Waifs House & The Cottage - Waifs house is a handsome Georgian home in the heart of Belbroughton Village nestled beneath the Clent Hills. The Cottage is a self contained one bedroom ground floor apartment, currently let on an assured shorthold tenancy, but suitable for use as an annex or even to use as an extension to the main property.

The Cottage

The Cottage is a one bedroom self contained ground floor apartment that comprises of a sitting room, kitchen, utility, double bedroom and shower room

Waifs House

Waifs House has a history as intriguing as its name. Formerly a doctor’s surgery and draper’s shop, it once also took in the so-called ‘waifs and strays’; young girls and women in need of refuge. The girls were cared for and trained for employment as maids. It was even the setting for BBC Television drama Dalziel and Pascoe, episode ‘Secrets of the Dead’, which was filmed here in 2000

Built around 1780, unspoiled, Grade II listed and retaining many of its original features. A unique opportunity to become only the third owner in almost 70 years awaits those who fall in love with the inimitable charms of this characterful and heart-warming home.

Step beneath the cascading wisteria, which festoons the walls and pillars surrounding the ornate portico. Arriving at the front door and into the entrance hall you immediately sense the understated period elegance of this lovely home. Stone flooring extends on to the kitchen, while treacle-toned wooden staircase, polished with age curves up to the right. With high ceilings and a tastefully added dado rail along the stairs, Waifs House is every inch the handsome Georgian home, with an understated, professional edge.

Discover pure, period elegance in the formal dining room, a sumptuous space, decorated in rich salmon-red tones and illuminated by an impressive chandelier and candelabra wall sconces. Ideal for family celebrations and Sunday lunches, gather around the table in front of the imposing fireplace. Flanked by two gothic-style in-built cupboards this hearty fireplace is edged in marble for added sophistication.

The snug sitting room, the ideal place in which to entertain your guests after dinner, the original oak flooring adds depth and character to this room. With added storage in the in-built cupboards, and a cosy wooden antique fireplace housing a log-burner, this inviting room is a welcome refuge at any time of the day.

At the end of the entrance hall, a corridor to the left leads to a downstairs cloakroom and a practical boot room, with access directly outdoors. Ideal access for walkers and those with dogs.

Directly ahead from the front door, the heart of the home, the delectable country kitchen. Resplendent in limed oak, an array of floor and wall units offers copious storage for all your culinary essentials. Standing pride of place is a cream Aga, with gas and electric options depending on the season.

Topped in grey granite, a central island offers shelving for cookery books and more drawers and cupboards. Coating the side units, the golden tones of Iroko African timber provides a hardwearing, naturally hygienic and low maintenance worksurface.

Chinese slate tiles coat the floor, harmonising with the motif in the entrance hall. In addition to the Aga, a dishwasher, fridge and freezer are all on hand for your convenience. Sneak a peek at the utility room, housing the washer and dryer.

From the kitchen, step down into the sociable breakfast room. The addition of a Clearview Stove and light Conservation roof lights have transformed this room into a friendly family hub. Congregate beneath the beams (re-sourced from the original wood store) and share stories of your day over dinner. Look out over the courtyard at the back, with its collection of flowers and pots, table and chairs, perfect for taking the party outside for alfresco dining in the summer months.

Beyond the breakfast room a shower room, currently mainly used for storage, leads on to a garden store; perfect for storing your outdoor gear, bikes and canoes.

Accessed from beneath the stairs in the entrance hall, a curved staircase leads down before branching off to two cellar rooms; one containing wine bins and the other a meat-salting cellar.

Take the original solid wood staircase up to the first floor, where two bedrooms await directly ahead. Overlooking the church hall to the side of the house, and decorated in soft rosy tones, with oak flooring, this peaceful bedroom is a spacious double. Peep through the door to discover a Jack-and-Jill shower room.

Currently used as the master by the existing owners, the neighbouring bedroom on this level is situated privately to the rear. Cosy, quiet and overlooking the courtyard garden, with white painted beams overhead.

Conveniently located next door is the family bathroom. Decorated in clotted cream-coloured walls, it boasts a huge, centrally-filling, freestanding bath with a rainfall shower overhead.

The study, situated at the front of the house is perfect to watch the world go by. Overlooking the front of the house, you have a view of the road and can watch the to-ings and fro-ings of village life from your desk. Especially pleasant should there be a wedding taking place at the neighbouring church.

Return on yourself and take a couple of steps up to the jewel in the crown of the first floor; the decadent drawing room. Overlooking the church and the war memorial, divine views await the occupants of this room. Cosy and warm in the winter in front of the fire, flanked by two recessed alcoves, and light and bright in the summer time, this is a room for all seasons.

Continue up the stairs to the uppermost floor, or as we like to call it the penthouse level, where four more bedrooms await.

To the rear with sloping ceilings sprinkled with Velux lights ‘The Dormitory’ – a room so expansive it can house all the children’s friends when it is time for the annual ‘birthday sleepover’. Also at the rear of the house is a bright bedroom overlooking the garden, large enough for a double bed or two singles.

Above the drawing room sits the master bedroom. With windows to the front and the rear, you have the best seats in the house from which to watch the world go by, out to the church at the front and over the village and countryside beyond in the other direction.

Opposite the master, an additional bedroom also boasts an ornamental fireplace. Bright, sunny and tucked away, this bedroom also benefits from additional storage by way of its built-in cupboards

A handy shower room is also located on the second floor, which helps to make Waifs House ideal for those with growing, extended or amalgamated families, but we cannot help but think this top floor is perfect to be converted into your own master suite complete with sitting room, dressing room and luxury en-suite bathroom?

Outside, the driveway and courtyard are clad in limestone flagstones for a natural looking effect in this peaceful country garden. Safe and secure for children, the gated boundary is surrounded by walls and a mature hedge to ensure privacy. A greenhouse facing east-west enjoys the sun all day along one side and there are plenty of power and water points in the garden too.

A double garage sits beneath a workshop, accessed by the garden store behind – itself ideal for stashing the mower and other garden essentials.

With a thriving village on the doorstep, pull on your shoes and set out for a day’s exploration of Belbroughton. Nestled almost opposite the parish church, Waifs House is at the centre of the community, close also to the church hall, which runs numerous activities and is also available to hire for social events and gatherings. Clubs include cricket, football, gardening, pilates and yoga – not to mention the local history society.

For every day essentials, the village shop is open throughout the day and also contains a post office. Belbroughton is also home to a tasty delicatessen-café, a hairdresser’s and three village pubs and a workingmans club.

Walk the children up the hill to the local Belbroughton Primary School, and when they are old enough, see them off on the bus that collects from outside the church to go to Heybridge Secondary School in nearby Hagley…only 15 minutes away.