This text is taken from an Estate Agents Details about Raven House
Raven House has a long, frontage to the Market Drayton-Nantwich road on the outskirts of the pleasant village of Adderley, and part of the grounds have outline planning permission for the erection of one dwelling which can be sited in a separate context to the house. This should be a financial advantage when the whole property is submitted to auction next Wednesday at a sale to be held at the Corbet Arms Hotel, Market Drayton, by Green and Pearce.
Character
The property was originally three houses, the centre of which became the bar of licensed premises called the Raven Arms as long ago as 1824 according to the date plaque, depicting the raven, still affixed to the rear wall above the cellar entrance.
The front elevation has also retained much of its eighteenth century character in the variations of the ornamental brickwork to each of the three chimneys above the richly weathered slate roof, and a distinctive wide gable feature in the centre flanked by a smaller one on either side all part of the first-floor panelled in a series of black painted `beams’ with diagonal bracing. A delightful small bay window has been formed in moulded brick mullions, and a timber framed porch protects the circular headed front door. with the flush panels of the period.
Churchill
The house played its part in the 1914-1918 war by becoming an auxiliary hospital, and still has the raffia panelling to the stairs and dining room which was put in to protect the walls at that time, as well as a framed certificate recording the appreciation of the War Office, signed by Winston Churchill.
An estate office, with an external entrance was added at the far end of the front. This was converted to form an enlarged kitchen with excellent views over open countryside and a new rear entrance with random stone paving, by the present vendor, some 11 years ago.
A fitted cloakroom was installed off the rear hall, and the house modernised to its present standards of four bedrooms — two with built-in cupboards, two bathrooms and three reception rooms. The largest is the lounge at nearly 18 feet which has a Baxi fire in a brick surround while, on the other side of the main hall, the one-time bar parlour makes a most interesting dining room with a wealth of exposed beams to the ceiling, a neat brick fireplace surrounded in oak with display shelves in the recess, and a further set of open shelves in an alcove where the door to the rear yard has been filled in.
Retained
The original cast iron fireplace has been retained – in the adjacent morning room which has a window seat, and contains a secondary stair to the fourth bedroom and second bathroom.
The Aga range in the kitchen provides ample domestic hot water to the ground floor appliances and one bathroom, the other having an electric storage heater on the off-peak system which also includes heaters in the two principal rooms and one bedroom.
The cellar has become a well equipped workshop with a Beeston boiler and benching as well as an adjacent store which supplements the brick sheds and fuel store.
Access is from the cobbled stable yard, part of which serves as a right-angled brick range consisting of a flock-up double garage and open-fronted accommodation for a further three cars.
Bulbs
Much of the forecourt is laid to lawn with spring bulbs and a pedestrian path from the ornamental iron gate of 1910 vintage which is set in the road boundary walling, and contains a revolving summerhouse. There is also an extensive kitchen-garden which has established fruit trees and a large strawberry bed among the soft fruits making up nearly an acre of grounds as a setting to a medium sized country house of character.