Impressive country house set in 63 acres

Location

Little Massingham Manor is situated in a peaceful and unspoilt rural position a short distance from the village of Great Massingham which is a picturesque village with attractive period houses overlooking a pond. The village has a post office/village stores as well as a primary school and a fine 14th century church. The house is also situated between two excellent and highly regarded pubs, The Dabbling Duck in Great Massingham and The Rose and Crown in Harpley. Norwich, the cathedral city and regional centre of East Anglia, lies about 35 miles to the southeast and King’s Lynn is about 13 miles away. There is a main line railway station at King’s Lynn with a fastest journey time to London King’s Cross of 1 hour 34 minutes. The fast growing commercial centre of Cambridge is about 50 miles to the southwest. London is about 107 miles.

The attractive market town of Fakenham is about 10 miles and Holt, renowned as the home of Gresham school, is about 20 miles. Sandringham and the North Norfolk Coast, must of which is classified as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, are within easy striking distance and there is excellent sailing along much of this coast, as well as bird watching from the creaks and the marshes. The coastal village of Brancaster (17 miles) and Holkham are particularly renowned. This part of northwest Norfolk lies in one of the most favoured areas of the county for pheasant, partridge and duck shooting and the shooting rights on Little Massingham Estate are in hand. Fly fishing is available on several rivers and streams in the county including the Narr, a renowned chalk trout stream. There is good sailing the full length of the North Norfolk Coast, hunting with the West Norfolk Fox Hounds and North Norfolk Harriers. There are excellent golf courses at Brancaster, Hunstanton and Sheringham. The area is well known for bird watching and there are a number of reserves in the area including Cley, Blakeney Point and Scolt Head.

Private schools in the locality include Beeston Hall Preparatory School, Gresham’s public school in Holt and Glebe House Preparatory School in Hunstanton. State education is available locally.

Description

THE PROPERTY
Little Massingham Manor is an impressive Arts & Crafts country house set in a splendid rural location, approached by a long drive and set in about 63 acres with mature gardens and grounds, parkland and woodland. Little Massingham Manor was built in 1907 by an American Harley Street surgeon who decided to retire to the area. After his death in 1916 and that of his son in 1919 his widow sold the property to Mr Dixon Spain, a gentleman farmer from the Fenland. The house remained a happy family home, much loved by friends and acquaintances. The family held many social events at the manor and were well known in west Norfolk.

During World War II, the manor was requisitioned by the war office and used by the RAF as an officers’ mess for the area. Many well known pilots stayed at the property. In 1962 the Dixon-Spains sold the property to a religious congregation of sisters and it became a flourishing retreat centre until the nuns sold the property in 2001. The current owner bought the property in 2008 and since then a major programme of refurbishment has been carried out including a thorough overhaul of the wiring, plumbing and heating installations with the provision of a new sophisticated central heating system, significant re-plastering and complete redecoration as well as the provision of a new custom built fitted kitchen and replacement and creation of new bathrooms. Formal landscaping of the gardens and grounds has been carried out to a scheme designed by Claudia Morley.

Little Massingham Manor is situated at the end of a long drive of about 0.2 of a mile lined by an avenue of lime trees and set in mature gardens, grounds, woodland and parkland in all extending to about 63 acres. The house is in a splendid rural situation surrounded by the picturesque rolling countryside of northwest Norfolk. As can be seen from the floorplans the main house has spacious and well arranged accommodation with a magnificent main reception hall and four beautifully proportioned main reception rooms, all with fine views over the surrounding gardens, grounds and parkland. The bedroom accommodation is divided over two floors and situated in the grounds there is a separate three bedroom cottage (Manor Cottage) as well as an annexe at the entrance to the drive. There is also a fine and substantial stable block.

The history of the house has been published and printed privately and is available to prospective purchasers.

Manor Cottage
This is situated to the south of the main house and has a sitting room, kitchen/breakfast room, three bedrooms and two bathrooms all on one floor (please refer to the floorplans).

The Stable Block
A substantial L-shaped complex of single storey accommodation plus hayloft stabling. Original stores and loose boxes remain with some accommodation now used as garaging and workshop. This has potential for conversion into residential use (subject to planning permission/usual consents). The gross internal area extends to 1,757 sq ft (please refer to the floorplans).

OUTSIDE
The house is approached from the east by a long drive of 0.2 of a mile and bordered by an avenue of lime trees under planted by spring bulbs. The drive finishes in a turning and parking area to the front and east of the house. To the east and flanking the drive on either side there are extensive formal lawns with some fine mature trees including beech with the lawns fringed by mature woodland. To the northeast a new formal garden of topiary yew has been created, designed by the garden designer Claudia Morley. A substantial beech hedge divides this area from the new formal garden situated to the rear and west of the house.

To the rear and west of the house there is a stone paved terrace bordered by box hedging and topiary yew. This leads onto a formal parterre garden designed by Claudia Morley of clipped box with a central gravelled walk and an avenue of white beam leading though a yew hedge to create a fine vista to the west with far reaching views over the surrounding countryside. There is a further stone terrace adjoining the house to the north with a covered loggia overlooking a tennis lawn. This is fringed by woodland to the north providing shelter and seclusion. The splendid park-like grounds continue to the south where there are some fine ornamental trees and an area of orchard. Mixed woodland containing some magnificent mature trees surrounds the formal gardens and grounds on all sides.

To the south, sweeping round to the west is a swathe of paddocks and park like grounds, with fine open views of surrounding countryside. To the east are park like grounds interspersed spinneys.






Acreage: 63 Acres

Directions

From London proceed on the M11 northbound as far as Junction 9. Take the A11 towards Newmarket joining the A14 for a short while and then rejoin the A11, having passed Newmarket and following the signs for Norwich. At the Barton Mills roundabout take the second exit joining the A1065 towards Brandon and Swaffham. Pass through Brandon and Swaffham. Take the A1065 signposted towards Fakenham. After about 7 miles turn left onto the B1145 signposted towards King’s Lynn. Turn right after about 3 miles signposted towards Great Massingham. Drive through the village of Great Massingham and on through Little Massingham where the drive to Little Massingham Manor will be found after a short distance on the left hand side. The postcode for the property is PE32 2JU.