cupboard and walk-in store, plus four bedrooms, with a modern corner shower cubicle and tiled walls in the en-suite to the master bedroom.

There is also a dressing room with even more storage and the family bathroom, which has a modern suite with overhead shower, glass shower screen and tiled walls.

“It’s very much a family home,” say the present owners. “Because four of the bedrooms are to one side of the house, it would very much appeal to a family with teenagers who are at the age where they want their own space.”

Swincliffe Cottage is in a very sought-after position, and thanks to the mature planting in the lawned garden there is very much an air of privacy.

“We’re going to miss the gardens very much, especially in the summer. It’s wholly enclosed and private and we spend a lot of time out there. Another bonus is that because the garden is mature, it’s easily manageable. You can do as much or as little as you want.”