Horse heaven

Knights Templars Barn is an idyllic barn conversion with five-star equestrian facilities ideal for rural family life.

Situated in a peaceful rural location within a charming collection of traditional farmhouses and historic barns converted into dwellings, Knights Templars Barn is an impressive home ideal for equestrian life.

This beautiful barn conversion in the pretty hamlet of Temple Bruer is surrounded by far reaching Lincolnshire countryside and features well designed open plan living with views across an expansive garden.

The owner has lived here with her dog and four horses for the past two years since moving from Buckinghamshire.

“The first time I drove into the hamlet, I was immediately attracted to the barn. It is the most beautiful area, all the properties are finished to a very high standard, but Knights Templar Barn was developed from an old cart shed to be the flagship of the development.

“The beauty and tranquillity of the neighbourhood, value for money and ease of travelling to London attracted me to the area and I fell in love with it straight away.”

The impressive detached barn has been converted to a very high standard using top quality materials offering open plan living with a sleek German designer central kitchen area, dining to one side, living on the other, with 17ft-long study or home office and five generous en-suite bedrooms.

“The aesthetics and standard of the build are incredibly high, the sheer quality of the appliances, doors and overall finish are what I love about the property and something I have come to appreciate more and more as I’ve lived here.

“It’s also incredibly efficient to keep warm and tidy; I adore the modern openness of the layout, and while it’s about 4,000 sq ft it feels so much larger due to the open main living area, and it’s so easy to keep the sitting room for special occasions.

“I spend most of my time in the kitchen living area which is fabulous for entertaining – I can cook and socialise all at the same time and the double bi-fold doors open out onto the terrace, which offers uninterrupted views to die for.

“The house offers plenty of room for my two daughters and wider family to visit which they love doing, and we enjoy great walks, cycling and riding, as well as visiting the nearby shops, pubs and restaurants.

“As a home it’s very relaxing, with large rooms and plenty of them, but best of all is the kitchen – living area where we mostly live, while the master bedroom is huge with a large en-suite and walk-in dressing room.

“The house is also easy to run and maintain and has a very efficient air source heat pump, which is easy to operate and keeps the house and water at perfect temperatures for a fraction of conventional boiler costs.

“For me, Knights Templars Barn offers the best of both worlds; it’s quiet, away from busy roads, but it also has neighbours so you don’t feel isolated (there is a real community feel, but nobody lives in each other’s pockets). The barn has a real feeling of tranquillity as you step outside to the rear of the property, with open fields as far as the eye can see.

“The property has plenty of character, but everything is new and of the highest standard, making it a low maintenance property and there is so much scope to landscape the gardens or enjoy open lawn spaces.”

Equestrian life
As a dedicated horseowner, the vendor has carefully designed the premium equestrian facilities which include top a quality stable block from leading manufacturers Scotts of Thrapston’s premium range – featuring sealed 25mm rubber matting, auto water feeders, plus a stylish clocktower and a long, fully lined, insulated and heated tack room.

Outside, there is also open-fronted garaging and around five acres of neat paddocks with equine netting fencing.

“I bought the land at the rear of my property and secured planning for a full equestrian setup. The brand new stable block is a stunning development that matches the style and finish of the barn.

“I looked at many options but had it designed and built by market leaders, Scotts – my parents had Scotts stables erected 40 years ago and they look as good today as they did then – the quality is top notch.

“My showjumpers and two retired horses are totally spoiled and I love the fact that the first thing I see in the morning is their happy faces over the stable doors as I make my first coffee of the day.

“The full-size wash bay is so decadent, with hot and cold water and enough electrical points and space overhead for clipping and solariums.

“The horses have the best life living out mostly as the land is so free draining they can go out all year round – it never gets muddy here because of the high sand content.

“I have planning for a 50 x 30 metre manège, but I am surrounded by excellent off road hacking and minutes’ drives from fabulous training centres where I take the horses for a change of scenery. There are so many first-class equestrian centres nearby making competing so much easier. The beauty of the stables, wash bay, barn and tack room is they can easily be converted for other uses such as for car storage, as a fitness centre or work space. They are a stunning setup that is a pleasure to see from the house.

“The garden is a blank canvas offering so much scope to do whatever you like and the views are to die for.”

Moving on
The vendor, who is planning to move to spend more time with her daughter and grandchild in Amsterdam, says she will miss her much-loved Lincolnshire home.

“I think I will miss the simplicity, ease and beauty of the property, as well as the most beautiful and practical stable block.

“Also the location, as it’s so easy to get to London from Grantham (one-hour fast train), lovely neighbours, hacking, and hunting with the Cranwell Bloodhounds or Blankney hunt make it an equestrian’s dream. However, for non-equestrians, the stables could easily be converted to offices or car storage (subject to planning).

“The nearby A1 makes travel to and from Temple Bruer so simple – I used to live in Surrey, 13 miles from London as the crow flies, but the train or car into the city took about 90 minutes and I got so fed up with the M25 ‘car park’!

“I think Knights Templars Barn would be ideal for a family that loves the countryside and are looking for a beautiful house with stunning equestrian setup. It really is a dream home!”

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