Cliff Cottage was built in 1990 on the site of the River Pilot’s wartime house. It has just been extensively renovated, extended and redecorated. It is a Victorian style Suffolk cottage, built of Aldeburgh bricks, with gabled windows and a wide veranda along the river side of the house. It is a cosy cottage of great charm and character, with all the advantages of modern fittings and equipment. The garden is large and wild with plenty of lawn and dominated by birch, pine and stunted oaks. A short steep path leads down to the river’s edge. The house and garden enjoy breathtaking views up and down the estuary on one side and over open fields on the other.
The house is largely open plan downstairs. It has a new and fully equipped designer kitchen and dining room/conservatory, with under floor heating, granite work surfaces and a green electric Aga. There is a dishwasher, a separate electric hob, drinks fridge, a microwave, a full cooking inventory and ample storage space.
The adjacent utility room has a washing machine, tumble dryer, work surfaces, sink and a large fridge freezer. There is a downstairs lavatory and an outside hot power shower There is a panelled cupboard under the stairs containing the fuse box, hoover etc.
The living area focuses on a traditional open fireplace with oak surround. It has a fitted carpet with under-floor heating, Persian rugs, a pair of comfortable sofas, watercolour paintings, antique furniture and a television. There are French doors onto the extended and enclosed veranda.
The upstairs, which is fully carpeted throughout, has a landing, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The master bedroom has a
double bed, fitted wardrobes and a large new en-suite bathroom, with under-floor heating, double basins and a power shower over the bath. It has magnificent views down the river to Iken Church and towards Aldeburgh.
There is a second large twin-bedded room with a third bed under the eaves; this has a basin, a large fitted wardrobe and views over fields to the South. The third bedroom is a small double-bedded room with a fitted wardrobe and views up-river. The second bathroom is fully fitted out and also has a power shower over the bath.
The inventory includes normal cooking equipment and cutlery, plates, glasses etc. for up to eight. There are plenty of duvets and blankets but visitors should bring their own duvet covers, sheets and pillowcases, towels and drying up cloths. There is a private telephone, a radio/CD player and a colour television. The house is double-glazed throughout and is equipped with under floor heating or night storage heaters in all the rooms.
The lane is private and there is plenty of parking space in the garden. Small boats or wind-surfers can be launched below the house or by the new boathouse, which is occasionally used by the owners.
Dogs are welcomed but must be clean and dry before they come indoors. They are restricted to the utility room.
There is a footpath along the river’s edge below the cottage and also along the lane at the rear; these lead upstream to Snape, where there are pubs, a restaurant and a village shop and downstream to the village of Iken. Wooden fencing, hedges and trees round the house give complete privacy.
Lettings are normally by the week from Friday afternoon (although other arrangements may be possible out of season). Electricity and telephone are charged at cost price and the weekly rental charges for 2008 are shown below and on the website: www.cliffcottage.co.uk
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