8 bedroom detached house for sale

Most handsome Elizabethan Manor House and cottages in landscaped gardens and parkland of about 21.6 acres.

Description

West Hall is a justifiably listed Grade I Elizabethan manor house situated in a secluded part of rural Dorset. The property is accessed via a long drive from the centre of the village of Longburton which sweeps through parkland and gardens surrounding the house, providing a wonderful sense of arrival as you approach. A secondary drive provides access for tenants, staff and deliveries to the north of the house. The house is constructed in the traditional style for a house of this age, of mainly stone walls with ashlar quoins under a stone tiled roof. West Hall is in the main Elizabethan and has undergone a series of alterations and extensions over the centuries, the irregular fenestration adds a unique charm and character to the house.

There are a wealth of architectural details and features, including stone copings bearing finials and ashlar chimney stacks, mullioned windows, moulded round archways and a wonderful heavy oak front door. The door bears the mark of historical axe damage, thought to date back to the English Civil War. Internally the house has a number of 17th and 18th century fireplaces, a beautiful oak staircase from the 17th century, round headed arches, bolection moulded panelling and some 17th and 18th century glass. The accommodation is well suited to both family living and entertaining. The principal rooms in West Hall are impressive with a number being of particular note due to the prominence of their internal features including the Great Hall, sitting room and dining room

The Flats & West Hall Cottages
The North West wing of the house has been arranged to create two independent flats which could equally be incorporated back into the main house at ground and first floor level.

To the north of West Hall lies an old outbuilding which is Grade II listed and has been converted into three attractive cottages. With 17th century origins, the cottages are of a vernacular style similar to West Hall itself.

A charming old stone flagged walkway wraps around the majority of the house with a magnificent
courtyard terrace to the south west of the house, ideal for alfresco dining and enhanced by lovely pergola draped in wisteria and with clematis and climbing roses adorning the courtyard walls. There is a particularly impressive walk flanked by yew topiary leading to a pretty stone bridge over a stream to the park beyond. The principal gardens and grounds lie to the south and west of the house with the formal gardens enclosed in part by established yew hedges, some of which have been cleverly re-positioned to align with doorways of the house. One impressive brick garden wall around the croquet lawn is Grade II listed and enhances the magical feel of this historical property. The stream has been diverted through the gardens creating an attractive feature with walkways through the woods leading to secluded areas of lawn. The gardens have well stocked herbaceous and shrub borders and of particular note are the wonderful gunneras lining the stream edge. There are a number of magnificent specimen trees including copper beech, horse chestnut and sycamore. The outdoor swimming pool is enclosed by a handsome brick wall with a large pool house providing a bar, seating area and cloakroom. To the north east of the house is a hard tennis court sheltered by a wide hedge.

Outbuildings
Forming part of the courtyard to the north of the house is a double garage (with possible potential for conversion to a fourth cottage STPP & LBC) and some traditional store rooms including a fruit store and gardener’s cloakroom. To the south east of West Hall is a further outbuilding which adjoins the extensive vegetable gardens comprising a potting shed and garden stores. There are three greenhouses and a number of cold frames.

Stable Yard
A courtyard of stabling provides for eight horses with a water supply to each loose box. In addition there is a secure tack room, feed room and a large double height covered horse lorry park.

Land
Beyond the stream bordering the gardens and grounds to the west is a large area of parkland extending to about 8.6 acres, partly enclosed by dry stone walls and mature hedging. The main drive sweeps through this parkland and then through the gardens to the east façade of West Hall. Beyond the parkland lies a further area of pasture extending to about seven acres, flanking the drive from the village of Longburton.

Location

West Hall occupies a splendid secluded position in the small parish of Folke, between the village of Longburton to the west and the hamlet of Folke to the east.

Longburton has The Rose and Crown, a popular public house, and the pretty Church of St James and Sherborne, just 3.5 miles to the north provides an extensive range of shopping, educational and recreational facilities.

Other towns within easy reach include the County town of Dorchester, Yeovil, Blandford Forum, Shaftesbury, Castle Cary and the seaside resort of Weymouth on the south coast.

Much of the Dorset coastline is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known as the Jurassic Coast. Communications in the area include regular train services from Sherborne to London Waterloo (about 2¼ hours) and Castle Cary to Paddington (about 1½ hours).

The A303 provides a major link road to the west and east towards London. Airports at Bristol, Bournemouth and Exeter provide a comprehensive range of international
and domestic flights.

Sporting & Recreation
Sporting pursuits in the area include National Hunt racing at Wincanton and Taunton, flat racing at Bath and Salisbury, water sports, sailing and sea fishing along the Dorset coastline and golf at Sherborne, Yeovil and Dorchester (Came Down).

West Hall falls within the area covered by the Blackmore Vale Hunt and there is a fabulous network of footpaths and bridleways in the area.

Education
The area is highly regarded for the quality of its schooling including Port Regis, Sandroyd and Hazlegrove prep schools the Sherborne schools (junior & senior), public schools include Leweston, Canford, Millfield, Milton Abbey and Bryanston.

Square Footage: 11,021 sq ft


Acreage: 21.6 Acres

Directions

From Sherborne head south towards Dorchester on the (A352) for about three miles and into the village of Longburton. Turn left between the pub and the Church and the drive to West Hall is directly ahead of you. Where the drive splits Keep right (onto the gravelled drive), over the cattle grid and follow this driveway through the park and the gardens where it will terminate at the front (east) of the house, where there is ample parking.

Additional Info

Council Tax Band H

All properties have mains water and electricity and are linked to a private septic tank with treatment plant. The main house, flats and cottages have oil fired central heating with the exception of Number three West Hall Cottages which has electric night storage heaters. The water supply to the stables is metered. The swimming pool is heated by way of a heat exchanger. Please note that the working condition of any of the services or kitchen appliances have not been checked by the agents but at the time of taking particulars we were informed they were all in working order.

Tenancies
The Flat and Cottage No.three West Hall Cottages are currently let. Further information is available from the vendors agent.

Easements, Wayleaves and Rights of Way
The property is offered as appropriate with rights of way either public or private, wayleaves, easements and other rights of way, whether these are specifically referred to or not. West Hall has a right of access down part of the drive to the north of the house, through the farm gate at West Hall Farm to Broke Lane and the Farm has a similar right of access across that part of the drive owned by West Hall leading from the village of Longburton. West Hall Farm has a private right of way for agricultural purposes only across part of the field and parkland. There is a public footpath down the
first part of the tarmac drive from the village.

Solar PV panels
We are advised in May 2010, the owners installed eighteen (18) 4kW panels, connected to a single phase supply. The scheme is connected to the National Grid at the top ‘Feed-in-Tariff’ rate. Further information is available from the vendors agent

Agents Note
There is a covenant on the property, restricting business use.