An Architecturally stunning Grade II listed period home, requiring refurbishment/modernisation, set within 3.75 acres of mature Botanic Grounds.

What We Think at The Zoe Napier Group

A fabulous project opportunity for the incoming buyer.  The house is a prominent Country home with high ceilings and all the ingredients to recreate a historic building to its former splendour, notwithstanding the mature Botanical Collection and artistic horticultural features in the meandering grounds. Ready for immediate occupation with probate having already been granted. Please see the important agent's notes reference safety when viewing.

What the Sellers Say 

This is a quintessentially English period home, now ready to have some attention. The reception rooms and grounds deliver a wonderful nostalgic ambiance. The former occupants enjoyed the most stunning sunsets from the rear grounds that were perfect for entertaining friends and family. Moreton is a charming village and to have such a setting yet be so close to Epping Underground station is a superb bonus.

History & Background

An Architecturally stunning Grade II listed period home, requiring refurbishment/modernisation, set within 3.75 acres of mature south, and west-facing Grounds containing decades of Botanic collection. Believed to date back in part to the 18th century with a rear 19th Century addition and is noted as a former Coaching Inn & Posting House. The house still has external and internal cellars, a serving pulley to the first-floor former guest rooms, and the former stables (converted to office and storages) lie adjacent, which once rested the Coaching Horses on their journeys into The Great Smoke of London.

The style of large sash and bay windows in this property allows natural light to flow through the accommodation providing the most warm and welcoming home environment. Fireplaces further feature with the Classical elements of attractive hard flooring and a long central hallway with a symmetrical rear external door leading out onto upper terraces from which to best enjoy the setting.

The property still enjoys that superb feeling of exclusivity and nostalgia, featuring its classical high ceilings and symmetrical layout with wonderful period features to the beautiful, secluded grounds and gardens.   

Setting & Location

This property is conveniently located in a rural setting north of the Essex village of Moreton that lies almost equidistant between Chelmsford and Brentwood and just 6.5 miles from Epping.

Over the years, Moreton has become one of the most sought-after locations in Essex due to its rare, combined offering of a rural village lifestyle with easy access to London commuting links via Epping London Underground, Harlow Mill overground, the M11, and Stansted Airport. The immediate local area offers extensive countryside surroundings and there is a network of public footpaths and county walks. Local conveniences and great pub restaurants can be found in Moreton and nearby Chipping Ongar and Epping each offering a range of shopping facilities and town amenities.

There are a range of local schools to accommodate the area with Moreton C of E Primary, Dr Walker’s C of E Primary, Ongar Primary School, and the Ongar Academy. The proximity to Brentwood and Chelmsford offers the opportunity to some of the County’s best state and private schools, as well as access links for the new fast-track Elizabeth Line from Shenfield.

Epping Station 6.6 miles (journey time to Stratford 28 minutes & London Liverpool Street 39 minutes)* Harlow Mill 7.4 miles (journey time to London Liverpool Street 37 minutes* Chipping Ongar 3.2 miles*  Fyfield 3 miles* Stansted Airport 16.4 miles* Brentwood 10.5 miles* Chelmsford 13.6 miles*   

Ground Floor Accommodation

There is an instant charming period ambiance from entering the main front door into an impressive long front to the back of the house hallway with the elegance of high ceilings and wooden flooring, combined with a fine spindled part galleried staircase with understairs access to the cellar below. The theme of high ceilings continues throughout the property, further enhanced by the stunning feature windows, period fireplaces, and wooden flooring. The ground floor rooms include a spacious and bright dual aspect country kitchen with high ceilings and skylighted breakfast area. Contained within the kitchen area is an AGA, Butler sink, a range of base level units and larder. Just off the kitchen is a separate, large laundry room. On the opposite side of the hallway is the most impressive dual aspect dining room with floor to ceiling windows and French Doors to the side of the gardens. Continuing along the hallway and on the right is corridor access to a separate cloakroom with WC and a rather quirky pot planting room that leads out to the gardens.  At the far end of the hallway to the right is a wonderful dual aspect sitting room with feature fireplace and views over the grounds. Opposite the sitting room is access to the most fantastic bright dual aspect living room with a stunning feature fireplace, beautiful bay window offering garden views and French Doors leading to the rear patio and gardens. The living room has a second entrance that leads through past the utility room and returning to the kitchen.

First Floor Accommodation

An impressive turning staircase leads to the first floor and its brightly lit dual aspect landing that provides access to four large double bedrooms and a large family bathroom. The dual aspect principal bedroom benefits from having an en-suite bathroom and walk in wardrobes A large Bay window enjoys the views over the South-West facing gardens. A further bedroom benefits from having jack and jill en-suite access with the family bathroom. As with the ground floor accommodation, high ceilings and natural light are the consistent feature of the upstairs accommodation.

 Grounds

In front of the property and besides the former stables, garages and other outbuildings is off road parking for up to six vehicles. To the side of the main property is outside access to a large and very useful basement area. The grounds have overgrown in the past year or so, but we have images from 2021 which show how spectacular they were not so long ago and potentially how they can be brought back to their former glory. The grounds to the rear enjoy a South-West orientation with diverse segmented areas including an old kitchen garden that features a delightful, naturally arched laburnum and orchard walk that aptly portrays the romantic era of this period home. Within the orchard walk are apple, plum and green gage trees. There is also patio terrace area that provides wonderful views over the expansive lawn area towards the two ornamental ponds with a summer house and pier. These ponds host a variety of migratory birds during the year and further feature Bull Rushes.

The surrounding woodland borders provide wonderful privacy and seclusion to the grounds that contain a diverse array of spectacular Botanical Collections of rare trees and shrubs, including two weeping elms to the rear of the pond, a variety of established Bamboo, Torched Hazel, Paper Bark Maple, an Autumn Blaze Acer, Tulip Tree, Dawn Redwood and a Hungarian Oak.  In Autumn the rear gardens display the most amazing range of colours through a vivid red 'Autumn Blaze', whilst other leaves of the Acers on the main lawn turn into reds, coppers, and yellows, with some of the most impressive trees being three Gingo Bilobas that turn a striking buttercup yellow. To the far corner is a bog garden and other areas include established fruit trees.

There are also Evergreen oaks that hold their leaves throughout the Winter and a couple of established specimens to the side and back of the house including a magnificent Cedar of Lebanon at least 150 years old and a fabulous 70-year-old Horse Chestnut. Furthermore, a flourishing juvenile Chestnut Tree was originally grown from a single conker at 'Kew Gardens'

Within the grounds there are simply too many tree and shrub species to name, but it is fair to say that one could not ask for a more spectacular and diverse botanical setting to complement such a wonderful period property. 

Agents Notes

Probate has been applied for, so exchange of contracts cannot take place until this has been formally granted.

• We believe the house is Grade II listed under the name of Crispins which was an original Inn and posting house circa C18th century. The property was extended to the rear in C19th century. List Entry Number 1111277
• The Private drainage system is assumed to require updating to a 2021 compliant system.
• IMPORTANT INFORMATION WHEN VIEWING – This property is not suitable for children to attend when viewing as there are too many hazardous materials, such as some broken glass, unstable structures (including bridges and piers over the water which could collapse), loose tiles and slippery unstable steps into the outside cellar, amongst other hazards. Viewers are advised to wear sensible shoes and take much care when walking the grounds.
• The selling agents hold images of the gardens in 2021 which will contain evidence of the Botanical collection and huge varieties of rare, mature specimen trees, bamboo and to further, demonstrate the recent former splendour of the grounds which could be recovered to their former glory.

Services

Mains Gas

Mains Water

Mains Electricity

Private Drainage

PLEASE NOTE THAT SOME OF THE EXTERIOR SHOTS WERE TAKEN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO 

PLEASE CALL FOR FULL BROCHURE