Peaceful rural haven in East Yorkshire offers a quiet life

The acre of garden at his previous home gave Phil de Cobain plenty of space yet he rarely used it.

The garden at Papermill House is far more alluring thanks to its leafy setting by a babbling brook

“We have a swing seat that overlooks the water and I can spend hours on there. It’s idyllic and it’s peaceful. There’s no traffic noise just the sound of the water and the birds,” says Phil.

He and his wife, Ann, bought the grade II listed property three years ago after downsizing from a much larger house nearby.

The converted mill dates back to 1809 and was three cottages before being converted into one five bedroom home.

“Our original plan was to build our own house but we were struggling to find the right plot. Then this place came onto the market. It’s such a pretty property and we had always admired the location so we put an offer in,” says Phil.

Since buying the mill, they have updated the interior. New bathroom suites have been installed, along with a wood-burning stoves, and the kitchen has been revamped to cater for Phil’s love of cooking. The garden has also had a makeover.

“It needed quite a bit of work so we brought in a landscape gardener to help us,” says Phil.

The property now has an entrance hall, boot room, utility room, cloakroom and a kitchen with hand-built cabinets and a raised dining/living space. On the first floor, there is a living room with views over the garden and the beck, a master bedroom with French doors and balcony and an en-suite bathroom. There are three more bedrooms and a bathroom on this level. The second floor is home to a large fifth bedroom with exposed trusses and a vaulted ceiling. The property also has an integral garage with a large storage area. Outside, there is rear garden with two bridges over the mill race, lawns and patio areas plus an oak-framed barbecue area. There is also a one acre paddock.
Richard Welpton, of Quick and Clarke, says: “Papermill House is a fantastic hidden gem. It is very peaceful and beautifully situated in a picture postcard setting, which offers unrivalled views over Cave Beck out to the woodland beyond.”

Phil and Ann de Cobain are leaving to pursue their ambition of having a bespoke, newly-built home and have found one on a small development being constructed by a local builder.

For details of Papermill House, contact Quick and Clarke, tel: 01482 763968, www.quickclarke.co.uk

*The property is in Nordham, the historic northern part of the village of North Cave. North Cave is 15 miles to the west of Hull city centre. It is 1.8 miles from the M62 and is also close to the mainline railway station at Brough.