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.
-
Why don't we know how long the UK coastline is?Welcome to the Coastline Paradox, where trying to find an accurate answer is more of a hindrance than a help.
-
The Country Life guide to Somerset: What to do, where to stay and how to eatSomerset is rich in natural beauty and history, but it is its wealth of small-scale food and drink producers, farmers and makers that really set it apart from the competition. Find out how to make the most of it all with our indispensable guide.
-
Classical style meets fun and flair in a seven-bedroom manor in CornwallAt Polstrong Manor, the current owners have combined period charm and elegant modern interiors to create a flamboyant country home 10-minutes from the beach.
-
Two halves make a sublime four-bedroom home in Kent's North DownsA contemporary extension to a traditional clapboard house brings light and life to Lavington House.
-
The week in property statistics: Service charges reach record highPlus, how first-time buyers prop up the mortgage market, why you need to move north if you want to live by yourself, and house-price growth slows
-
A seven-bedroom oast house for sale in East Sussex, where your dreams can run riotUnlisted, yet full of character, this property in the High Weald National Landscape is an eccentrically furnished family home that screams fun.
-
Character, history and comfort combine in a four-bedroom farmhouse in NorfolkWillow Farm near Southburgh is that rarest of things — a perfect combination of period charm and modern elegance in some of England's best countryside.
-
A Grade I-listed Georgian townhouse that's part of the fabric of Bath's historyWith 5,500sq ft set over six floors in the centre of Britain's most architecturally rich city, there is much to love here.
-
17 delightful homes for sale, as seen in Country LifeOur round-up of some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life this week includes a wonderful Cotswolds home and a happily affordable cottage in the West Country.
-
'This is the most money you'll spend on anything ever': The things that really matter when buying your first home in LondonIt’s easy to dream of what the ideal first-home in London might be, but when the cost of living in the capital is this expensive, being near a Gail's isn't as important as you think it is.
