Located just off the side of Church Street in Martock, Somerset, is Court House, a 15th century property ‘of Historical National Importance and Significance’ according to the agents.
Set within a west-facing plot of just over 0.2 acres, the house showcases plank and muntin screens, original stone fireplaces, stunning Jacobean oak panelling, stained glass windows and a magnificent 17 ft Tudor inglenook fireplace, to name but a few.
Built in the late 15th century by Margaret Beaufort, the mother of Henry VII, the house was originally the town Court House — as the name suggests. After this, it was sold to William Strode of Barrington who turned it into a schoolhouse. The Strode coat of arms and motto — ‘Neglect not thy opportunities’ — is still visible above the door today.
The author Daniel Defoe visited the school in the 1725 and was said to be so astonished by the student’s Somerset accents that he wrote about it in his book A Tour Thro’ the Whole Island of Great Britain.
Evidence of the schoolhouse days are still apparent throughout the house today, with holes in the window sills once used for playing marbles and childhood graffiti carved into the stone.
Over the following years, Court House was used for a number of different purposes, from a lending library, to the Martock Women’s Institute; a brief stint as a school again during World War II, to finally being converted to a private home in the 1970s.
You’ll find generous and comfortable accommodation set out over three floors, with six bedrooms and four reception rooms (including the large ‘court room’). The exposed stone wall kitchen with its red AGA, pine kitchen units and heavy ceiling beams is especially charming — but there really are so many wonderful corners of this home to discover.
Outside a gated gravelled driveway leads to a double garage and the rear garden, behind which is a newly thatched piggery which is currently used as a timber store.
Court House stands in the historic conservation area at the heart of the village of Martock. Home to pretty Hamstone houses and charming cottages, the village has a great range of facilities, including a post office, supermarket, several shops, bakers, doctor’s surgery, amongst others.
Yeovil (about eight miles) and Taunton (just over 20 miles) offers further facilities, and there are many great schools in the area with Millfield School, Taunton School and King’s College.
The sellers, writers Fiona and Peter Salmon, have a simple wish for future owners, hoping for ‘someone who will love it as much as we do.’ Given the spectacular historical features, charming village setting and rich history, it’ll be hard not to.
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
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country LifeWe take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
Exploring the countryside is essential for our wellbeing, but Right to Roam is going backwardsCampaigners in England often point to Scotland as an example of how brilliantly Right to Roam works, but it's not all it's cracked up to be, says Patrick Galbraith.
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country Life
We take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producersStormzy, Rihanna and the Rolling Stones are just a part of the story at Osea Island, a dot on the map in the seas off Essex.
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in KentNorth Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
-
A rare opportunity to own a family home on Vanbrugh Terrace, one of London's finest streetsThis six-bedroom Victorian home sits right on the start line of the London Marathon, with easy access to Blackheath and Greenwich Park.
-
A tale of everyday life as lived on Britain's most expensive streetWinnington Road in Hampstead has an average house price of £11.9 million. But what's it really like? Lotte Brundle went to find out.
-
Damon Hill's former home in Marbella is the perfect place to slow downThe glorious Andalusian-style villa is found within the Lomas de Marbella Club and just a short walk from the beach.
-
A 327-acre estate in the heart of 'England’s Côte d’Or', with a 26,000sq ft Georgian style home at its heartStokes Hall in the Crouch Valley is an inspiring property looking for a new owner.
-
Schreiber House, 'the most significant London townhouse of the second half of the 20th century', is up for saleThe five-bedroom Modernist masterpiece sits on the edge of Hampstead Heath.
