34 |OxfordshireLimitedEdition|August 2019‘Itwasahobbit-hold,andthatmeanscomfort’,saidJRRTolkeininoneofthemostfamous
introductionseverwritten.Butonefamilyhasmadethefantasyintoreality.DeniseBarkley
exploresthe£ 1. 25 mhomewithahobbithouseattheendofthegarden
LIVING IN A FANTASY
A
cuteHobbithouseadds
wowtoafamilyhomewith
amagicalslopedgarden
intheleafylovelinessof
ShotoverHill,onthe
easternedgeofOxford.
Petergate,inOldRoad,wasbuiltin 1933
andisfullofcharacterandcharm.Forthe
past 25 yearsthisfive-bedroomdetached
househasbeenthemuch-lovedhomeofRay
andCorinneCooke.whohaveraisedtheir
threechildrenhere,turningthegardeninto
thebewitchinghavenitistoday.
“Thehillinthegardenisastallasthe
houseandyoureachthetopviaamazeof
pathways,drystonewalls,maturetrees,flower
bordersandapond,”Rayrevealed.
“It’saparadiseforchildrenandourthree
alwayshadfriendsroundhere,playinghide
andseekamongthetreesandmakingdens.”
Hiswife,saidRay,isthekeengardener
whokeepsthisthird-of-an-acreparadisein
order.“I’vehelpedwithsomeofthelandscaping,
butCorinnedoesmostofthegardening,
includinglearninghowtododrystonewalling
andtimberterracing,”Raysaid.
Thefantasyicingonthecakeisthe
adorableHobbit‘hole’atthetopofthe
hill.Cladintimbershingleswithacircular
frontdoor,itmergesintotheundergrowth
surroundingitandpayshomagetotheauthor
J.R.R.TolkienwhowroteTheHobbitwhile
hewasauniversityprofessoratOxford.
“Myself,Corinneandthechildrenall
helpedtobuildourHobbithouse,”Raysaid.
“Onthehilltherewasalittlerisewithan
earthmound,sowerearrangedit,proppedit
upinasemi-circle,putafrontandroofonit,
addedwindows,andcreatedourownHobbit
hideaway.
“Itaddstothemagicofthegardenand
istheperfectplacetorelaxinpeace,enjoy
thefantasticviewstowardsBoarsHilland
theRidgewayandwatchthewildlife.It’s
likealittlezoo.I’msittingherewatchingwoodpeckersandtitsonourbirdfeedersas
wetalkandwehavewrensnestinginacorner
oftheporch.
“Inthegardenbehindusredkitesare
nesting–it’sapleasuretowatchthese
enormous,impressivebirdsinsuchclose
proximity.Thepondishometofrogsand
newtsandwehavedeer,foxesandbadgers
passingthroughtoo.”
Nowtheirchildrenhaveflownthenest,
RayandCorinnehavedecidedtoselltheir
lovelyhomeanddownsizetoasmaller
property.Itisonthemarketpricedat
£ 1 , 250 , 000 withthebenefitofnoonward
chain.
Petergateisawildlifehaven,butRay
cancycleintothecentreofOxfordwithin
tenminutes.“It’ssuchawonderfulplaceto
live,”heenthused.“Turnonewayoutofmy
driveandI’mswiftlyinthecitycentre,turn
theotherandI’moutinthecountryside.
It’sthebestofbothworldsandtheperfect
placeforacademicsormedicalprofessionals