8 bedroom house for sale

West Hall is a Grade I listed Elizabethan manor house positioned in a secluded part of rural Dorset. The property is accessed via a long drive from the village of Longburton which then forks. The main drive sweeps through parkland and gardens around the house, providing a wonderful sense of arrival as you approach. A secondary drive provides access for tenants, staff and deliveries to the north of the house.

The house is constructed in the traditional style for a house of this provenance, mainly stone walls with ashlar quoins under a stone tiled roof. West Hall is in the main Elizabethan and has benefitted from a series of alterations and extensions over the centuries and the irregular fenestration adds a unique charm and character to the house. There are a wealth of architectural details and features, including stone copings bearing finials and ashlar chimney stacks, mullioned windows, moulded round archways and a wonderful heavy oak front door. The door bears the mark of historical axe damage, thought to date back to the English Civil War. Internally the house has a number of 17th and 18th century fireplaces, a beautiful oak staircase from the 17th century, round headed arches, bolection moulded panelling and some 17th and 18th century glass.

The accommodation is well suited to both family living and entertaining. The principal rooms in West Hall are impressive with a number being of particular note due to the prominence of their internal features including the Great Hall, sitting room and dining room.

West Hall Cottages:
To the north of West Hall lies an old outbuilding which is Grade II listed and has been converted into three attractive cottages. With 17th century origins, the cottages are of a vernacular style similar to West Hall itself.

EPC Ratings -
West Hall: Rating F
1 West Hall Cottages: Rating E
2 West Hall Cottages: Rating D
3 West Hall Cottages: Rating F

A wide stone flagged walkway wraps around the majority of the house with a magnificent courtyard terrace to the west of the house, ideal for alfresco dining and enhanced by a beautiful wisteria covered pergola, with clematis and climbing roses adorning the courtyard walls. There is a particularly impressive walk flanked by yew topiary leading to a pretty stone bridge over a stream to the park beyond.

The principal gardens and grounds lie predominantly to the south and west of the house and have been significantly improved by the current owners. The formal gardens are enclosed in part by established yew hedges, some of which have been re-positioned to align with doorways of the house and create attractive vistas through the gardens. One impressive brick garden wall around the croquet lawn is Grade II listed and enhances the magical feel of this historical property.

The stream has been diverted through the gardens creating an attractive feature with walkways through the woods leading to secluded areas of lawn.

The gardens have well stocked herbaceous and shrub borders and of particular note are the wonderful gunneras lining the stream edge. There are a number of magnificent specimen trees including copper beech, horse chestnut and sycamore.

The heated outdoor swimming pool is enclosed by a handsome brick wall with a large pool house providing a bar, seating area and cloakroom. To the north east of the house is a hard tennis court fully enclosed and sheltered by a wide hedge.

Outbuildings
Forming part of the courtyard to the north of the house is a double garage (with potential for conversion to a fourth cottage) and some traditional store rooms including a fruit store and gardener’s cloakroom. To the east of West Hall is a further outbuilding which adjoins the vegetable garden and comprises a potting shed and garden stores. There are three greenhouses and a number of cold frames which support the productive vegetable garden and beautiful gardens and grounds.

Stable Yard
A U-shaped stable yard provides stabling for eight horses with a water supply to each loose box. In addition there is a secure tack room, feed room and a large double height lorry garage adjoining the stable yard, suitable for a horse box.

Land
Beyond the stream bordering the gardens and grounds to the west is a large area of parkland extending to about 8.6 acres, partly enclosed by dry stone walls and mature hedging. The main drive sweeps through this parkland and round through the gardens to the east façade of West Hall. Beyond the parkland lies a further area of pasture extending to about 7 acres, flanking the drive from the village of Longburton.

West Hall occupies a secluded position in the parish of Folke, lying between the village of Longburton to the west and the hamlet of Folke to the east. Within the village of Longburton is The Rose and Crown, a popular public house, and the Church of St James. Sherborne lies 3.5 miles to the north providing an extensive range of shopping, business and recreational facilities. Other towns within easy reach include Dorchester, Yeovil, Blandford Forum, Shaftesbury, Castle Cary and Weymouth on the south coast. Much of the Dorset coastline is designated as a natural World Heritage Site, known as the Jurassic Coast.

Communications in the area include regular train services from Sherborne to London Waterloo (about 2¼ hours) and Castle Cary to Paddington (about 1½ hours). The A303 provides a major link road to the west and east towards London. Airports at Bristol, Bournemouth and Exeter provide a comprehensive range of international and domestic flights.

Sporting pursuits in the area include National Hunt racing at Wincanton and Taunton, flat racing at Bath and Salisbury, water sports, sailing (2012 Olympic sailing competitions held at Weymouth) and sea fishing along the Dorset coastline and golf at Sherborne, Yeovil and Dorchester (Came Down). West Hall falls within the area covered by the Blackmore Vale Hunt and there are plenty of bridleways in the area.

The area is highly regarded for the quality of its schooling including Port Regis, Sandroyd, Hazlegrove, the Sherborne schools, Leweston, Canford, Millfield, Milton Abbey and Bryanston.