This 215-acre farm might be one of the dreamiest equestrian properties I’ve ever seen.
Locketts Farm lies in Dorset in a rural setting. The property is between the Dorset and Cranborne Chase National Landscape. As the former base of Gold Cup-winning racehorse trainer Robert Alner, it has all the beauty and amenities you can expect from a top equestrian facility.
The property lies close to the villages of Droop, Hazelbury Bryan and Kingston, and a 13-minute drive from Sturminster Newton.
The A3030 (Sherbourne) and A357 (Blandford Forum) lie to the north of Locketts Farm and the A352 (Dorchester) to the west. Local rail stations with London links include Castle Cary (52 minutes) and Bournemouth (one hour and two minutes).
Fans of horse sport will have plenty to enjoy in the local area. Milborne St Andrew point-to-point is 22 minutes from the door. Wincanton (39 minutes) and Salisbury (58 minutes) and Larkhill (1 hour 10 minutes) are also close by. Cross-country schooling is available at Larkhill, too.
Head to Sandbanks (one hour) in July for their annual summer sand polo fixture.
If you like your hunting, local packs include the Blackmore & Sparkford Vale, Portman, South Dorset and Cattistock.
Equestrian centres in the local area include Kingston Maurward (31 minutes), Tollard Park (38 minutes) and Moreton (33 minutes).
On the market with Knight Frank, Locketts Farm is listed for offers in excess of £6.75m. Let’s take a look around…
With 215 acres to play with, you won’t be short of space here. In fact, as well as a rubber and sand arena, 19 stables and a horsewalker, there are also two sets of gallops. Keep your horses fit on the three-and-a-half furlong sand round and the five-and-a-half furlong woodchip gallop.
The stables are found in a L-shaped block of 10 in the courtyard, with further stables in and pens in a Dutch barn and additional modern farm buildings. There are tack and feed stores and wash facilities, too.
There’s also a field of natural obstacles and the current owners host trail hunting clinics on site, so you can get comfortable hopping hedges at home.
The main farmhouse houses six bedrooms and was built in 2016. It features Bath stone and English oak throughout and was designed by architect Stuart Martin.
The kitchen is large and T-shaped, is fitted with oak units and features a large island. There are two seating areas with open fireplaces and a dining area. There is also a separate formal dining space and drawing room, which is dual aspect and feature south-facing bay windows and French doors to the west.
The first floor is home to the principal bedroom suite with en-suite bathroom and mezzanine. There are three further en-suite bedrooms on the first floor, with two eaves bedrooms and a family bathroom on the second.
With separate access from the courtyard is a utility and boot room.
Courtyard buildings include the Threshing Barn, which has been partially converted to create a large office with kitchenette and storerooms. The Cottage consists of three bedrooms with access from the north side for privacy from the courtyard. It has a large sitting room, kitchen with utility, shower room, family bathroom and its own private garden area.
The Flat is a ground floor annexe with separate access into a hall with cloakroom, an open plan kitchen/sitting room and a double bedroom with en-suite bathroom.
Is this your idea of heaven?
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Kate Johnson author block
