An outstanding Grade II Hall (with wonderful gardens and grounds) An established period holiday complex, it really is a glorious country house.


Description

Hopton Hall is a magnificent Grade II listed property set within an idyllic part of Derbyshire which is steeped in history. The estate has been sumptuously re-appointed to a high standard and specification by its current owners over many years. It now comprises a magnificent and comfortable family home with the advantage of a thriving holiday complex business. It is indeed a rare opportunity for the discerning purchaser. The extensive accommodation has retained much of its charm and character with many period features throughout due to its listing and has recently benefitted from a substantial upgrade to the heating system, utilising the facilities of a very economical biomass system.

Listed Grade II, Hopton Hall was in the ownership of the Gell Family from the 15th Century until the late 20th Century. Anthony Gell was granted arms in 1575 and it was he who built the house. Hopton Hall was refashioned in the late 18th Century by Sir John Gell MP who also created the charming Crinkle-Crankle wall. This “ribbon” wall lies on the northern edge to the beautifully restored walled garden with an unusual 30ft high summer house. The main hall boasts many fine historical features including an entrance vestibule surmounted by the Gell Coat of Arms. Some of the final alterations were carried out in the early Twentieth Century and included the building of two stone pavilions of an arts and crafts interpretation of Peak District Jacobean on either side of the entrance. Both are square in section with pyramidal roofs with the one to the east being two storey and the other three storey.

There are finely detailed external elevations with prominent bays and a notable segmental pediment crown in the main south facing elevation. Situated to the west of the main house is a period stable block currently devised as a holiday cottage complex around a central courtyard area.

The extensive accommodation has retained much of its charm and character with many period features throughout due to its listing and has recently benefitted from a substantial upgrade to the heating system, utilising the facilities of a very economical biomass system.

It is a glorious country house, which has a very impressive approach along the gravelled driveway with gated entrance. The entrance of the property has a magnificent panel reception hallway with superb oak staircase. The drawing room is particularly noted as having an early 19th century copy of Elizabethan plasterwork to the ceiling and a superb fireplace. A formal dining room, again with original window shutters has glorious views over the estate. There is a large snooker room and a separate study for home working. The sumptuously appointed living kitchen is fitted with quality units and an Electric Aga. There is a rear vestibule/ utility room with first floor office accommodation above.

There are a range of cloakroom facilities and a very useful laundry used to support the holiday cottage business. The ancillary accommodation to the ground floor provides a large working kitchen for catering facilities for the Snowdrop Walk, a Tea Room and a pub (for private use only, not available to the public). There are also additional storage facilities.

To the first floor there are extensive bedrooms and particular attention is drawn to the principal bedroom, which has magnificent handcrafted, fitted wardrobes together with a superb period en suite bathroom painstakingly appointed to the highest standard. In addition, above the principal bedroom is a gymnasium/sitting room and a en suite and dressing room. There are extensive bedrooms throughout the first floor, many having luxury quality re-appointed en suite facilities. To the second floor there are a range of rooms including bathroom or en suite facilities, bedrooms and storage rooms.

The flexibility of the current layout and Estate allows considerable enhancement of the current income stream or for the Estate to be returned to a private family residence. The estate consists of approx 35 acres of hall grounds, parkland and paddocks, 20 acres of woodland plus sporting rights over an additional 325 acres.

Location

Hopton Hall lies on the edge of the Derbyshire Peak District with southerly views to Carsington Water and with ease of access to Matlock and Ashbourne. Whilst retaining complete privacy, it is a highly unusual estate in that it is located in a thriving village.

Set against the outstanding open countryside of the peak district it is well served with leisure facilities including Carsington Water and the High Peak Trail Which lies to the north of the village.

Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield are all within easy commuting distance and the larger national centres of Birmingham and Manchester lie nearby with good access. East Midlands, Birmingham and Manchester Airports are all within striking distance of the property. The M1 is some 12 miles to the east and the M6 is 35 miles to the west.




Acreage: 50 Acres

Additional Info

There are several finely carved 18th Century fireplaces with marble surrounds. The large dining room, again with shuttered windows and open views also boasts an elegant chimney piece and two fine built in bookcases. There is a superb living family kitchen with an electric Aga and a range of modern units. There is also a stone chimney piece and generous dining and sitting areas. This leads on to a private rear vestibule with utility and preparation room, separate cloakroom and useful storage area over. The magnificent panelled reception area gives access to a hallway from which there is a spacious panelled study and billiards room. Off this hallway are cloakrooms and the laundry.

A rear hallway leads to a second good sized fully fitted dining kitchen with a quality French Le Canche half electric half LPG gas cooker. There are two further reception rooms. The first is used as a tearoom during periods when the grounds are open to the public. The second is a quite superb, private country pub (not open to the public). Extensive ancient cellars lie beneath the house.

On the first floor of the Hall, access from the fine galleried landing leads to the seven principal bedrooms. The larger bedrooms have views across the grounds to Carsington Water and open countryside. The principal bedroom has a two separate bathrooms and a gym. There are three bathrooms to this section of the first floor. The north wing offers a further six bedrooms and three bathrooms plus a historic period panelled room reputed to be one of the oldest in the house. This section is ideal as guest accomadation with secondary staircase access from the ground floor. The staircase also rises to the second floor where there are a further ten rooms, all well laid out and with good head room above. From a first floor side landing there is also access via a strong room door to the storage rooms contained on two floors within the front stone tower. All reception rooms and principal bedrooms have fine southerly views.

The thriving holiday cottage business can be extended by adding further accommodation including converting the Stable Block. In addition the Hall itself could be used for commercial purposes. The Summer Gardens also produce a modest income.

The five cottages within the holiday complex are known as The Butler’s Quarters; The Card House - recently refurbished; The Dovecote; Gardener’s Cottage; and The Granary. They are all sumptuously appointed to the very highest of standards and specification, providing a regular and substantial income. Within the courtyard of the holiday complex there is additional accommodation known as The Stables, currently undeveloped and a communal indoor swimming pool. The Summer Garden also produces a substantial income.

There is a delightful three bedroom detached Estate Manager’s Cottage. The gardens and grounds extend to approximately 50 acres including the Walled Garden which is open to the public during the summer months and the snowdrop season. There is an extensive lawned area, private lake and mature trees. There is a manège/yard for additional parking, two large storage facilities one housing the biomass and three purpose built stables. A recently constructed car storage for up to six vehicles, there are also shooting rights over 325 acres.