Penny Chase: An equestrian property with the Ridgeway and Downs on your doorstep

Penny Chase was originally built in 1954 for the famous steeplechase jockey and author Dick Francis, whose novels centre on horse racing in England. The present owners purchased the property in 1995 and have remodelled, modernised, and extended the accommodation.

A short gravel driveway leads off the road to a large, gravelled parking area with space for numerous vehicles. The property is finished in cream painted rendered elevations with tiled roofs and is currently arranged as three separate living spaces.

The main house provides five bedrooms (three ensuites), a 31-foot open plan reception room, and a well-fitted kitchen/breakfast room.

There is a separate annexe to the right-hand side of the property which provides three bedrooms (one ensuite), a sitting room and a family room which leads into a kitchen/breakfast room.

The property sits in a total plot of approximately 8.25 acres which is currently divided into a formal garden, which sits to the rear of the residential accommodation, with the remainder of the land situated to the north laid out as four paddocks with two field shelters.

There are also two loose boxes adjoining the rear of the buildings. There is also easy access to Blewbury Riding Centre from the property, through a gate at the bottom of the garden.

Blewbury is a beautiful and popular village at the foot of the Berkshire Downs and The Ridgeway, Britain’s oldest road. It is three miles south of Didcot with a mainline railway station connecting to London Paddington in approximately 45 minutes.

The village has a shop, garage, post office, church and two public houses, both of which have restaurants. There is also a sports ground, two playgrounds, tennis courts, bowling green and cricket ground with pavilion.

On the east side of the village, there is an iron age fort site, Blewburton, and there are many excellent walks in the locality. Road communications are also excellent with the nearby A34 connecting northbound to the M40 and southbound to the M4.

There are good schools in the nearby town of Abingdon with The Manor Preparatory School, Abingdon School, and St Helen and St Katharine School. The A34 also provides access to the excellent schools in Oxford city, including the Dragon School, Magdalen College School, St Edwards, and Oxford High School.