Welcome to East Catholes, Millthrop, Sedbergh, LA10 5SS

Seeking a quintessential traditional Dales farmhouse with land? If so, then East Catholes could well have your name written on it. Enjoying picturesque views, this delightful period home nestles within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Instantly inviting, there is extensive accommodation with period features throughout such as stone flagged floors, exposed wooden floors, beamed ceilings, wooden lintels over windows, window seats, working fireplaces, exposed stone walls, nooks and crannies. 

Basking in a sunny aspect, East Catholes faces almost due south and has great unspoiled countryside views. There’s good parking, a substantial paved seating area to the rear with views across the fields to the hill of Winder which lies directly to the north. The southerly views are over the front garden (a modest lawned area) and River Dee which lies below, down steep banking to the bracken covered field opposite and the fells behind. For those looking to really embrace country living there are adjacent fields totaling just over 14 acres making it ideal if you have horses or ponies, or are keen to keep a few rare breeds, a flock of chickens or a gaggle of geese. For the golfer Sedbergh Golf Club is your discreet neighbour. For the avid fisher, the sale also includes a stretch of the River Dee with fishing rights, itself of approximately ¾ mile – your very own slice of the Good Life in the National Park.

Unusual for a house of this age is the large beamed and flagged reception room, a super room for families and entertaining with space for seating and dining. There’s a lovely cosy snug and a well appointed country styled breakfast kitchen, backed up with a practical utility/boot room and downstairs cloakroom. To the first floor is a principal bedroom with a dramatic high ceiling and ensuite shower room. There is a second ensuite double bedroom, two further double bedrooms and a large family bathroom. A staircase leads to an open plan loft room offering space for an office, hobbies, a den for children or simply accessible storage. 

East Catholes is a classic rural hideaway in which to fully embrace a rural lifestyle or alternatively, one in which to retreat, recharge and refresh as a second home and an antidote to a busy life elsewhere.

Location

Just over six miles from the motorway and you’re in a different world. Approaching from the M6, round the bend and the valley stretches out in front of you, a view to lift the spirits as the glorious Howgill Fells rise up to greet you. The view is breathtaking. Just over six miles from the motorway and you’re in a different world. Approaching from the M6, round the bend and the valley stretches out in front of you, a view to lift the spirits as the glorious Howgill Fells rise up to greet you. The view is breathtaking.

Famous for their breathtaking scenery, the Dales and nearby Lake District make the perfect location for those wanting to embrace the physical adventures of the great outdoors or simply enjoy the peace of the tranquil scenery, the fresh air, velvety green hills, bracken covered fells, rivers and lakes. East Catholes offers you the opportunity to experience both.

There’s barely a gap between the two National Parks, East Catholes nestles in the Yorkshire Dales but a drive of 14.5 miles takes you into the Lake District, indeed, within 22 miles and you could be standing on the shores of Lake Windermere gazing across the water to the fells opposite.

The Dales offer beautiful undulating valleys to explore (such as Dentdale, Lune, Rawthey and Nidderdale) each proud of its uniqueness, splendid waterfalls (such as Cautley Spout and Hardraw Force) and a multitude of quaint and characterful towns, villages and hamlets to wander around. Whether you’re a relaxed rambler or avid hiker, a runner or cyclist, a fisherman, horse rider, adrenalin junkie, or are simply on a quest for dark starry skies, the perfect cup of tea, a delicious pub lunch or a tempting craft shop, the Dales can feel like home.

For day-to-day requirements, ensconced by the fells, Sedbergh has a comprehensive range of local amenities centered on an attractive Main Street which is home to an array of independent retailers, including a traditional grocer and butcher, ironmonger, florist, sweet shop and a Spar supermarket. As an official book town, there is also a selection of book shops to browse and a town library. Healthcare wise there is a medical centre, a dentist and a vet. Sedbergh has a weekly Wednesday market held in the car park on Joss Lane and monthly during the summer months, Main Street is the setting for an artisan market.

The renowned and independent Sedbergh School has extensive facilities which are available for town inhabitants to use and enjoy, including a swimming pool, various sports facilities and concerts in the state-of-the-art music hall. This is an amazing and highly prized facility for local residents in such a rural community.

If you weren’t a golfer before, a move to East Catholes would give you the perfect opportunity to take up the sport as the club is just a minute’s walk away. The 18 hole layout was professionally designed and constructed, making the most of the naturally undulating parkland and the amazing views. There are tree-lined holes and fairways crossing the River Dee, others running alongside the River Rawthey and plenty of water features ensuring that the course is an enjoyable test for golfers of all abilities. It’s hard not to enthuse about the lifestyle on offer here.

Step inside

Whilst location is key, the individual setting of a property is also paramount. Here the main living rooms and all the bedrooms face south and offer views that instantly draw one towards the characterful windows the moment you walk into the room. To the front, the outlook is over the front garden to the bracken covered hill with higher hills rising beyond, below the River Dee flows by. To the north the aspect from the seating terrace and the breakfast kitchen (and a treat for those tasked with washing up) is over pastureland to the mighty Winder, a small hill by some standards (at 473 metres high it is still a thigh busting climb!), but its position directly behind Sedbergh is a dramatic sculpted backdrop with an amazingly strong presence.

Capturing the echoes of a bygone era, East Catholes is Grade II Listed. It is scheduled on Historic England’s website as Catholes Farmhouse which describes it as “A very interesting building, eloquent of several early phases of building”. Providing further architectural detail, it states it to be 17th Century which was enlarged and heightened at an early date and then subsequently remodelled in the late 19th or early 20th Century with an addition to rear. Stone walls with quoin stones are built on a plinth of large boulders under a slated roof. Internally there are ceiling beams aplenty, the large reception room, snug, breakfast kitchen and utility/boot room all have flagged floors (the flags have been lifted, under floor heating has been installed and the stones were re-laid). There are period fireplaces at either end of the main reception room, the first has an oak surround with inset hammered copper in the Arts and Crafts Movement style with an inset wood burning stove, the second is no longer in working order but has a formal black and tan marble surround. The snug also boasts a smart inlaid marble fireplace with a second wood burning stove; both marble fireplaces are thought to be locally quarried Dent marble. There are lots of other features to look out for along the way, a sweet oak fronted understairs cupboard door in the snug, wall lights reminiscent of oil lamps in the main reception room, alongside the staircase a wall of exposed stone, a charming Victorian coloured glass window in one of the shower rooms, window seats in a few rooms, a feature black cast iron fireplace and exposed trusses with a high ceiling rising dramatically to the roof’s apex in the principal bedroom, exposed lintels above many windows and stained floor boards in several rooms.

The generously proportioned accommodation is laid out over three floors, the front entrance is via a porch which leads into the homely snug, this leads through to the extensive reception room, such a fabulous space for everyday family life that would also be perfect for a wider social gathering and must look absolutely magical at Christmas time. To the rear is the breakfast kitchen, which is inviting as well as practical with fitted units and a matching dresser, a Belling range will appeal to the keen cook, there’s a Belfast style pot sink, free standing appliances here and in the utility room comprise an under counter Blomberg fridge, a Lamona dishwasher, a Bosch washing machine, a White Knight tumble drier and a Zanussi fridge freezer. The utility/boot room has plenty of room for the storage of boots and wet weather gear, prams and even bikes. There’s a handy cloakroom here too.

Rising to the first floor, some of the floors have a slight slope on them, typical for a property of this vintage. The principal bedroom has a real wow factor, the ceiling rising high into the roof’s apex. It has an ensuite shower room which has a heritage style feel. A second double bedroom also has an ensuite shower room, this time the suite is contemporary. Double bedroom three and four share the spacious and traditionally fitted house bathroom with a double ended spa bath set into a built-up surround, perfect for a glass of wine after you’ve returned home after conquering a local fell or two.

A staircase rises off the landing to a loft space, fully finished, carpeted and with radiators it’s a bonus area –a quiet corner in which to read or work, room for hobbies or a place for younger family members to watch their own programs or play computer games. Failing all that, it’s excellent and accessible storage space.

All in all, this is a super country property in a cracking setting offering a welcoming and comfortable standard of living.

Step outside

A track leads up to the house, a bridlepath runs past the front door and off between the fields. Beyond the drive a low wall with looped cast iron railings and a matching gate leads into the front garden. A steep banking drops down to the River Dee far below. A lovely area to set out your garden furniture and enjoy the view with a soundtrack of the passing river - a guaranteed feel good factor! At the side of the house is a flagged area for parking, there’s additional space at the far end of the house too, you’re certainly not short of space. At the back of the house looking out to Winder a large, flagged seating terrace has been carved out of the banking with a retaining wall (into which are set small recesses for
pots and outdoor lanterns) above which is a raised lawn. With a stable door into the boot room, it’s ideal for outside dining as it’s near the kitchen and the area will happily accommodate your furniture, BBQ and firepit making it the ideal place to eat outside. 

The land offers just over 14 acres. It’s let on an informal basis to a local farmer who maintains the boundary walls and hedges in lieu of rent. The land will be sold with vacant possession or you may prefer to continue with the present arrangement.

Included within the sale are fishing rights on the River Dee. The owners have previously caught trout here, although of a small size.

Services

Mains electricity and water, private drainage to a septic tank for the sole use of East Catholes[BW1] , located within the boundaries, LPG central heating from a Worcester boiler in the utility/boot room.

Broadband

Superfast speed available from BT Openreach of 21 Mbps download and for uploading 1 Mbps. 

Mobile

Indoor: EE, O2 and Vodaphone for both Voice and Data

Outdoor: EE, Three, O2 and Vodaphone for Voice, Data and Enhanced Data

Broadband and mobile information provided by Ofcom.

Local Authority charges 

As a holiday rental, business rates are payable to Westmorland and Furness Council. The Rateable Value is £3350, with effect from 01.04.23. Purchasers are advised to make their own enquiries as to the amount payable. 

Tenure

Freehold. 

Included in the sale 

Carpets, curtains, curtain poles, blinds, light fittings and kitchen appliances as listed are included. Additionally, if you were thinking of continuing the holiday rental business, then for a seamless transition most of the contents are available by way of further negotiation. Please ask about any items that interest you. 

Please note

A bridleway passes in front of the cottage, along the drive. 

The drive is owned and will be sold subject to a right of way for the adjacent barn with maintenance costs for this section shared[BW2] .  

Directions 

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Please do not rely on SatNav to take you to East Catholes. Please use what3words or follow our directions below:

Exit the M6 at J37 and take the A684, following signs for Sedbergh. Head into Sedbergh and bear round to the right rather than going down Main Street. You’re now on Finkle Street (still the A684), cross over the mini roundabout and onto Loftus Hill signposted Dent and Dentdale. Drive out of town and cross the narrow bridge over the River Rawthey. After a sharp left hand bend, Sedbergh Golf Club is on your right (there is a green sign on the right of the entrance), turn here. Proceed down the single track lane, after around 400 yards you’ll reach the club house. In front of the club take the drive off to the left. East Catholes is about 50 yards up here on the left. 

Our recommendation for your first viewing is to park in the golf club car park (use what3words haggis.evenly.expecting) and walk to the house.