The estate agent's brochure variously describes this house as a wolf in sheep's clothing and the epitome of the well-worn phrase 'internal inspection essential'. It seems obvious that this is a property which will bear close inspection.

It has a traditional exterior frontage yet walk inside and you notice that it is ideally suited to modern family living with a host of character features.

Shaun and Rhonda Stanger live in the cottage, in the popular village of Brigham, with daughters Isabella, nine, and Natalie, 16.

"We've been here for about four years and spotted the cottage while we were looking around Brigham as we knew we anted to move here," said Shaun, who works at Energus in Workington. "The move really came about because we wanted to be in the catchment area for the local schools."

Their home is an attractive double-fronted mid-terraced property set back from the village street.

"It was built in 1765 as a farm then became a farrier’s then a butcher’s so it has been at the heart of the community for many years" Shaun said. "Next door was a shop and post office originally. I have photos of Victorians standing outside when there was just a track, no road."

He and Rhonda, a paramedic, has upgraded and improved the cottage throughout.

He said: "We’ve done the whole house up, put in an en-suite, an extension and terraced the garden - my favourite room is probably the back extension as we don’t live anywhere else in the house, it’s a big open-plan family room."

A traditional wooden front door opens into a large hallway, which doubles as a dining room. This has entrance tiles and parquet-style flooring and an open fireplace with stone heart and exposed beams are among many period features.

The sitting room has a wood-burning stove in a feature stone alcove and the family room is off an inner hallway. This is a stunning L-shaped space with oak flooring, modern Shaker-style units and full of light from four windows and three roof lights.

Cooks in the family are catered for with a solid woodblock work surface, open wall shelving and a range-style double oven cooker.

A utility room completes the ground-floor layout while a dog leg staircase with banister and spindles rises to the first floor.

Here there is a master bedroom with en-suite shower room and two further double bedrooms. The boutique hotel-influence family bathroom is packed with contemporary style and features a circular wash basin set on an open unit, double walk-in shower and free-standing double-ended bath.

The front garden is sheltered behind a sandstone wall and privet hedge and has a wrought-iron gate, gravel pathways, lawns and a tree. The back garden has terraced lawns with natural stone walls, a mature rockery, decked seating area, greenhouse and shed. Mature hedging encloses the plot and a covered passageway leads back to the front of the house.

Shaun said: "I like gardening although I couldn’t tell you which way the garden faces! We’ve put in shrubs and plants, tomatoes and veg in the greenhouse, terraced it, decked the top. I have ferns and other plants like that in the back which is more my thing, a shady garden and low maintenance.

"We’re going to miss High Brigham, I like my house but we have to think of the future and we're moving as we fancy a change."

The property in High Brigham, Brigham, is for sale at £275,000 from Smeatons Estate Agents.