Cosy Eldwick cottage was once part of pub

“Then my mother-in-law saw it in the paper five years ago, and remembered how much we liked it,” says Donna.

They were not to be denied second time around.

“The minute we stepped through the door, we just knew,” Donna recalls. “It was the setting as well, with the trees, the fields and the beck. There’s plenty of wildlife and the views are fantastic.

“It’s very private, not looking out on to anyone’s house. It’s in a hamlet of cottages in a semi-rural conservation area.

“Within seconds of walking into the kitchen, I’d fallen in love with it.”

There’s a lot of space in each of the rooms, because this charming cottage is very deceptive. Stand outside and you may be forgiven for thinking it was small; but step inside and there is a large lounge, kitchen/diner and utility on the ground floor, and three double bedrooms – one with an en-suite bathroom – and house bathroom on the first floor.

There’s quite a lot of history in this little hamlet. “I’m a bit of a history buff,” says Neil. “I discovered that our home, which was built in 1810, was once part of the Travellers Rest pub. I think our lounge was the filling room, which was a sort of off-licence where the locals would take jugs to get them filled with beer.

“Next-door are some paupers’ cottagers built in the 1600s. The house is built on what was originally the site of an old woollen mill, which was serviced by the beck. The area is known as Eldwick Beck Bottom and is said to be one of the oldest parts of Eldwick.”

Working out how to enter the cottage is a little tricky, as you have so much choice.

Officially, the front of the house faces onto Otley Road, where you can either enter through a door into an entrance vestibule on the first floor or go down the lawned bank – part of the front garden – and enter the house next to the utility room. At the back of the house, you can go in through a door into the lounge or an entrance hall which leads into the dining kitchen.

Neil and Donna are very clear on how they use the house.

“We use the entrances in what other people see as the back. We love the views from this side, so we just think of it as the front,” says Donna.

“We spend loads of time in the kitchen. It’s the place we meet and greet visitors. It’s a farmhouse style with a lovely homely atmosphere, and I think this is my favourite room in the house. We’ve had three birthday parties there, and there is so much room. I also like the lounge, with its French windows leading into the garden, which gets plenty of sun, so you can have breakfast al-fresco if you like.”

Work on the cottage has been a gradual process – interrupted by the arrival first of Callum, now aged three, and then four months ago by Megan.

“The first thing we did was put in a multi-fuel stove,” says Donna. “Then we put in a walk-in pantry with a false floor, which gives us lots of storage for pots and pans. We’ve also partially boarded the loft and put in some steps.”

The cottage is in a very picturesque area and you could be forgiven for thinking it was deep in the country, but it’s actually just a short distance from Bingley and Baildon.

Beyond the small garden is a cobbled area offering plenty of parking. “One of our neighbours put down cobbles and it looked very attractive, so we decided to do the same. It looks just right,” Donna says.

“We try to keep the pots full of plants around the garden, with plenty of help from Callum. But the real experts are our neighbours, who keep the surrounding area amazing.

“We are going to miss everything about living here, especially the character, the picturesque location and the neighbours.”

This property in Otley Road, Eldwick, is on the market for £295,000 with Halifax estate agents, Bingley, telephone (01274) 568240.