A period property previously used as a school is now available for purchase at £1.9 million in Oxfordshire after major refurbishment work.
Located on the route to Banbury in Deddington, Holcombe House dates from the mid-1600s and has served various purposes within the local community during the last century.
Originally a private residence, the building was converted into Holcombe House Preparatory School in 1920 and functioned as a school for fifteen years before closing in 1935.
After the conclusion of the Second World War, Charles and Gertrude West purchased the property in 1945 and ran it as a guest house.
The venue subsequently operated as a hotel, maintaining this function until 2011.
The current proprietors first encountered the building when it was trading as the Holcombe Hotel, while living as tenants in the village and taking their children to school.
When the hotel ceased trading and planning permission was granted to divide the building into three dwellings, they recognised the potential to establish a family home.
The couple bought the property in 2012 and undertook a comprehensive renovation programme.
The work took nine months and involved returning the building to its structural shell, removing post-war alterations and reviving original design elements.
During renovations to the entrance hall, workers uncovered the original Hornton stone flooring beneath the tiles, while missing Georgian features were painstakingly recreated following extensive research by the owners.
One of the most notable changes occurred in the kitchen and dining space, which previously comprised two commercial kitchens alongside a timber structure used for washing up.
The area has been opened up, French doors installed, and natural light introduced to create what now serves as the main hub of the home.
Holcombe House offers seven bedrooms across its upper floors, including a principal suite with a roll-top bath, double washbasins and a separate shower enclosure.
Ground floor rooms include sash windows, working fireplaces, exposed wooden beams and high ceilings, together with a utility room, pantry, storage space and workshop.
The first floor contains three of the seven bedrooms, the main bedroom with an en suite bathroom, two further double bedrooms and a family bathroom, along with a gym and home office.
The second floor accommodates four bedrooms, two with private bathrooms, featuring an open-plan play area suitable as a study for older teenagers.
The rear garden provides a peaceful environment with established planting, stone boundaries and a raised lawn, with pedestrian access to parking for approximately six vehicles.
The property also includes a fully self-contained commercial unit with separate access, presently operated as a hairdressing and beauty salon.
Sophie Gannon from estate agent Savills Banbury said Holcombe House is one of the most elegant and attractive properties to come onto the Deddington market in recent years. The vendors have successfully revived its historic character while converting it into a bright, welcoming and exceptionally versatile family home. Properties of this size and heritage are extremely rare in the village centre, making this sale an especially notable opportunity.