A fine Grade II listed Georgian country house set in rolling countryside.

Description

HISTORY
The Ryes is a Grade II listed country house in the hamlet of Little Henny on the Essex/Suffolk border. The house was designed by Robert Lugar in 1809 for Nathaniel Barnardiston and features in Nikolaus Pevsner’s architectural guide to “The Buildings of England”. From the late 20th century to 2011 the house was used as a school, after which it was converted back into a private home by the current owners.

The Ryes (originally called The Ryes Lodge) is an elegant Italianate villa constructed to designs by the architect Robert Lugar (c.1773-1855). Lugar was a contemporary of John Nash and practiced in London. He regularly exhibited his work at The Royal Academy. Howard Colvin, a prominent architectural historian, noted that Lugar was a practitioner who exploited the fashion of the picturesque, much in the same manner as Nash. Lugar exhibited a drawing for The Ryes ("Mr. Barnardiston's House") at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 1809.

Later additions to the house, as mentioned in Pevsner’s description, were made to the property in 1884 with designs by E.F.Bishopp, an Ipswich architect commissioned by Colonel Nathaniel Barnardiston (1843 -1919).

The Barnardistons were a well-founded aristocratic family with a long lineage of baronets. There are references held within online genealogy databases suggesting that the family did not relinquish ownership of The Ryes until the late 20th century, possibly when it was sold for conversion to a school.

Main House
Entered via a long gravel driveway, The Ryes is set in an elevated position overlooking rolling countryside. The Ryes is entered via a Doric portico with fluted columns and entablature into a grand hallway with beautiful parquet flooring and original cornicing, The Ryes has a perfect Georgian layout and most of the formal reception rooms surround this hallway. Throughout the house there are high ceilings and bright rooms with thin glassed Georgian sash windows. To the right of the entrance hall is the formal dining room, with marble fireplace, double aspect windows with original shutters and glazed doors which open onto the gardens. The kitchen breakfast room has a stunning bay window with 3 sash windows, hand built kitchen with intricate marble fire place, Aga, Belfast sink, detailed plasterwork cornicing and space for informal dining, just
behind the kitchen down a few steps is a very useable playroom which is perfectly situated close to the kitchen and is currently used as a tv and playroom. Off the back of the kitchen there is a laundry, walk in pantry and gym. Each of the reception rooms is elegant and beautifully finished, there is a study, drawing room with detailed plasterwork ceiling detail. A separate office sits at the end of the hallway which is perfect for many of the family to have space to work from home. There is a generous boot room, with sink and w/c plus a cloakroom also with downstairs loo.

To the first floor there are 7 bedrooms, all of which are en-suite. The principal bedroom has a seating area, large bathroom with his and hers basins, shower and rolltop bath, plus his and hers dressing rooms.

Bell Tower Cottage
Bell Tower Cottage is a one bedroom cottage with kitchen breakfast room downstairs along with family bathroom and a study area and one bedroom upstairs. Enjoying its own approach and front door, including lawned private gardens to the front of the property.

Garden Cottage
A two bedroom integral cottage. The ground floor consists of reception room with separate kitchen. The first floor has two bedrooms, one with a walk in dressing room plus a family bathroom. This element of the house has begun construction but would require the new owners to complete the build.

Location

The Ryes is set in a secluded and private position in an undulating area of countryside on the Essex/Suffolk borders. The hamlet of Little Henny is positioned 2 miles from the River Stour between the market town of Sudbury and the village of Bures. Sudbury, formerly home of Sir Thomas Gainsborough, provides the locality with excellent shops, educational and recreational facilities. Colchester is 14 miles south and provides a much wider range of amenities together with train services to London with a branch line to Sudbury. Recreational facilities in the area include sailing and fishing on the estuaries of the River Stour, Colne and Orwell and golf courses in the vicinity include Newton Green and Stoke by Nayland.

Schooling: There is an excellent choice of schooling in the area. Local independent schools include Littlegarth, Old Buckenham Hall, Holmwood House, Felstead School, Ipswich School, Ipswich High School and Royal Hospital School, as well as two nationally renowned grammar schools in Colchester.

Transport Links: By Rail: Marks Tey– 12 miles (train from 57 minutes to London Liverpool Street)
By Air: Stansted International Airport – 31.4 miles

The nearest train station is in Sudbury, which runs on the Greater Anglia line, and there are frequent services to London Liverpool Street. You can also take the National Express coach service, which runs from Sudbury to London Victoria Coach Station. Alternatively, you can drive to London, taking the A12 and A13, and there are also various local bus services available. Let me know if you need any more information!

Square Footage: 12,156 sq ft


Acreage: 16.57 Acres

Directions

From Sudbury, proceed south on the A131 and enter the hamlet of Bulmer Tye. Take the first left turn onto Ryes Lane. Continue for about 0.5 mile and then turn left and follow the road round and the gates to The Ryes will be seen on the left.