September is a magical month in the Cotswolds — and all the more so should you have the fortune to live in a home like North Rye House near Donnington, Gloucestershire.
This handsome Cotswold stone house is set in 148 acres of gardens, pasture, parkland and woodland, a mile from the pretty village of Broadwell, and 1½ miles north of Stow-on-the-Wold. It’s for sale through Knight Frank at a guide price of £7.5 million for the beautifully maintained house and farm.
North Rye House was the dream home of J. D. (David) Summers, who, in 1960, had his new house built in the style of a traditional Cotswold manor house in an idyllic setting on part of his Little Barrow estate.
The design, meticulously executed by a builder from Moreton-in-Marsh, was cutting-edge, with all manner of ‘mod-cons’, such as underfloor heating and a central vacuum system.
High-quality woodwork was a feature throughout, with panelling in the drawing room and dining room creating an elegant backdrop for both formal and informal occasions — of which there would be many over the years.
In the early 1980s, North Rye House was owned by Rosie, Marchioness of Northampton, from whom the present owners, Peter and Joanna Stoddart, took over. Forced to leave their Buckinghamshire home when it was compulsorily purchased by the Milton Keynes Development Corporation, they managed to buy North Rye House privately from Lady Northampton and moved there in 1986.
North Rye House has remained very much as it was when first built, although land surrounding the house was exchanged to create what is today a protected oasis of almost 150 acres of pasture and one field of arable, currently farmed under a grazing agreement and farm business tenancy by local farmers.
Approached along a sweeping main drive lined with an oak avenue planted in 2012 to mark The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, North Rye House offers 6,138sq ft of elegant accommodation, including an impressive reception hall, four fine reception rooms, a kitchen/breakfast room, master- and guest-bedroom suites, five further bedrooms, two bathrooms and a separate two-bedroom flat.
Secondary buildings include a three-bedroom cottage, a gardener’s workshop and wood store and, to the left of the tennis court, the stable yard with nine stables, a tack room, a feed store and a former horsebox garage.
During the Stoddarts’ tenure, the immaculate gardens surrounding the house were created and maintained by a succession of talented gardeners, with guidance and direction from Mrs Stoddart.
Over the years, both house and garden have been the setting for celebrations large and small. As the Stoddarts’ son, Clive, observes: ‘My father would never have left North Rye under his own steam, but it’s now right, although sad, to pass on the mantle to another owner who, we hope, will enjoy and cherish what has been the happiest of homes for the past 34 years.’
North Rye House is for sale through Knight Frank at £7.5m.
Where to live in the Cotswolds: A guide to choosing the perfect spot
Where in the Cotswolds should you move to? The answer will depend on what is more important to you and
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
-
'To exist in this world relies on the hands of others': Roger Powell and modern British bookbindingAn exhibition on the legendary bookbinder Roger Powell reveals not only his great skill, but serves to reconnect us with the joy, power and importance of real craftsmanship.
-
Spam: The tinned meaty treat that brought a taste of the ‘hot-dog life of Hollywood’ to war-weary BritainCourtesy of our ‘special relationship’ with the US, Spam was a culinary phenomenon, says Mary Greene. So much so that in 1944, London’s Simpson’s, renowned for its roast beef, was offering creamed Spam casserole instead.
-
A mini estate in Kent that's so lovely it once featured in Simon Schama's 'History of Britain'The Paper Mill estate is a picture-postcard in the Garden of England.
-
Hidden excellence in a £7.5 million north London homeBehind the traditional façades of Provost Road, you will find something very special.
-
Sip tea and laugh at your neighbours in this seaside Norfolk home with a watchtowerOn Cliff Hill in Gorleston, one home is taller than all the others. It could be yours.
-
A Grecian masterpiece that might be one of the nation's finest homes comes up for sale in KentGrade I-listed Holwood House sits in 40 acres of private parkland just 15 miles from central London. It is spectacular.
-
Some of the finest landscapes in the North of England with a 12-bedroom home attachedUpper House in Derbyshire shows why the Kinder landscape was worth fighting for.
-
Could Gruber's Antiques from Paddington 2 be your new Notting Hill home?It was the home of Mr Gruber and his antiques in the film, but in the real world, Alice's Antiques could be yours.
-
What should 1.5 million new homes look like?The King's recent visit to Nansledan with the Prime Minister gives us a clue as to Labour's plans, but what are the benefits of traditional architecture? And can they solve a housing crisis?
-
Welcome to the modern party barn, where disco balls are 'non-negotiable'A party barn is the ultimate good-time utopia, devoid of the toil of a home gym or the practicalities of a home office. Modern efforts are a world away from the draughty, hay-bales-and-a-hi-fi set-up of yesteryear.
