6 bedroom detached house for sale

A 15th Century Priors Hall – once attached to the 12th Century Benedictine Priory, with its impressive Romanesque church tower – forms part of Little Malvern Court; nestled in the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and home of the current owners family by descent since the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 1530s.

The priory and its buildings dates back to circa 1126 when linked to the Benedictine Monasterys in Worcester but it is some 300 years later, after a visit from Bishop and Lord Chancellor, John Alcock, that the Priory, Priors Hall and Little Malvern Court started to form something akin to what stands today.

The Victorian additions were designed and overseen by the renowned architect Joseph Hansom who specialised in ecclesiastical buildings and the Gothic Revival style. More recent restoration and renovation was under taken during
the late 20th Century in which the house was sympathetically improved and modernised.

Little Malvern Court is first and foremost, a family
home and has been for well over 4 centuries.

There is good flexibility to the house which boasts
some brilliant reception rooms and bedrooms which enjoy views over the gardens and beyond.
The rooms flow very well through various access points to the reception hall, back hallways, landings and staircases and all offer interesting architecture and style. The kitchen and breakfast room has an adjacent dining room and the space can be opened up via double doors to create an open plan feel. Further adjoining utility areas are also incredibly useful. There is a patio, overlooking the gorgeous gardens, running along this side of the house.

The Priors Hall is an impressive and dramatic space, rich in history and with wonderful character
and detailing, this is the heart to Little Malvern
Court. The medieval oak roof of the hall is particularly noteworthy, with its cusped wind
braces, double purlins and secretive history. After
Henry Vlll’s dissolution of the monasteries, a secret
chapel was created in the roof space above the once barrelled ceiling of the Priors Hall.

Other intriguing elements such as en suites in the
tower and hidden rooms behind panelling, create
interest whilst sitting comfortably alongside the other traditional rooms such as kitchen, dining room, sitting room, formal reception spaces and
bedroom suites.

The cottages and outbuildings
There are two black and white timber framed,
semi-detached cottages (3 and 2 bedrooms
respectively) set at the end of the drive which can
provide additional accommodation for guests and/
or staff, or indeed as an income stream.

In the courtyard there is a range of garaging and
carports with rooms above.

General
Method of sale: Little Malvern Court is offered for
sale by private treaty. Subject to the existing leases, licenses and agreements. Further details are available from the vendor’s agent.
Lot 2 is currently let on a Farm Business Tenancy.
Services: Mains electricity and water. Oil fired central heating. Septic tank drainage. Fibre Optic Broadband available.
EPCs and Council Tax
Little Malvern Court: EPC band F, Council Tax band H
Cottage: EPC band E, Council Tax band A
Coach House: EPC band F, Council Tax band A
Wayleaves, easements and rights of way: The
property is being sold subject to and with the benefit of all rights including; rights of way, whether public or private, light, support, drainage, water and electricity supplies and other rights and obligations, easements and quasi-easements and restrictive covenants and all existing and proposed wayleaves for masts, pylons, stays, cables, drains, water and gas and other pipes whether referred to in these particulars or not.
Sporting, timber and mineral rights: All sporting and timber rights are included in the freehold sale, as far as they are owned. Mines and mineral rights are reserved.
Fixtures and fittings: All items usually regarded as
tenant’s fixtures and fittings and equipment, including fitted carpets and curtains, together with garden ornaments and statuary, are specifically excluded from the sale. These may be available to the purchaser by separate negotiation.
Local authority: Malvern Hills District Council
Access: A licence for access will be retained by the
vendors to visit family graves across part of the
property.
Agent's note: There is a footpath across part of Lot 2
Viewings: Strictly by the agents Strutt & Parker

Little Malvern Court and its grounds provide a perfect blend of history and horticulture; being the
extraordinary house, cottages and about 10.65 acres of formal gardensand grounds. See Lot 1 on the land plan.

There are approximately 10 acres of exceptional
gardens, formally monastic grounds, with breathtaking views over the Severn Valley. The grounds offer an intriguing layout of garden rooms and terraces, with a water garden below which feeds into a chain of beautiful lily ponds; originally dug by the monks as fish pools. Following a plan dated 1720, these pools - like much of the garden - were restored in the 1980’s. The more formal offerings immediately flank the house with delightful rose garden and an ancient topiary yew hedge which has been lovingly shaped and cared for.

The fundamental layout of the garden has remained but there have been many additions by the head gardener and his team over the last decade; including the re-discovery of the stream garden, replacing the cascades between the 2nd and 3rd ponds and creation of new woodland borders.

There is an impressive collection of trees, including magnificent cedar trees; planted from seeds brought back from the Holy Land, as well as many shrubs and flowering plants, such as flowering magnolias, a notable collection of old fashioned roses, spring bulbs and carpets of wild flowers.

There is also a wonderful 3 sided walled garden with glasshouse, potting shed and a tennis court, which can be accessed on foot through the gardens or via the separate access lane.

An adjoining block of productive arable land of
circa 35 acres is available by separate negotiation.
See Lot 2 on the landplan.

Lot 3 is on the other side of the lane and extends to about 11.41 acres of parkland and mature deciduous woodland with a mix of native broadleaf trees which run into the gently sloping grassland fields.

The Malvern Hills, designated an Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty, are the dominant
feature of the landscape. The hills themselves link
Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire.

The Victorian spa town of Malvern is a renowned
cultural centre with an excellent theatre and cinema and several highly regarded state and private schools including the Wyche and Wells Primary, The Chase Secondary, Malvern College and Malvern St James Girls School.

Malvern has good shopping facilities including a
Mark’s and Spencer’s, a Waitrose superstore and a
wide range of independent retailers, cafes, pubs and restaurants on the bustling High Street. Ledbury is within striking distance, offering further amenities.

In the cathedral city of Worcester are extensive
shopping and recreational facilities including County cricket in the setting of Worcester Cathedral and horse racing on the banks of the River Severn. The area is well served by an excellent choice of schools at primary and
secondary levels and in both the state and private
systems including the Royal Grammar School, The
King’s School and Tudor Grange Academy.

Cheltenham is easily accessed via the M5, which is also home to numerous prestigious schools including Cheltenham College, Cheltenham Ladies
College, Dean Close and Pates Grammar. There is a fabulous range of restaurants, stylish shops, museums and galleries as well as a thriving cultural scene encompassing festivals of literature, science, food and drink. A sporting highlight is the annual Cheltenham Gold Cup which draws in visitors year after year.

There are excellent links to the M5, and M50.
Worcester Parkway, a brand-new train station outside Worcester has extensive parking, as does
Malvern Link. Fast train services go direct to
London and Birmingham from both stations.
Birmingham Airport is about an hours drive away
and Heathrow is about 2.5 hours.