Ixworth, Suffolk£1,550,000 Freehold

The Watermill

Within the enchanting grounds is a whimsical, lilypad-covered pond where swans can be spotted gliding across the water

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Set in the delightfully leafy Suffolk countryside, this five-bedroom 17th-century mill house stands next to its elegant, unconverted watermill. Finished in crisp, white-washed timber, the mill sits in beautiful contrast to the lime stucco and brick façade of the house. An exacting eye for detail was employed during the house’s renovation, resulting in a comfortable home of over 3,400 sq ft that is wonderfully sympathetic to its context. The house has an outbuilding with workshop, home office and garden store overlooking the walled garden. Approximately three acres of sweeping grounds encompass a mill pond covered in lilypads and an island.

Setting the Scene

Ixworth was the site of an important Roman settlement and military fortifications in the 1st century AD with a possible association with the rebellion led by Boudica of the Iceni. Mentioned in the Doomsday Book as Icsewrda, it was not of an insubstantial size for its time with 51 households noted. The original mill was also recorded at this time.

This medieval mill was extensively rebuilt in the 17th century, circa 1800. Though the mill, now Grade II*-listed, has not been operational since the 1940s, its charm remains intact; particularly notable is the carving of ‘I Lowe 1800’, the mark of the miller John Lowe. Planning and listed building consent allows for further conversion of the detached outbuilding into a studio/office or overflow accommodation. For more information, please see the History section below.

The Grand Tour

An inviting colour wash to the main house’s elevations makes for a romantic, tree-encircled profile. Double front doors open to a capacious entrance hall, where a large inglenook hearth houses a woodburning stove. Large flagstones underfoot and exposed beams above establish the material palette used throughout the home.

The ground floor has four characterful reception rooms, each slotted within the house’s impressive timber frame, with casement windows along one side that look to the pond and verdant grounds. The original kitchen has been given over to a dining room, where a deep blue Aga sits within an alcove fireplace that provides a focal point for the room. There is plenty of space for a long farmhouse table beneath pendant lighting. A glazed door opens to the south-facing patio that runs alongside the mill pond, ideal for migrating from terrace to dining table as the sun goes down.

The kitchen houses shaker-style cabinetry in a smart Paint and Paper Library, Stable Green, positioned around a convivial island counter. Plenty of preparation space is provided by an extensive quartz countertop. An extension has created a wonderfully useful boot room and cloak room adjoining the kitchen with a Belfast sink and additional counter space. A cloak stand and multiple shelving units and cabinets make this ideal for storing coats and shoes for all kinds of English weather.

With two staircases to the first floor, the house provides a private primary suite which includes a dressing room with built in wardrobes and an en suite bathroom with a bathtub.

There are three further double bedrooms on the first floor, accessed via the other staircase. High ceilings and original fireplaces lend a historic elegance with peaceful views of the leafy surroundings. A second family bathroom with a clawfoot bath is well-positioned to serve these rooms. Two interconnecting bedrooms and a cloakroom are found on the second floor.

The outbuilding is positioned overlooking the parterre garden and sash windows on to the walled garden. It is a versatile space that incorporates a workshop, home office and garden store. the outbuilding benefits with planning permission to be converted to ancillary accommodation.

The Great Outdoors

A sweeping gated driveway leads past the mill and over the mill race. There is space for open-air vehicular storage at the front of the house. The house sits within three acres of extensive and well-maintained grounds.

A bridge crosses the mill race from the terrace to a lawn dotted with specimen trees, with Persian ironwood, ginkgo biloba and a mulberry of particular note. The outbuilding looks out onto the parterre garden surrounded by a high brick wall. Beyond the parterre is a quintessentially English walled flower garden.

Out and About

Ixworth is a wonderful village between Bury St Edmunds and Diss. The Pykkerell is an excellent local pub with a restaurant and a tea room.

Around a 5-minute drive out of the village, the Wyken Vineyard is a 1,200-acre farm with a flock of Shetland sheep, a small herd of cattle and a seven-acre vineyard producing award-winning sparkling wines. A weekly farmer’s market is run alongside the formal gardens.

The bustling and historic market town of Bury St Edmunds is only seven miles away. With streets of ancient pretty cottages and a renowned abbey, the town provides for all day-to-day needs and is chock full of independent shops, such as Woosters for award-winning sourdough loaves, Javelin for boutique clothing and Parsley Pot for unique gifts. It is also home to two supremely comfortable independent cinemas, Abbeygate and The Everyman. A range of fine restaurants is scattered throughout the town, including the acclaimed Pea Porridge and 1921 Angel Hill. There is also an abundance of relaxed eateries such as The One Bull and Mowgli Street Food and Britain’s smallest pub, The Nutshell.

There are several excellent schools in the area. Wortham CofE Primary School, Elveden CofE Primary School, Hartismere Secondary School, Abbeygate Sixth Form College and Culford School are all well rated by Ofsted.

The nearest mainline rail services run from Stowmarket and Diss. London Liverpool Street can be reached from Stowmarket in 80 minutes.

Council Tax Band: G

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.

History

The initial significant settlement in the area can be traced back to the Romans, who, in the 1st Century AD, established a military fort, likely as part of their efforts to subdue the local Iceni tribe and their renowned Queen Boudicca. This fort eventually evolved into a prosperous market town, possibly named Sitomagus, encompassing approximately seven acres, now situated on both sides of the Ixworth by-pass, descending the hill from the windmill. Extensive excavations conducted in 1985, prior to the construction of the long-anticipated Ixworth by-pass, revealed numerous fascinating artefacts, including personal adornments, coins, and remnants of buildings. The town was notably well-connected by several Roman roads.

On the Romans’ departure to their homeland, the Angles and Saxons arrived, establishing dispersed hamlets near the former Roman settlement. By the reign of Edward the Confessor, the village contained two principal manors. Even by 1086, as recorded in the Domesday Book, the population remained modest, numbering slightly over 50 individuals with the mill at Ixworth first recorded then. The arrival of the Normans brought considerable change, with Baron Robert Le Blund taking control of both manors. His son Gilbert founded the Ixworth Augustinian Priory around 1100, which endured until its dissolution in 1537. During this period, Ixworth experienced significant development, and many of the fine timber-framed buildings still visible today were constructed.

The first comprehensive map of Ixworth was created in 1625, providing a unique insight into the community at that time with the tenant of the mill at Ixworth recorded as one William Candler. The 1881 census recorded the owner as 35 year old “farmer miller” William Bantock who lived in the mill house with his wife Laura, 43 and their four young children; Gertrude, Oscar, Edwin and Nicklite. William employed 14 men and two boys to work at the mill and imported Jane a 14 year old Essex girl as a live in domestic servant. Copious centuries-old carved graffiti can be found within the upper storeys of the mill and is likely the handiwork of these men and boys employed at the mill in its heyday.