If you're the sort of parent who wants your children to be free-range, comfortable and confident in the countryside but still close to an urban setting for school and work, then this property might well suit.

Amanda and Jonathan Pickering and their three children have lived at their impressive detached home in Brampton for the past 16 years,

"We had been in Newcastleton after moving there from Manchester," said Amanda. "It was a very different environment, as you can imagine.

"We wanted to bring the children up in the countryside and it was a lifestyle choice, not career orientation. I think it was a success. They've grown up adventurous and have lots of activity going on in their lives but they're all working too.

"Because the children had had such a lot of freedom in the countryside, we wanted to retain that freedom but still be near to schools and town and be safe and this house has a really large garden and paddock.

"It was the outside that sold it to us because we knew we'd be able to have ponies and the kids would be able to play on bikes.

"There's no traffic here and we thought it was just a really safe place to bring up children. It's right next to a park, they could walk to school so it was safety really that we went for."

Millfield House was built in 1866 and has the high ceilings, beams and panelling of that period with large rooms, huge sash windows, fireplaces and external stonework.

The accommodation includes two reception rooms, both with fireplaces and with double doors between them, and a 21ft dining kitchen with attractive coloured units, a feature stove and three sets of windows.

The ground floor also has a shower room, utility room with additional units and cloaks cupboard.

A traditional staircases rises to a gallery landing from where the four bedrooms are found along with the family bathroom which has a double shower unit.

"My favourite room is the sitting room as we fitted a bookcase that Jonathan built for me - I'm really going to miss that," said Amanda.

"The sitting room has views of the garden - all the rooms have big period windows, sash with wooden panelling - and the window here frames the garden beautifully.

"I have all my books in the case and sit there and it's very peaceful. This has also been a family room in the past so it has a history we've created and it's changed with us."

The gardens surrounding Millfield House are huge, with a sandstone wall enclosing them and containing large areas of lawn with mature trees, a greenhouse, stables, paddock and enormous workshop.

"The garden has been a pony paddock but now it's full of vegetables as we've lent it out as a community garden," Amanda said.

"We've kept horses in the stable block and in the workshop we're restored boats and cars. It's big enough for gliders belonging to a local gliding club and there has even been an aeroplane built there.

"Jonathan was a member of a syndicate that built an RV two-seater kit plane which flies from Carlisle Airport on pleasure flights.

"I'm going to miss the garden and the memories you create, although you take them with you. I always think a place is lent to you for a period of time, you don't own it. This house has looked after us and our family very well."

Millfield House, Craw Hall, Brampton, is for sale at £400,000 from Cumberland Estate Agents. For more details see here .