DECEPTIVELY SPACIOUS. It’s a cliché, but certainly a phrase that could be used to describe Fielding House.

New to the market, it’s the family home of David and Vicky Cracknell, who have been living in the property at Wansford — just six miles from Stamford on border of Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire — since 1999. The property in its current form was constructed in the early Georgian era and was extended in 1860. This affords the Cracknells an exceptional compromise between style and space.

“Both Vicky and I have lived in the village all of our lives.” says company directory David. “We’ve always admired the house, so when it came onto the market in 1999 we jumped at the opportunity to have a look. We couldn’t believe how much space there was!”

The Georgian front disguises a deceptively large property with four reception rooms, seven bedrooms and four bathrooms. It provides the family with plenty of room day to day, but with son Daniel having just moved into a flat in Stamford, and daughter Tiffany off to university, David and Vicky have decided it’s time to downsize.

The couple has put Fielding House onto the market. Keen to downsize, we spoke to David who reflects on how the house has provided a vibrant place for family life over the years.

“The previous owner is now one of our neighbours.” says David. “We brought the house in 1990, when Daniel was 10 and Tiffany was six.”

“It was in really good order, but we decorated, installed a new kitchen and new bathrooms, then installed the swimming pool. Since then it was always full of kids.”

“We’d long coveted it, but it wasn’t until we looked around the property that we realised just how large it is.”

The property’s gardens are simply beautiful. An established plot with lots of cover, in grounds of around a third of an acre, the raised decking area provides an elevated but secluded place to enjoy the modern Dough Boy heated pool, imported especially from America.

The Victorian addition to the property, meanwhile, has also created a breakfast terrace with herbaceous borders and pond with rill water feature. With lush planting, seclusion thanks to substantial yew hedging and arched leaded Victorian windows, it’s the perfect place to enjoy a glass of wine in the evening, or breakfast on a Sunday morning.

The whole of the property is constructed of Barnack stone, with Collyweston slate roof. The Victorian wing was created in identical materials, and blends seamlessly with the older part of the property.

One thoroughly modern addition, though, is a bespoke fitted kitchen installed by Intone of Bourne.

“There was a large Victorian pantry which was practical, but cut down the size of the kitchen considerably, so we removed it when we remodelled the kitchen.” says David.

The couple installed a bespoke kitchen with cream hand-made cabinetry, granite topper and splashbacks, and a large island with beech island topper.

The large but ugly US-style fridge freezer is hidden away behind cabinetry, as is a microwave, and dishwasher. Remaining on show, however, is a four oven Aga in British Racing Green, with an electric module, and a wine chiller, as well as reclaimed beams added during the renovation.

There’s also a large, practical utility room and family dining area. Dotted around the property are numerous star-finds from Swinderby and Newark antique fairs; Vicky’s father is an antiques collector, and the house is homage to this, particularly the former study, now used as a formal dining room with original beams.

The formal drawing room is spacious and boasts French doors leading to the terrace, and like the family room, boasts log burning fireplaces.

On the first floor, meanwhile, there is a large principal bedroom with en-suite and second bedroom with dressing room and Jack & Jill en-suite, as well as two further bathrooms. The top floor features two additional bedrooms and a further bathroom, all of which were replaced or renovated when the family moved in.

It’s easy to observe that the house has been sympathetically extended and cared for by the family, and that it’s been a treasured family home for over 12 years, and David says the family is reluctant to leave, but remains keen to stay in the village.

“It’s a wonderful place to live, and with Oakham, Oundle, and Stamford schools nearby, it’s perfect for families.”

“There’s also two wonderful pubs — the Papermills and the Haycock, which is slightly more formal. It’s a superb village, we’ve lived here all our lives and love the place. The house is great too, but we were only ever custodians for the next generation of owners, and we’re pretty sure they’ll be as happy here as we have been!”

Fielding House at Wansford is currently on the market with King West for £935,000. Call 01780 484520 or see www.kingwest.co.uk

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