Renovation work on a derelict 17th-century house revealed a hidden passage leading to a secret bedroom.

GP Dr Tim Hurst, pictured, who owns Grade-II listed Carters Cottage near Banbury, said: “A boarded-up opening was discovered on the first floor and it was obvious that it had been deliberately covered over for some reason.

“Behind the doorway was a wooden spiral staircase that led up to a fourth bedroom in the attic.”

Dr Hurst admitted the scale of the project was a little daunting when he and his wife, Catherine, bought the house in Bloxham village 15 years ago “You could stand on the ground floor and see the sky above and there was soil on the floor. It was all a bit of a mess.

“We built an extension to go on the back because we wanted to add a new kitchen/dining area.

“But because it is a listed building, it had to blend well with the original part of the building.

“There was a wooden staircase leading from the ground to the first floor and we were granted permission to reverse it to create more space in the hallway.

“There was nothing in the garden except piles of rubble so we built a patio and landscaped the rest of the grounds.

“I did all the gardening myself and my wife was in charge of interior design.”

Built of local ironstone with a thatched roof, the house has many original features including exposed timbers and an inglenook fireplace. The first-floor landing includes a sitting area and has three bedrooms and a family bathroom leading off it. The master bedroom has an ensuite shower room.

On the second floor is the fourth ‘secret’ bedroom.

The kitchen/dining area has French doors leading to the terrace and the walled gardens include a lawn and fruit trees.

Dr Hurst said the couple were moving to a neighbouring village to start another refurbishment project.

“The new place is structurally sound but needs quite a lot of work,” he said.

Carters Cottage is on the market for £695,000.

For more information, or to arrange a viewing, contact Knight Frank on 01865 790077 or visit knightfrank.com