Wormingford, CO6 3AQ

ABOUT THIS HOUSE Turn into the drive at Rochfords and the first glimpse of the house takes your breath away. Set back within its partly moated grounds, it feels in a little world of its own. There are centuries of history here. Its name comes from Roger de Rocheford, who lived on the site in the 13th century, while later owners include the textile-making Everard family and Modernist architect H. T. Cadbury-Brown. Behind the Georgian façade, exposed timbers, old oak floorboards and deep fireplaces reveal its earlier origins. The house has all the quirks and charm that come with its age, and a warmth that you feel as soon as you step inside. Light floods through the house throughout the day. The newer addition opens towards the orchard, with a bright kitchen and living space looking out over the garden. Rochfords offers an unusual degree of flexibility in its layout, with the potential for multi-generational living. There is plenty of space to host gatherings for friends and extended family. Outside, the natural swimming pond, orchard and gardens make this somewhere you can imagine spending whole summers, with little reason to leave. ABOUT THIS AREA Life here offers plenty to get involved in. Nearby Fordham has a lovely sense of community, with the excellent Three Horseshoes pub at its heart. In the other direction, Bures brings summer cricket on the recreation ground, a weekend market, pizza on the green and paddle-boarding along the River Stour. Colchester is close by for shopping and everyday essentials. Families have a broad choice of schools, including Bures Primary, Littlegarth and Holmwood House, with Culford an option for the senior years. Pippins Montessori Nursery and Forest School in White Colne offers a wonderfully different start, with the freedom to run, explore and get muddy in its farm and woodland setting. Weekends might take you to the beach at Frinton or to West Mersea for local oysters, fresh seafood and lunch beside the water. Closer to home, Nayland, Long Melford and Coggeshall are lovely places to explore, their streets lined with historic houses, independent shops and cafés. Rochfords is well placed to enjoy so much of what makes this corner of Essex and Suffolk special, while direct trains from Marks Tey to London Liverpool Street keep the capital within easy reach. TOWNS & CITIES Fordham 1.4 miles Bures 3 miles Colchester 5.8 miles Dedham 10 miles Chelmsford 25 miles TRAIN STATIONS Marks Tey Station 4.8 miles Bures Station 3 miles Colchester Station 5.2 miles Kelvedon 11 miles AIRPORTS London Stansted Airport 32 miles Southend International Airport 41 miles Heathrow Airport 93 miles