If you are looking for a new home on the Shotley peninsula, or just feeling a bit nosey, then look no further than our Property Of The Week features, which will be showcasing the most interesting homes for sale right now on our Shotley peninsula Nub News property pages.

This week's property is part of the former Alma Inn, whose later owners featured in Arthur Ransome's books, on the market with Fine & Country for £550,000.

The charmingly historic Riverside Cottage is in a prime elevated position with stunning views overlooking Pin Mill and the River Orwell estuary.

Riverside Cottage is a three bedroomed mid terraced cottage offering charm and much character throughout.

Numerous benefits include two upstairs bathrooms, large sitting room with original fireplaces/ stove burner, Rayburn in fitted kitchen, oil fired central heating and pleasant sunny gardens front & rear.

After starting out as a sailmaker's home, grocer's, then a pub with shop and a boarding house, the building was converted into three cottages in the mid 1950s and Riverside Cottage is the middle of the trio.

The property has been meticulously maintained over the past 40 years and the exterior was painted one year ago after being used as a holiday cottage.

The original structure is believed to date back to circa 1805 - although it is thought that buildings have been located on the site since the 14/15th century.

Known as the Admiral's Head for a while with Thomas Powell as the landlord, he changed the name to the Alma Inn in recognition to a river fought over in the Crimean War.

The Inn was de - licensed in the early years of the 20th Century and became a private dwelling, Alma Cottage and was owned by Miss Annie Powell until her death in 1955. She lived in the property from 1919 and was the sister of Jack Powell, the local sailmaker.

Alma Cottage and Miss Powell featured in the two books based on Pin Mill within the well-known series of 12 "Swallows and Amazons" children's novels written by Arthur Ransome and set in the 1930s.

In 1956 the whole single property was sold by auction and split into three separate properties which were sold in 1957 and named as Seagulls, on the northern side, Alma Cottage to the south with Riverside Cottage being the central cottage.

Riverside Cottage is an original timber framed building with later additions and has colour wash rendered elevations under a slate roof.

It benefits from oil fired central heating as well as Rayburn and solid fuel (Phurnacite) stove.

Further benefits include 28ft Living/ Sitting Rooms with open fireplaces, exposed timbers, new sash windows to first floor ( 2017 ), Three bedrooms ( two doubles ), En Suite and Family bathroom to the first floor, good decorative order and most importantly, unrivalled views from the front bay window over Pin Mill/ River Orwell - creating an immediate feeling of pleasure and tranquility.

There are good sized gardens front and rear (61ft x 23ft) for this type of property and just 50 metres up Pin Mill Lane is a separate parcel of Land (known as the top garden) forming ample car parking and a car port with further potential to be realised. This is so valuable as parking is at a premium at Pin Mill, particularly during the summer season.

Riverside Cottage sits high in an enviable position, above the flood plain, which is why it is a very good long term investment either as a family home or a second home for sailing enthusiasts in the area or from further afield.

An early internal viewing is strongly advised as this type of property is rarely available and has not been on the market for about 40 years.

Outside The front garden is laid to elevated lawns with a variety of young shrubs and live hedging with central concrete pathway and picket fencing leading to the front door.

The rear garden is of a good size with a concrete patio area.

Timber shed (3ft x 4ft), outside water tap, covered wood store/ladder housing.

Further steps lead up to a secondary patio area with mature shrub and flower borders and edgings.

There are two recently fitted 1000L oil tanks with a filler point near the front gate at the front of the property.

Further stepped patio and shed (6'6" x 5ft), lawned terrace with mature apple tree.

All of the rear garden is enclosed by close board fencing and lattice work, and there is a third small shed at the far top of the garden.

The rear garden forms an idyllic suntrap and is of a good size.

For more details or to arrange a viewing contact theFine & Country website or email [email protected]

For more information on this, and many other homes, go to our property pages here...