This house is in a rural idyll near Harrogate

The Inside story on ...Stonesfield House, PannalPrice: £2.75mContact: www.beadnallcopley.co.ukAs locations go, Stonesfield House ticks all the boxes for those who want the perfect combination of town and country life.It sits in 6.5 acres of grounds in the sought-after village of Pannal, which is close to Harrogate while having a train station with links to Leeds.When Caroline and Tony Dunk bought it 20 years ago, they knew it could offer them and their two children a great lifestyle and so it has proved.“It’s been a wonderful place to live. It is in a completely private countryside setting with incredible views of the Crimple Valley and Almscliffe Crag yet it is incredibly accessible.

“You are close to Pannal and can walk into the village if you like. Harrogate is a 10 minute drive away and there is easy access to Leeds and to Leeds Bradford airport,” says Caroline, who adds that one of the greatest pleasures of living there has been watching her children enjoy the run of the grounds.

“They were able to play out safely and have built dens, had go-karts and played tennis but when they got older and wanted to meet friends in town, getting to Harrogate was easy.”During their time there, the Dunks have improved and extended the house, which comes with a one-bedroom cottage.They are now selling to downsize now that their children have flown the nest.

“Our children have left home and we are moving somewhere smaller. This is a family house and it needs children. It’s perfectly suited to family life,” says Caroline.The stone-built detached house has almost 6,000 sq ft of space, along with the detached cottage, a gardener’s store and a triple extending to 1,400 sq ft.Inside, there is a reception hall with a sweeping staircase, a drawing room, which is 23’9” long with double aspect windows, a 27’2” family room, 32’1” formal dining room and a breakfast kitchen with integrated appliances including a Wolf range cooker. The ground floor also includes a conservatory with access to the rear terrace, a utility room and a home office with fittings by Clarity Arts.On the first floor, there is a master suite with dressing area and en-suite bathroom. There are four further double bedrooms, including one with a sitting room, two with en-suite bathrooms plus a house bathroom designed by Clarity Arts.