5 bedroom house for sale

One of the most desirable country houses in North Yorkshire with superb garden and grounds, cottages, outbuildings and land.

The Old Rectory is regarded as one of North Yorkshire’s finest country houses and sits at the edge of the village surrounded on all sides by the undulating countryside of the Howardian Hills. Part Elizabethan and part Regency, the original house dates from 1565 and the fine Georgian front dates from 1807. In recent years, the entire property has benefited from significant updates and improvements, including The Coach House, which has been developed into a substantial annexe. This landmark country house enjoys a bucolic setting within a small dale, and comes with cottages, outbuildings and land.

Principal house: entrance and staircase hall, 3 reception rooms, cloakroom, kitchen and breakfast room, games room, laundry, office. Wine cellar. Principal bedroom with en suite dressing room and bathroom, 4 further bedrooms (1 with en suite bathroom), house bathroom, separate wc.

Detached cottage, detached coach house annexe, attached cottage
Stables, barn garaging, workshop, general purpose building
Gardens and grounds, tennis court, woodland, paddock, stream-fed lake with summer house

In all some 22.4 acres
(18.3 acres of adjoining grassland available by separate negotiation)

Additional Information - The Old Rectory has a beautifully proportioned Regency front in ashlar stone with a central panelled door and fanlight that opens to an imposing central entrance hall with stone flagged floor. Two elegant reception rooms sit either side of the hall, each impressive in proportion and finish with Regency interiors that include elaborate plasterwork, panelling, fireplaces and tall sash windows that face the gardens and grounds. The dining room has a hob grate fireplace and the drawing room is double aspect with a wood-burning stove housed in an ornately decorated timber fire surround.

The kitchen is part open plan to the breakfast room and together the rooms create a superb family living space. The country kitchen is fitted with modern units, granite worktops, a double Butler sink, an oil-fired Aga and separate electric oven with gas & electric hob. The breakfast room offers ample space for a family-sized dining table and sofa, has oak flooring and a pair of handsome full height 18-pane sash windows facing the garden and hills beyond. Alongside the kitchen is the laundry/utility with pantry cupboard, a large cloakroom and separate office. The cellars have a good head height and are useful for wine storage.

The western wing of the property was formerly thatched and dates back to the sixteenth century. It has retained the beautiful arched stone mullion windows with head moulds above. The sitting room is an appealing room with an exposed ceiling beam, a series of five arched windows facing south, and a wood burning stove within a stone surround.

The principal staircase in the central hall is wide with shallow treads and has a mahogany handrail with volute and turned spindles; it passes an arched window on the half landing and rises to the Regency landing flanked by two bedroom suites. Both rooms feature tall sash windows with window seats overlooking the gardens and grounds. The principal bedroom suite has a dressing room and elegant bathroom with a walk-in shower, Catchpole and Rye fittings and a freestanding bath from The Albion Bath Co. Bedroom 2 has wall-to-wall fitted wardrobes and an en suite bathroom with a double vanity unit and bath.

The landing has a library area, ideal for children, and the rooms show their Elizabethan origins with exposed beams and arched stone mullion windows. There are three charming bedrooms, one with an ornate fireplace and one with fitted wardrobes. In addition, there is a separate WC and a characterful house bathroom with a freestanding Albion bath, a sink and heated towel rail. This is a hugely versatile part of the house with a connecting door to the first floor of the attached annexe.

Outside - The Old Rectory has high stone walls on the lane boundaries. Two gravelled drives approach the house, one sweeping to the front and one to the rear of the house, passing through secure electric timber gates in stone posts with ball finials. Flanked by a high mellow wall and mature hedge, this long drive leads to a cobbled forecourt and turning circle and continues to the outbuildings.

The elegant front elevation of the house is adorned with roses and faces its parkland gardens and an all-weather tennis court with 2.75m high fencing, enclosed within a ha-ha. A traditional walled garden with a lofty, southwest facing wall is bordered by two conservatories/potting sheds with power and water, one with a mature grape vine. There are fruit trees trained against the wall and a sunny, paved terrace with a built-in cast iron barbeque. Alongside is a formal herb garden where the canopy of a seasoned fig tree and provides some dappled shade. The sweeping lawn is scattered with clipped shrubs and broad leaf trees including oak, silver birch and copper beech along with an evergreen holly.

The orchard is part walled and has a variety of fruit bushes and trees as well as raised beds. Beyond lies a small, enclosed area ideal for hens. ‘Oliver’s Field’ on the northern boundary provides separate road access.

The stream-fed wildlife lake sits beyond the ha-ha and post and rail fencing and provides opportunities for boating; it comes with a charming summer house and pontoon. Beyond the gardens are areas of grassland with wildflower meadows, an avenue of black poplar trees and a section of woodland on the southern boundary, underplanted with bluebells.

Cottages & Outbuildings - Rectory Cottage – attached to barn
This detached, double-fronted, period cottage sits alongside a yew tree, is adorned with roses and is set back from the pathway drive behind a low wall and pretty front garden. At the rear is a private and enclosed garden with a lovely outlook. The property has been updated in recent years and includes a sitting room, kitchen, pantry, conservatory, downstairs cloakroom, two bedrooms and a house bathroom. It is currently tenanted (AST arrangement).

The Coach House - detached
The current owners have converted the pool coach house into an outstanding two-storey annexe of more than 2000 sq ft, finished to a high spec. It offers detached ancillary accommodation and could accommodate a live-in carer or be converted into two separate dwellings. It includes a superb garden/living room with floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides, a private garden and a wonderful outlook to the rising hills.

Cottage – attached to house
Attached to the house, the Cottage Annexe is vacant and in need of renovation. Arranged over two floors it includes a kitchen, sitting room, up to four bedrooms, and a bathroom with bath and overhead shower. It would make ideal accommodation for staff or guests.

Outbuildings
The outbuildings are arranged around the stable courtyard and include three stables, boiler room, garaging for three cars, a recently refitted workshop/studio and a large shed/general purpose building.

Environs - Easingwold 4 miles, Helmsley 10 miles, Malton 13 miles, A19/Thirsk 14 miles, York 14 miles

Brandsby lies south of the North York Moors and within the beautiful countryside of the Howardian Hills where the Vale of York gives way to undulating, wooded terrain. Nearby lies the charming Georgian market town of Easingwold which provides a good range of facilities. York and its railway station are a short drive to the south, and Leeds Bradford Airport can be reached within the hour. Closer to home, the village of Stillington provides excellent facilities with a store, pubs, primary school, doctor’s surgery, and excellent sports facilities. Both private and state schooling abound, with Ampleforth College close to hand and Cundall Manor and York schools within easy reach. There is a school bus to Easingwold and Ryedale schools.

General - Tenure: Freehold
EPC Rating: Exempt as Grade II*
Council Tax Band: The Old Rectory H, Rectory Cottage D
Services & Systems: Mains electricity and water. Oil central heating. LPG bottled gas. Private drainage. Alarm.
Fixtures & Fittings: Only those mentioned in these sales particulars are included in the sale. All others, such as fitted carpets, curtains, light fittings, garden ornaments etc., are specifically excluded but may be made available by separate negotiation.
Local Authority: North Yorkshire Council AONB
Directions: ///blaring.rags.expiring
Viewing: Strictly by appointment
Money Laundering Regulations: Prior to a sale being agreed, prospective purchasers are required to produce identification documents in order to comply with Money Laundering regulations. Your co-operation with this is appreciated and will assist with the smooth progression of the sale.

Photographs, particulars and showreel: August and October 2024
NB: Google map images may neither be current nor a true representation.