A gorgeous country home with grace, space and an original medieval moat
East Donyland Hall has come to the market, a superb home set in 83 acres. Penny Churchill takes a look within.


Tim Phillips of Savills country department is overseeing the sale, at a guide price of £5.75m, of elegant, Grade II-listed East Donyland Hall set in 83 acres of parkland, woods and farmland running down to the Roman River and saltmarsh near the quiet rural village of Fingringhoe, five miles southeast of Colchester in the heart of Roman Essex.
The first record of a house on the site was in 1463, followed in 1638 by that of a mansion house built around the medieval core and encircled by the moat that still exists today.
In 1730, David Gansel, an architect, acquired the property, had the house re-fronted in the Queen Anne style and built a model farm opposite the house with three matching listed buildings with pedimented gables comprising the stables, dairy and brew house.
He also laid out a park and planted many cedar trees, some of which are still standing.
The classic Georgian interior provides some 6,535sq ft of free-flowing accommodation on three floors, including an entrance hall with a fine 18th-century staircase, four main reception rooms, a conservatory and a kitchen/breakfast room.
There is a principal bedroom suite, four further bedrooms and two bathrooms on the first floor, and two further bedrooms on the floor above. There is also a two-room cellar, with access from the study.
Further accommodation is available in the two-bedroom gate lodge, and two pretty estate cottages.
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Approached along a private tree-lined drive, the Hall sits well within its setting, surrounded by lovely landscaped gardens. In all, the estate comprises some 21,000sq ft of houses and buildings, of which 10,000sq ft of farm buildings have potential for development, the agents say.
East Donyland Hall, Essex, is up for sale at £5.75m — see more details and pictures.
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
-
What £1 million buys you across Britain, from a Cornish cottage to a miniature castle in the Highlands
Sprawling country houses, a mini-estate in Scotland and homes where the sea almost laps up at your feet are among the property options open to those with a seven-figure budget. Here's our pick of the best £1 million houses for sale across the land.
By Toby Keel Published
-
England and the 1966 World Cup — which was stolen and later recovered by a dog called Pickles
In celebration of the footballing talents of Country Life's guest editor Sir David Beckham, we look back at the summer of 1966, when the England national team was on top of the world.
By James Fisher Published
-
What £1 million buys you across Britain, from a Cornish cottage to a miniature castle in the Highlands
Sprawling country houses, a mini-estate in Scotland and homes where the sea almost laps up at your feet are among the property options open to those with a seven-figure budget. Here's our pick of the best £1 million houses for sale across the land.
By Toby Keel Published
-
The Hampshire home of a Victoria Cross-winning British WWI ace fighter pilot is for sale, with lake, chapel and some of the best fishing rights in England
Penny Churchill looks at Longparish House, a north Hampshire haven on the River Test.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
Five superb country homes, from under £1 million to £20 million, as seen in Country Life
Our look at some the best homes to come up for sale via Country Life in the past week includes a Wiltshire dream home and a vast Kent mansion that's an easy commute to the City.
By Toby Keel Published
-
Rock stars and the country house: Liam Gallagher's life in the Cotswolds is in the finest tradition of music A-listers, from The Beatles to Beyoncé
What is it about the British countryside that draws A-listers from every walk of life? With Liam Gallagher's Cotswold former home on the market, Toby Keel takes a look.
By Toby Keel Published
-
Life on Portugal's Coast of Kings, where Ian Fleming met the triple-agent whose gambling inspired 'Casino Royale'
Once a quiet fishing village west of Lisbon, Cascais became an unlikely hive of activity during the Second World War, attracting regal refugees and intelligence operatives in equal measure. Russell Higham investigates its enduring glamour — and its connection to Casino Royale.
By Russell Higham Published
-
An extraordinary Italian palazzo built in the heart of Oxfordshire is up for sale at £16 million
The Palazzo Pallavicini in Genoa inspired the creation of Newington House, which is on the market for the first time in 35 years.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
A bum deal on a bog-standard property? The former public conveniences being sold off for a song
London has several affordable properties with enviable postcodes and great lighting... so long as you're happy spending more than a penny on a Victorian loo.
By Toby Keel Published
-
A castle for sale just down the road from Gleneagles, where everyone from George VI to a farmer and his pigs once roamed the grand halls
Orchil Castle has seen it all in a tumultuous century and a half — but it's getting back to its best, and now needs a brave new owner to take it on the next step of its journey.
By Toby Keel Published