£800,000 /Sale price

Owners comments... We moved to The Old Forge in 2006 and have loved living here. The house has been our family home with the adjoining part of the property, previously a blacksmith forge dating back hundreds of years, converted to be a very successful Hairdressing business.Our daughters grew up here enjoying everything the house and village community has to offer and, although now married with their own families, they still regularly visit with our grandchildren to see them create the same wonderful memories that they have of living here.Over the years we have made several changes to the property sympathetically enhancing its character whilst protecting those parts of the building that date back circa 400 years. The house offers plenty of space with a lovely, secluded garden that has provided so many wonderful memories from Christmas dinner with 20 people around our dining room table, to Easter egg hunts with the grandchildren, and some great BBQ's and dinner parties with family, friends, and neighbours that will live with us forever.Being located in the heart of the village has enabled us to enjoy, within only a short walk, the benefits of a well-stocked local shop, a gastro pub that serves great food, a village hall that provides plenty of activities for the community, a bus stop on the route between Reading and Wokingham, plenty of open green space, and some of the best schools in the borough.In 2022 we closed the hairdressing business to start enjoying our retirement. Subsequently, we obtained a change of use consent to convert that part of the property into a studio/bedroom annexe, designed and converted to be used either separately or be opened to the main house.But now the house is too big for our needs and, as sad as it will be to leave, the time is right for us to enable another family to create the same great memories that we have createdDan & Neil Estate Agent's comments.... Without doubt this is one of the most special homes we have been to in a long time, and it feels like such a loved family home as well. Starting with the outside you've got a big resin driveway with plenty of parking for the whole family and side access round to the back. Coming through the lovely archway past the front door and the entrance hall is so wonderfully bright thanks to the skylights and glass panels that draw the eye straight through to the gardens beyond. You've got access to the study and a downstairs loo/utility room here as well. The heart of the home has some beautiful exposed brickwork and is set up as a dining room with the stairs, kitchen and other reception rooms branching off here. There are two living rooms, a smaller snug to the front and a larger living room to the back with a log burner and a big bay window with doors opening into the garden. The kitchen is simply stunning. There's a huge island with a breakfast bar for more informal dining, stone tops, shaker style cabinets and it's open plan into a conservatory so light is flooding into here as well. Upstairs have four good size bedrooms and two bathrooms with access into the loft/eaves storage through the fourth bedroom. What was once a successful salon business is now an awesome annexe that's self-contained with a kitchenette, bathroom and the possibility of joining it back up with the main house should you want to. The gardens are mature, colourful and extremely private - we really can see why the current owners have been able to make so many wonderful memories here. Area comments... Set within Arborfield Village conservation area, you're surrounded by pretty and well kept roads and properties and you've got The Bull Inn pub just seconds away, as well a Londis for your daily essentials just a couple minutes walk away. Lockey Farm and Farm Shop is just around the corner and an abundance of green space to explore in all directions. Check out our Key Facts Report for tonnes of information from internet speeds and bus stops, to local schools and airports.