Stradbroke, Suffolk£950,000 Freehold

High House

Tree stumps carved into playful garden seats have been placed under the branches of a eucalyptus, red maple and pink blossoming cherry trees

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This Grade II-listed, four-bedroom house on the outskirts of Stradbroke, Suffolk, is set in over two acres of established gardens studded with silver birches, oak trees and blossoming cherries. Since the house’s original construction in the late 16th century, considered interventions and additions have rendered it a palimpsest of architectural style; an oak frame weaves within an envelope of white-washed brick punctuated by original timber mullioned openings, expansive modern picture windows and Crittall-style glazing.

A barn thought to date to the 17th century faces the house from across a central lawn strewn with robinia Frisia and dwarf weeping willow trees. Transformed to a pottery by Robin Welch in the late 1960s, the barn now houses a collection of galleries, studios, workshops and kiln rooms.

We’ve written about High House and its pottery past in greater depth in our Almanac.

Setting the Scene

The Domesday Book of 1086 lists the village of Stradbroke as part of the ‘Bishop’s Hundred’, which was later renamed the ‘Hoxne Hundred’. The architecture of the village is typical of the local vernacular: buildings are predominantly timber-framed structures with render or brick frontages, and clay or black glazed pantile roofs. High House, like many of the buildings in Stradbroke, is thought at one point to have been thatched with Norfolk reed from the nearby river Waveney.

Following a series of thoughtful modern alterations, High House was listed in 1987. Most notable is the addition of double-glazed Scandinavian-style windows that offer stretching views across the open meadows and wild hedgerows of the Suffolk countryside.

The Grand Tour

A long gravel drive flanked by rows of silver birch trees leads to the central lawn; on one side of the lawn is the house, and on the opposite side is the pottery. The house has a striking brick façade, and its half-glazed front door is set with pointed-arch glazing bars and crowned with a hoodmould. A fig tree is planted next to the door, draping the gabled porch that was added in the early 19th century.

Entry is to a central hallway, with a large living/dining room on the right. Here and throughout the house, the walls are finished in a soft shade of white that complements the rich tones of the exposed oak frame, timber floorboards and brick infill. There are windows along two sides of the room that frame views of the garden’s beech and robinia trees. Underneath a carved timber lintel is a log burner atop a stone hearth, while built-in cupboards and a row of cabinets provide useful storage for books, games or tableware. There is plenty of space for a comfy seating area and a long dining table.

Beyond the living room is the kitchen. Terracotta tiles run underfoot, and hand-built cabinetry wraps around the space with wonderfully patinated mahogany drawers set between white-painted cupboards. There is a larder for storing ingredients, and the kitchen is fitted with a three-door Aga and a double sink. From a Crittall-style window over the sink, views extend across the neighbouring pastures. In the middle of the room, a built-in breakfast table is perfect for casual dining; it also doubles as additional work surface, when required. Adjacent to the kitchen is a WC and a door to the garden.

On the other side of the hallway is a sitting room with modern picture windows on two sides. Painted brick echoes the house’s façade, and a fireplace had been turned into a nook which has been useful for displaying sculptures and ceramics.

From the hallway, a staircase twists to the first-floor landing, around which four double bedrooms and a family bathroom are arranged. The rooms on this floor showcase the house’s vernacular construction, with exposed close studwork, chamfered beams and original timber mullions elegantly revealed. The family bathroom has a warm atmosphere with cork flooring running underfoot and a timber-sided bathtub with matching fitted wardrobes and linen cupboard.

Across the lawn, the façade of the pottery has a linear character: a base of darkly stained weatherboard and white-washed render is topped with a low-pitched pantile roof. Inside, the fabric of the barn has been treated with a light touch; weathered beams and rough, poured concrete floors have provided an understated backdrop for years of creative use. A collection of studios, galleries, workshops and kiln rooms spread across the ground floor, and on the first floor there are a further four large studios/storage rooms.

The Great Outdoors

The buildings are surrounded by approximately 2.2 acres of verdant gardens, with great attention paid to the planting of trees and shrubs to ensure a green outlook in every direction.

Tall silver birch, copper beech and ash trees surround the house, and beds lush with shrubs and and flowers are planted around a small pond and a patio, making it a lovely spot for outdoor dining. Between the buildings, old tree stumps have been carved into playful garden seats under the branches of established eucalyptus and maple trees and a cherry tree that blooms in a show of pink each year.

A vegetable garden defined by sculpturally trimmed hedges is at one corner of the site. Rows of trained apple and pear trees run down its centre, and fertile beds have been brimming with nasturtiums, brassicas, courgettes and pumpkins. Beyond the vegetable garden a large pond surrounded by sallow and willow trees can be enjoyed from its timber jetty.

Behind the pottery, there is a polytunnel for cultivating fruits and vegetables as well as a useful wood store.

Out and About

As one of the largest villages in the area, Stradbroke is well equipped with wealth of amenities including a post office, medical center, library, swimming pool and local cinema. The village has excellent provisions for produce; There is a grocery shop, and Rolfe butchers stocks an array of meat and poultry. The family-run Stradbroke Bakery has been part of the village since 1812 and continues to serve loafs and pastries to the community and across Norwich and Suffolk.

Eye is a 13-minute drive away. A bustling market town, it has a regular Friday market as well as an excellent array of shops including two butchers, a bakery and two fantastic antique stores. The Handyman is a well-loved local purveyor of almost all conceivable practical item, while Cocoa Mama is a local chocolatier. Eye also has a local florist, Fleur Artisan, two cafes and a first-class deli in Beards.

The Queen’s Head and The Oaksmere in Eye are cosy local eateries that offer traditional fare, while The Swan at Hoxne has a wonderful pub garden.

The arts are similarly well-served in the area. Snape Maltings, the home of the internationally renowned Aldeburgh Festival, and Leiston Abbey, host celebrated musical concerts that draw many international musicians. There are also areas of outstanding natural beauty nearby, with nature reserves at Minsmere, Redgrave and Lopham Fens and Castle Marshes. The stunning Suffolk coastline with vast tracts of reedbeds, heath and beach are around half an hour by car. Likewise, Sutton Hoo, one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century, is nearby.

Norwich is around an hour’s drive away, with its diverse range of cultural, sports, dining and shopping opportunities. The Sainsbury Centre is home to a world-class art museum set within the University of East Anglia, itself a striking brutalist playground designed by Denys Lasdun, and home to the groundbreaking ziggurat accommodation blocks.

Schools in the area are aplenty. Stradbroke CofE Primary School and Stradbroke High School in the village are both well regarded. Framlingham College, Woodbridge School and Ipswich School offer co-ed independent education for children aged three to 18 and are easily reached by car.

The nearest train station is Diss, just under 10 miles away on the main line from Norwich to London Liverpool Street, a service that takes approximately 90 minutes. The line passes through Stratford, bringing Heathrow within three hours via the Elizabeth line.

Council Tax Band House: F

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. Inigo has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.