Downlands Cottage is a quaint thatched cottage nestled in a medieval 13th Century hamlet in the New Forest. Images of an Idyllic setting, whitewashed cob walls, thatched roof, rose gardens, and picket fences all spring to mind.

However, the reality is somewhat different. This once beautiful 17th Century cottage now sits sadly derelict surrounded by a forest of overgrown shrubs and trees.

To arrive at the front door which sits in a pretty little thatched porch, you must contend with the overgrown garden, once a beautiful well-kept garden, now sadly with years of neglect no longer the case. Inside the cottage you are greeted with a sad, dark and derelict house, crying out for some love and attention.

Years of decay has caused this beautiful cottage to fall in on itself, with speckles of daylight visible thorough the holes in the ceiling, walls crumbling under the damp from exposure to the elements and the thatched roof, which once sat proudly protecting the cottage, now home to birds and critters.

Now under new ownership, the cottage is to be restored and will once again stand proud in the hamlet. With a new thatch roof which will protect the house for years to come, the windows and original features will be restored, the walls will be repaired and the ceilings replaced.

But the house won’t stand still. The 17th century will meet the 21st century with a new extension that will blend effortlessly into the background to incorporate a garden room / granny annex.

The gardens will be returned to their former glory with beautiful rose bushes full of colour, shrubs and trees scattered around the perfectly manicured lawns. Once again, the cottage and the gardens will be filled with love, light and laughter.

A place you are proud to call home.