So, how this post came about is that one of my lovely readers sent me a link to a property they'd found, with the comment: "Yes! There really is a wreck left in... Oxfordshire!"
And the wreck Michca sent me was utterly splendid and, as she wrote: "It has loads of potential. I really hope that someone falls in love with it & does it up sympathetically." Amen to that.
But obviously I also saw this as a bit of challenge because surely, surely, there are more wrecks to found in Oxfordshire? Plus, it was time I looked South again.
Anyway, I did find a couple of interesting ones to add into the mix but Michca's find is the star of this post. A six-bedroom detached house in the largish South Oxfordshire village of Benson, on the banks of the Thames.
Two reception rooms, a large kitchen plus a second kitchen/scullery downstairs, Four bedrooms plus a bathroom on the first floor, two further bedrooms in the loft. All good size rooms and plenty of space to add extra bathrooms or blend rooms.
Outside is a garden, gated drive, garage, and a brick workshop and store. Lots of space for all those tools and bags of plaster you're going to need.
There are mains services but the only potential heating comes from the Rayburn and the log burner you can see in the pictures.
It's clearly been empty a while (at least, I really hope it's been empty?) and is showing signs of roof/water damage. It is however surrounded by renovated and gussied-up neighbours and has the potential to be the grandest house on the street.
The Chestnuts is unlisted, which is a plus but not a reason to knock it down and replace it with one of those Grand Designs blackened-wood boxes.
On the market through Griffith & Partners with a guide price of £450k. Details and more pictures on the agent's site here and on Rightmove here.
My next pick is definitely not at the grandest house in the street end of the scale, it is however less than half the price of The Chestnuts.
A two-bedroom mid-terrace with a large garden in the pretty market town of Faringdon, around 17 miles from Oxford.
Downstairs is one open(-ish) living/dining/kitchen space, the main bedroom and bathroom on the first floor and another good size bedroom in the loft.
It's in a small row of similar houses, tucked away off the main street (and parking area) down a gated private path. The long garden is at the front and includes a greenhouse and garden buildings.
Lots of scope to create a very pretty cottage in a quiet area, but parking and access for trades and deliveries may be a bit of pain.
On the market at offers over £180k via Waymark Property. More on the agent's website here and on Rightmove here.
My final property to show you is a bit of a curve ball. Less "wreck", more puzzle.
A former telephone exchange in the large village of Chinnor, close to the Chilterns. The property is one long, connected group of buildings, separated into rooms, with lovely open views.
It's clearly been lived in (and drunk in) but doesn't have planning permission for residential use - listed as "currently under commercial use". Perhaps telephone companies like staff to live on-site ...?
More concerning is the cash-only, offers over £300k price tag - pretty chunky given the lack of PP. Even if a standard detached home in Chinnor would cost double.
On the market via Chancellors. Details and more pictures on the agent's site here and on Rightmove here.
