£1m Cannock Chase country estate offers A-list glamour

On the market for a cool £1 million, the six bedroom countryside estate wouldn't be out of place as the home of an A-list celebrity in the heart of the Hollywood Hills.

But this property sits back from the road, behind a security gated entrance closer to home- on the outskirts of Cannock Chase.

Boasting paddocks, formal gardens, walk in wardrobes, bedroom balconies and workshops all wrapped up in 5.86 beautiful acres, it is not your average Rugeley home.

After 11 years the current owners have decided to sell their family home on High Street, Colton and are looking for new buyers to take on the impressive property.

Originally from Sheffield, Michael and Susan Barrett, have spent more than a decade renovating the property, after buying it as the place to raise their two, sons, who are now teenagers.

Despite it ticking most boxes on anyone's wish list, like any husband and wife, Mr and Mrs Barrett had different ideas about the type of family home they wanted to purchase.

Mr Barrett said: "I wanted something remote, and Susan wanted to be near neighbours.

"This house has both, the views at the back over looking Cannock Chase are just stunning, so we decided to buy it straight away."

He added: "It wasn't an investment, it is our family home and we have wonderful memories here."

Before the couple purchased it, the home was owned by an elderly couple, and the family have spent a lot of time and money on the property to bring it bang up to date.

"A lot of plaster work needed doing and it needed rewiring, it took a lot of work to revamp it and turn it into a 21st Century family home."

As a business owner, Mr Barrett did a lot of the ground works himself and the family have spent around nine years updating it throughout.

"When we moved in, the carpet had been down for around 30 years and there was a lot of floral wallpaper. We also extended the kitchen and lived through a lot of renovation work. We once had the decorators in for 16 weeks," he added.

Like many older properties, there were often many additional jobs, once you looked a little deeper.

"When we started to modernise the home, we would strip the wallpaper and then find the walls needed replastering.

"There was always something hidden under the job we thought we were doing. "

The family are now looking to downsize and move closer to Rugeley town centre, with Michael now 17 and Keiran, 13.

Business owner Mr Barrett added: "The kids have grown up now and it is time to move on, the house is just a bit too big for us now.

"The gardens were ideal when the boys were growing up, lots of space to play football and the heated pool, which we built about five years ago is lovely."

Outside, the grounds are divided into formal gardens and a paddock area.

There is a total of five stables and a tack room, workshops and three store rooms too.

The back garden has feature areas, surrounded by gravelled pathways, shaped shrubs and a pond complete with waterfall and rockery.

Not to mention the separate children's play area, with its own sunken trampoline.

One feature that really stands out is the swimming pool and an outdoor shower - but it's not just the outside of the property that is impressive.

The entrance hall has a beamed ceiling and tiled fireplace and what million pound house wouldn't have a cellar?

For a modern, renovated property, it has character, with French doors and bay windows in the lounge and a log burning stove in the sitting room.

Of course, a home of this size has a separate dining room and a large extended kitchen, with two built in ovens, a central island and wine fridge.

As a family home, it has six bedrooms, one with a balcony and a Sarah Jessica Parker worthy dressing room, complete with spot light and walk in wardrobe.

If all that is not enough, the home also has an annexe with its own lounge, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.

Outline planning permission has also been granted for a detached one bedroom annexe and a large games and entertainment room.

The property is marketed by Connells and viewings can be arranged by calling 01543 262376