The sleepy North Yorkshire village of Gilling West, three miles or so north from the historic Georgian market town of Richmond, at the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales, was so named to distinguish it from Gilling East in Ryedale, some 32 miles away.
Mentioned in the Domesday Book as Ghellinges, it was a seat of the Kings of Deira as part of the Anglian kingdom of Northumbria in the 7th century, and was ruled by the Earls of Mercia from the 9th century until the Norman Conquest, when the lands were given to William the Conqueror’s kinsman Alan Rufus. It’s in this village that you’ll find Gilling Lodge, a handsome Grade II-listed property that’s listed by Knight Frank at £2.5 million.
This mid-18th-century country house was originally built for the Roper family and set in more than an acre of grounds on the edge of the village, with lovely views over its formal gardens and the surrounding countryside.
Beautifully restored to National Trust guidelines by its present owners, the house is ready to move into, a boon in these difficult times for a buyer who may not relish the unknown expense and hassle of a major renovation project.
The present incumbents have done all the heavy lifting, replacing the roof and chimneystacks, rewiring and replumbing throughout and installing a brand-new central-heating system, including underfloor heating and wooden floors on the ground floor — after all, this lovely part of scenic North Yorkshire can be chilly at times. The house also benefits from a Lutron lighting system, future-proof CAT wiring and audio-visual system, integrated CCTV and Banham security.
Most significantly, perhaps, the house benefits from super-fast broadband, with the added advantage of the network exchange being located alongside the perimeter of the property.
Gilling Lodge offers more than 6,300sq ft of well-organised living space, including five reception rooms, six bedrooms, five bathrooms, a cinema room and a wood-panelled study — ideal for working from home.
The heart of the house is a large custom-built kitchen/diner overlooking the garden, with bespoke wooden joinery, Italian marble and granite surfaces, built-in Gaggenau fridges, a Miele dishwasher and a five-door electric Aga.
French doors from the dining room lead to the walled garden, croquet lawn and outdoor fireplace the perfect place to while away a lazy summer evening.
Gilling Lodge is for sale at £2.5m — see more pictures or request more details from the agents, Knight Frank.
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
-
The century-old enamelling technique used to create Van Cleef's lucky ladybird brooch — which has something in common with Country LifeThe technique used in the jeweller's Geneva workshop has been put to good use in its latest creation.
-
‘The best sleep in the sky’: What it’s like to fly in United’s Polaris cabin, approved by American icon Martha StewartUnited’s Business Class cabin goes by the name Polaris and Martha Stewart is a fan. So, how does it fare?
-
18 magnificent homes for sale from £550k to £20 million, as seen in Country LifeFrom a charming thatched cottage to a 300-acre estate with its own vineyard, here's our pick of places to come to the market via Country Life of late.
-
If heaven is on earth, it might be in this home with a converted chapel that is now a swimming pool5 Wood Barton Town House is part of an exclusive 80-acre development in Devon that also comes with fishing rights on the River Avon and four bedrooms.
-
The sounds of spring and stained glass in an Arts-and-Crafts masterpiece in DorsetWith 35 acres, more than 10 bedrooms, a swimming pool and tennis court, Winterfield has it all.
-
An eight-bedroom wonder in East Sussex where the outdoors are an adventureThe interiors of Old Middleton are pretty good too.
-
A lakeside farmhouse on the market in the beautiful heart of PembrokeshireA lake, streams, 15 acres and five bedrooms. Rogershook might have it all.
-
An idyllic countryside home that's light, spacious and comes with a Grade II-listed follyHagg House is a gorgeous family home that just happens to have a miniature castle in the gardens. Annabel Dixon explains more.
-
A historic villa for sale on the Via Nomentana worthy of Rome's rich historyThree floors, lots of balconies, and a private garden in one of Rome's loveliest neighbourhoods.
-
Eight bedrooms of unlisted Edwardian elegance with sweeping views of SomersetAshton House sits near the market town of Chard and comes with a wealth of amenities both inside and out.
