For almost a century, it was the village school next to the church, so religious education must have been one of the major lessons! But now it offers an absolutely beautiful home with interiors which certainly get top marks.

For almost a century, it was the village school next to the church, so religious education must have been one of the major lessons! But now it offers an absolutely beautiful home with interiors which certainly get top marks. CAROLINE CULOT, EDP property correspondent, paid a visit to The School-next-the-Church in Great Snoring, for sale for £595,000 with Sowerbys.

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When you approach this property, you can really imagine the little sons and daughters of the blacksmiths, farmers, hat-makers and servants to the manor house of Great Snoring running in as the schoolmaster rang the bell for the start of lessons. The property was the village school for almost 100 years, being built in the mid to late 1800s and no doubt saw thousands of children go through its gates “to get an education”.

However, now, The School-next-the-Church offers a wonderful home after being converted in the late 1980s and then taken on by the current owners seven years ago.

The School-next-the-Church, Great Snoring, is for sale for £595,000 with Sowerbys.

The property, in the heart of the village, literally next to St Mary's church, has essentially remained unchanged in its structure although repair work has taken place over the years and some alterations made. However, much of the original school house remains such as its wooden floor, doors including the front door, sash windows with ventilation and fire safety “trap doors” and the two main school rooms. At the front is no longer any remnant of a playground but there is a gravel drive between two eggshell blue gates and then a lawn. However, an outbuilding, once the pupils' toilet block does remain.

You enter into a little hall with a wooden bench along one side and room to hang up your coat, probably just as the little children did, and then you walk into the main room which simply makes you gasp, it is so beautiful. It stands as the original school room with an incredible ceiling height and its wooden trusses exposed and painted a beautiful Farrow and Ball green. The walls are cream and the wooden panelling beneath the windows have been painted white giving the entire room a really contemporary look. The room is completely open plan with the kitchen at one end and the living area at the other, with a mezzanine level above this.

The kitchen boasts handmade lime-washed pine units with a china sink and open dresser style shelving. The kitchen was made by Nick Heywood, of Burnham Market, and has a dining area in front with a large wooden table and chairs. This end goes through into the main bedroom, which would possibly have been a second schoolroom or the schoolmaster's quarters. It has the original latch door and is stunning. I loved the fact it has been decorated simply but in a contemporary style with its wooden floor and cream and white painted walls and the most wonderful ceiling trusses in Farrow and Ball blue which matches a blue gingham blind and bed linen. Along one wall are large fitted wardrobes and windows out to the back. There is also an en suite and, from the inner lobby, a door to the back garden.

From the other end of the property is a lovely white wrought iron spiral staircase which leads to a mezzanine area which overlooks the main room and provides ample space for a small study area. This leads to a little door which when you go through, leads down into a second bedroom, which forms part of an extension above the porch area so has a vaulted ceiling. This room has been used by the owners' children and is lovely with its wooden floor and two single wooden beds and plenty of room for toys and games. Downstairs there is also a large shower room.

Outside there is a little patio at the front where the lawn has a variety of apple and pear trees. At the back is also an ample lawn backing onto a paddock and the church.

The owners have used the School-next-the-Church as a rural retreat and have let it as a successful holiday home. It is set in a lovely village, with Little Snoring and Fakenham close by.

t The School-next-the-Church, Great Snoring, is for sale for £595,000 with Sowerbys on 01328 730340.

t Do you have any memories of the property when it was a school? If so, we would love to hear from you. Please email caroline.culot@ archant.co.uk or write to Caroline Culot, EDP Down Memory Lane, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich, NR1 1RE.