In Norfolk, Ben Rivett of Savills in Norwich is handling the sale of Little Massingham Manor, an impressive Arts-and-Crafts country house set in 63 acres of mature gardens, grounds, woodland and parkland in an unspoilt rural location, close to the picturesque village of Great Massingham in tranquil west Norfolk.
He quotes a guide price of £3.5m for the imposing country house, which enjoys the distinction of being situated between two excellent pubs, The Dabbling Duck at Great Massingham and the Rose and Crown at Harpley.
The manor was built in 1907 by a Harley Street surgeon who retired to the area, only to die there in 1916. When his son also died, in 1919, his widow sold the property to the Dixon- Spain farming family of west Norfolk. Requisitioned by the RAF during the Second World War, the property was sold in 1962 by the Dixon-Spains to a community of nuns, who ran it as a retreat centre until 2001.
The present owners bought the manor in 2008 and embarked on a major programme of refurbishment that included the installation of state-of-the-art electrical, plumbing and heating systems, redecoration and re-plastering throughout, with the addition of a custom-built kitchen and new bathrooms.
In all, Little Massingham Manor offers more than 11,000sq ft of pristine accommodation on three floors, including a 40ft-long reception hall, three main reception rooms
There is also a kitchen/breakfast/dining room, a study, a snug and a garden room, with 11 bedrooms and bathrooms on the first and second floors.
Outside, the Manor Cottage to the south of the main house offers further three-bedroom accommodation and the substantial stable block has potential for conversion to residential use.
To the north-east, a new formal garden of topiary yew has been created by locally based garden designer Claudia Morley.
This part of north-west Norfolk is one of the most favoured areas of the county for pheasant, partridge and duck shooting, and the shooting rights on the Little Massingham estate are in hand. Fly-fishing is also available on the nearby River Narr, a well-known chalk trout stream.
Little Massingham Manor is currently on the market via Savills at an asking price of £3.5 million — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for more details.
Great Massingham: What you need to know
Location: Located in Norfolk, Great Massingham is 13 miles east of King's Lynn and 35 miles to Norwich, in the south east.
Atmosphere: The village of Great Massingham is a peaceful, rural spot which has a post office/village store, a primary school and several large ponds (said to originate from the fish ponds for the 11th Century Augustinian Abbey) . The village has won several awards including a 'CPRE Community Open Spaces' and also has a monthly newsletter written by local residents.
Things to do: There are two highly regarded pubs nearby — The Dabbling Duck in Great Massingham and The Rose and Crown in Harpley. There is a railway station at King's Lynn with connections to London King's Cross. With excellent sailing amongst much of the coast, plus being home to some of the country's best Pheasant, Partridge and Duck shoots, there is plenty to keep you busy.
Schools: The local school is Great Massingham C of E primary with a number of other state and private schools in the surrounding area, including Beeston Hall Preparatory and Gresham's School.
See more property in the area.
Credit: Knight Frank
The best country houses for sale this week
Catch up on the best houses that have come up for sale via Country Life in the last few weeks.
-
A modern masterpiece for sale in Cornwall that's just one mile from the beachHay House combines location, elegance and modern family living to create a special home for the 21st century.
-
'All the floral world wants to do is procreate': Why pollen is nothing to sneeze atPollen often hits the headlines for making us sneeze, but it plays a vital role in far more serious matters.
-
A modern masterpiece for sale in Cornwall that's just one mile from the beach
Hay House combines location, elegance and modern family living to create a special home for the 21st century.
-
A rollercoaster, Bauhaus department store and Brutalist football stand top the latest Buildings at Risk ListThe latest Buildings at Risk List from the Twentieth Century Society has been announced. Sunwin House department store and Blackpool’s Grand National Rollercoaster both feature.
-
Lutyens's last masterpiece comes up for sale in Oxfordshire, with 27 bedrooms and a cricket pitchMiddleton Park in Middleton Stoney is a vast country home that must surely be among the nation's best
-
A 10-bedroom manor house in the heart of the Cotswolds with all the trimmingsWaterton House sits on the edge of Ampney Crucis, and is as elegant as can be.
-
A seven bedroom Buckinghamshire rectory that might be a little hauntedGrade II-listed the Old Rectory is a home of astounding charm and beauty, and comes with a friendly visitor.
-
Over the Hills and Far Away: Robert Plant's Welsh hideaway is up for saleOther notable residents of The Argoed in the Wye Valley include George Bernard Shaw and Beatrice Webb.
-
Period charm and contemporary tastes collide in an eight-bedroom listed home in DurhamMorton House is a rare example of a home where you can have the best of both worlds.
-
A charmingly unspoilt 17th century farmhouse for sale in the Cotswolds' 'Golden Triangle'Finstock Manor was once part of the Cornbury Park Estate and is now an elegant family home.
