This unique property gives ample evidence to my theory that if you plan to keep more than a couple of horses then there is rarely enough time to get on with any larger projects. In the case of these owners, the animals came first and the renovating second. However, with not too much investment or time this farmhouse could be updated and have income potential from either B & B or the small gite. There is plenty of room for horses to stay too, so any business offering sleeping quarters to both two legged or four legged creatures would be well catered for here.
The house has a large farmhouse kitchen with range cooker and units. There are two useful entrances, one large enough for the coats, wellies and dogs that come with the type of lifestyle you are sure to lead here. There is a lounge with log burner and a downstairs bedroom with en-suite bathroom. Upstairs are a further 4 bedrooms, three of which have en-suite shower rooms that need finishing off. The décor and overall finish requires attention but the traditional features such as beams and stone work are all there. Round the side of the main house is the tiny one bedroom gite next to the pool area. There is potential for more holiday accommodation in the rear of the attached barn where in the past a bathroom and bedroom have been sited.
If you are not frightened of big projects there is a charming second house, made up of three principal rooms, that needs restoring. The roof is in a poor state but the original floor of tommettes (traditional tiles) and old fireplaces are just waiting to be rediscovered. Other outbuildings include two barns, stone sheds, a small milking parlour (probably for goats) and finally the huge equestrian complex. This includes nine loose boxes set around a typical horse yard and a steel roofed barn divided into open stabling that allows access to the fields and a schooling arena.
With the potential to keep so many horses the farm thankfully comes with plenty of land for grazing and hay. All the land is attached to the property and much of it is already stock proof and has electric fences as well. The farmhouse has its own water source with a pump that never runs dry, I am told. The surrounding rolling countryside is horse heaven for hacking along the many green lanes you have easy public access to. The previous owner also kept sheep and there is the possibility with this amount of land to revert the property back to a working farm.
The property is 10 minutes from Champagne Mouton which has a supermarket and small selection of shops and schools. For more choice, Ruffec is 20minutes drive away. The best international travel links are from Limoges, Angouleme or Poitiers airport at an hour’s drive from the farm.
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