Built in 1938-9, Dry Leys is an exceptional example of late 1930s architecture, positioned in a highly sought-after rural location ten miles to the west of Oxford. Internal living space measures approximately 3,880 sq ft, beautifully apportioned across two sweeping storeys. The seven acres of gardens are rich and interesting with pockets of woodland, an avenue of nut trees, an orchard and a self-contained garden lodge.

Occupying a private, secluded position, the house is set back some distance from the road, fronted by its own two-acre paddock. An extended driveway lined with specimen trees opens into a wide turning point at the front of the house, with a canopy porch and original oak door providing the main entrance. Typical of its time, the Stamford brickwork is set behind a parapet wall with a rounded extension at the westerly end of the building. The wonderful original Crittal doors and windows feature throughout.

The internal living space is introduced by a light reception hall with panelled walls, a stone fireplace and fine arched French windows allowing light to flood through and opening directly onto the terrace. To the immediate right sits the drawing-room; a sophisticated space with the original oak-strip sprung floor running underfoot, a stone fireplace with steel canopied grate and an expansive bay window looking west across the garden.

A beautifully light dining room is to the left of the entrance hall, with a second set of French windows offering access to the garden. The housekeeper’s quarters also sit on this side of the ground floor; a snug with a secondary staircase leading to the first floor, the original kitchen, sensitively extended for practical modern living and an adjoining Butler’s pantry and utility room. 

A sweeping oak staircase with exceptional joinery detailing leads to a wide and open landing on the first floor. The principal bedroom sits to the right of the plan with a walk-in wardrobe, birch-strip floor and west-facing bay window looking out to the garden. The ensuite bathroom retains the original half-tiled walls and cork flooring.

Four further bedrooms and two additional bathrooms run the length of the first floor, with a large heated linen cupboard positioned at the furthest point. 

Externally, an expansive terrace stretches across the southerly facade of the house, providing a secluded space for entertaining in summer months. The immediate curtilage is laid to lawn, with an immaculately maintained yew hedge creating a tidy division to the self-contained Finnish lodge. The broader gardens encompass delightful areas of mature woodland, an avenue of nut trees and a railway carriage set in the boughs of the trees. A detached garage and a garden store are also included in the plot.

Frilford sits three miles to the west of Abingdon and ten miles south of the city of Oxford. The schools are a major draw to the area including Magdalen College School, Oxford High School, Abingdon, Headington, St. Helens & St. Katharine’s, St. Edwards, Radley, Chandlings, the Dragon, the Manor and Summerfields. The house also sits within the catchment area of a selection of primary schools with good and outstanding Ofsted rating, the nearest of which include Appleton and Marcham Church of England Primary Schools.

Transport connections to the capital are good, with a direct service provided from Didcot Parkway (a 15-minute drive from the house) to London Paddington in approximately 41 minutes. Services from Oxford to London run every half an hour, with a journey time of around 58 minutes.

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.