Kerri Ashford-Brown was in line for more than a little surprise when stepping over the threshold of her new Bewley home for the first time she’d bought with boyfriend Chris Sharp.
As she opened the front door, Kerri was greeted by a pathway of candles and roses leading to the dining room table, where Chris was waiting with a glass of champagne and a ring ready to pop the question!
Chris, 36, recalls the moment he asked Kerri to marry him. “I wanted to make the proposal a complete surprise and decided to do it the moment Kerri stepped through the door to our amazing new home. I knew she wouldn’t be expecting it!”
Chris added: “It needed quite a lot of planning to pull it off. I got the keys to the house the evening before and Emma from Bewley Homes did an amazing job decorating the house with LED candles, rose petals, balloons, champagne and – most importantly – the ring.”
With the help of Emma, Chris’ best laid plans worked because Kerri instantly said ‘yes’ and the couple put moving in on hold to toast their engagement with a glass of champagne.
Chris added: “After that we enjoyed an Indian takeaway as our first meal in our new house. It was a very special start to our new life at Watership Place!”
Before finding their dream house at Watership Place in Whitchurch, Hampshire the couple lived apart.
“Kerri and I were living in Southampton and Reading when we first met at work,” said regional surveyor Chris. “When our relationship grew and we wanted to live together, we looked to relocate in the middle.
“We originally rented in South Wonston but decided to look for a home to buy, because we felt it was the right time for us to move on to the next step in our relationship. After lots of searching and investigating local areas, we really fell in love with Whitchurch.”
Surrounded by fine chalk and flint downland, Whitchurch is an attractive country town, close to the River Test. Residents within this popular Hampshire location enjoy a tranquil setting, within easy reach of beautiful countryside, and an array of local amenities.
The centre of Whitchurch boasts historic charm and provides the perfect base – with excellent road links to the nearby towns and cities of Southampton, Andover, Basingstoke, Winchester and Newbury. And there are numerous and frequent railway services heading into London.
Watership Place is a beautiful collection of two, three and four bedroom homes in Whitchurch. Set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the development is within walking distance of the town centre.
“We liked the look and feel of Bewley Homes’ first phase at Watership Place and visited the original show home,” added Kerri. “Unfortunately, the remaining plot had just been sold. When we were informed about the second phase, we started to look into what was available.”
“Whitchurch is a lovely area,” said Kerri. “There is so much on offer in the town – so quaint and with a lot of character. There are so many different walks on your doorstep too, and you wouldn’t know they were there. It really is amazing.”
The couple, along with five year old daughter Rebecca, chose the four bedroom detached Chilworth house style. “We loved the layout of the Chilworth house type, as we really wanted a kitchen/diner with patio doors that opened out to the garden,” explained Chris.
“We also wanted a detached house with four bedrooms, so we had room to grow. The kitchen/diner was a great selling point.
“The level of service we received from Emma and the team at Bewley Homes has been truly five star. From staying late to accommodate appointments, to answering any questions we had. We can’t thank her enough.”
Elaine Stratford, sales and marketing director at Bewley Homes, commented: “I’m delighted that Chris, Kerri, Rebecca have made such a wonderful start to their new life at Watership Place. It’s a special development, surrounded by idyllic villages, country pubs and riverside landscapes – all offering an outstanding choice of walks, cycle routes and picnic locations for those who love the outdoors. The area is a perfect setting for growing families.”