A lot of my posts are about outside edges. Properties that are located just outside villages, on hills and in wilder lands, on Britain's raggedy edges of coastline. I think it comes from having Hull as my hometown - my dad always said you only go through Hull to reach the rest of the world.
Which started me thinking about why I rarely feature properties in the middle of the UK. To be fair, I did live in the Midlands for about ten years, in Staffordshire. I felt land-locked.
I started by consulting Wikipedia (obvs...) on what is the centre of the UK and, it's complicated.
Sort of depends on what you define as Britain's edges - our farthest islands or only the mainlands? And whether you use a flattened-out map or measure distances between borders (land or sea?).
Anyway, Wikipedia lists nine possibles, depending on the calculations used, and none of them are the ones (Haltwhistle, Meridian or Morton) that have been claiming centre point status for decades.
My favourite in the Wikipedia list is the wonderfully imprecise "field south of Calderstone Partnership NHS Trust, near Whalley, Lancashire" as the centre of Great Britain's mainland. So I'm going to start there.
Couldn't find anything Wreck-worthy in Whalley itself, but the town is in the Ribble Valley and within a couple of miles you're in Pendle's hills. A glorious area and a bit of a footballer magnet.
The two properties I've chosen to show you have much in common - detached, five bedrooms, promising outbuildings, some land. Both on the market at offers over £450k (this bit of Lancashire isn't cheap), but in very different but equally attractive locations - a town house and a country house.
Town house first.
North Bank House is in the Pleckgate area of Blackburn. Pleckgate, according to the agent's blurb is popular and prestigious - not sure what that means, but it does have a good school.
Downstairs are two good-size reception rooms and hall, plus two narrow rooms (one the kitchen) and a shower room. Upstairs are five bedrooms and a bathroom. It could all do with a bit of jiggle around rooms-wise, but lots of possibilities.
Added to those possibilities are the two storey, three-roomed outbuilding and that half-acre of garden.
Do we think this was the old-chap-gone's model railway/bus station hobby room, btw?
On the market through Stones Young at £450k. Details, more pictures and video tour on the agent's site here and on Rightmove here.
My country house pick is the unfortunately-named Higher Buttock Farm in the hills above the village of Barley, in Pendle.
Gorgeous views, large garden to front (albeit with a public footpath through) and large, stepped garden to rear.
Again, a little bit of a jaggle of rooms across it's wide length, but lots of options.
Downstairs are two reception rooms, a good-size kitchen, family bathroom and the "library" which would be a great contender for a grander new entrance hall. While the attached stone garage could be an annex or an extension.
If North Bank House carries the echoes of its gentleman owner's retirement, Higher Buttock Farm showcases its lady owner's life and hobbies - crafting, cooking, reading, gardening.
Matching mobility scooters too; this pair would not go gently into their good nights.
On the market through Fine and Country at offers over £450k. Details, more pictures and video on the agent's site here and on Rightmove here.
