A YEAR ago the former village stores, bakery and post office at Loosley Row was derelict and the neighbouring property that shared the plot of almost half an acre was covered in brambles.

“There was an immense amount of interest when the site came on the market just over a year ago because of the position,” recalls estate agent Nik Keegan.

“The hamlet is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The views over the Chilterns from this spot are incredible but you couldn’t see them from the second property before it was cleared because it was a jungle.”

One year on, both properties – The Stores and Sweet View (the outlook is part of its charm now) - have been gutted and restored and today they’re for sale through Keegan White in Wycombe.

The Stores – or The Old Stores to give it its new name – has become the quintessential brick and flint country cottage.

Outwardly it looks as though it has been part of the local landscape for generations.

Inside it has the assets and amenities of the 21st century: four bedrooms, two bathrooms, 23ft sitting room, 31ft kitchen/family across the extended back of the house on the ground floor – the master suite/dressing area/bathroom covers the same area on the first floor.

Meanwhile Sweet View has also undergone a change. The house was let to the RAF for a number of years, then it was left empty and went to pot until it was rescued by Hickleberry Homes who turned it into what you see now: a smart three bedroom detached house with open plan kitchen/family room, double aspect sitting room with bi-fold doors onto the full width terrace.

The Stores is priced at £975,000. Sweet View is £835,000.