Cross over the private bridge in the grounds of Sparrows to find a magnificent & historic, Grade II listed house dating to the 1500s. It has a wonderful ambience, & provides beautiful, characterful accommodation with exposed beams throughout & charming inglenook fireplaces. Sparrows offers a distinctive blend of history, elegance & modern comfort. It is bright & spacious with a cosy feel & can comfortably accommodate up to 8 guests, ideal for families. Countryside walks; pub & shop close by. Downstairs is a stunning entrance hall with fireplace. The beautiful and spacious sitting/dining room offers cosy sofa’s surrounding a large wood burning stove, perfect for those chilly winter days. The dining area is ideal for family gatherings, seating eight around a beautiful table with views of the garden. The modern kitchen is fully equipped including a gas hob, electric Aga, fridge-freezer, microwave and dishwasher. There is also a downstairs WC and a washing machine. Upstairs offers a huge landing with four beautiful and spacious bedrooms leading off it. Bedroom 1 is a stunning large double; bedrooms 2 is a double with an ensuite shower/WC and views of the rear garden; bedroom 3 features a king size bed with views of the front garden and bedroom 4 comfortably sleeps two in twin beds. All have beautiful features, soft linen and tasteful décor. There is also a large modern family bathroom with a shower cubicle, bath and toilet. As you would expect with a house of this age, there are some unlevel floors, walls and ceilings and some rooms have steps to enter. There are also a few low beams and smaller doors upstairs. This all, of course, adds to the charm. Outside there are south and west facing gardens with a brook running through. It is possible to fish from the brook if you wish! The back garden offers seating areas with garden furniture and views of neighbouring fields and stables. Surrounding Area: Sparrows is in walking distance from the Kings Head pub, which serves good food, in the centre of Gosfield and also from Gosfield Lake, renowned for wild swimming and water sports. Gosfield has a friendly village shop selling local produce sited on a beautiful village green with a cricket pitch and a children’s play area and zip line. In under 20 minutes’ drive you can reach the quaint and beautiful village of Finchingfield which is described as the most photographed village in England. Have a wonderful slice of homemade cake in the tearooms with views of the windmill, village green, humpback bridge and the duck pond. Visit the antiques centre; enjoy a meal and a drink in one of the several pubs. The train stations at Braintree and Braintree Freeport provide a direct line to London in under an hour for sightseeing or a night at the theatre. Freeport station is about 15 minutes from Sparrows. Braintree itself offers shopping at the outlet village and general dining and entertainment. The historic and county town of Essex, Chelmsford is about 30 minutes away with its shopping, race course, entertainment including various large music festivals and the lovely Hylands estate. For those that enjoy the outdoor life, there are plenty of walks to be had in the surrounding countryside. Sparrows is a 5 minute walk to the local nature reserve, perfect for a relaxing stroll with the dogs. If you like the coast and oysters, a trip to Mersea island is a must! Mersea Island can be found in an idyllic location nine miles southeast of Colchester and has been named one of the best coastal areas to live by the Sunday Times. It offers a peaceful atmosphere and a traditional fishing village community, seafood restaurants and pubs serving craft ales; there are wonderful walks with glorious views, a foot ferry, water sports, a vineyard and brewery. Every August there is the marvellously entertaining Mersea Regatta. For more coastal/seaside experiences, the lovely Frinton-on- Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze are about one hour away. Sparrows is very well situated for the various nearby wedding venues including Gosfield Hall, Hedingham Castle, Tuffon Hall Vineyard and Fennes. Sparrows is about a half an hour drive from Stanstead International Airport.