In the UK, particularly charming rural properties are often called 'Chocolate Box Houses' after pretty cottages were put on the front of confectionary tins during Victorian times. This address fits the definition perfectly. Built back in 1770 out of cob and thatch, it has since been Grade-II listed and it's not hard to see why. Traditional elements remain inside, including wooden beams and inglenook fireplaces, but plenty of modern additions have been made in a sensitive manner, including a large extension at the back. That means you get things like the giant wine cooler that takes up one side of the open kitchen-diner and the bifold doors that open out to the terrace. Here, guests will find an alfresco dining area with a barbecue for summer days, but it continues up to a lawn with a couple of seating areas from which you can admire the view of thatched rooftops in the village of Milton Abbas. There's a gastropub two minutes' walk down the road and plenty of scenic walking routes in the surrounding Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Jurrasic Coast can be reached in just over half an hour by car, too.

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