GRAND AMBITIONS
How to live in a glorious stately home — for the price of a semi ...
YOu may swoon over the interiors of stately homes but have you thought what it costs to maintain and operate a large country house?
Historic properties need ongoing specialist maintenance running into thousands of pounds, the grounds require a troop of gardeners and think of all that cleaning.
A better option could be buying into a historic conversion that gives you the character you crave without the expense or worry of a mansion’s upkeep.
‘You can live like a lord on a pauper’s salary,’ says Pete Smith, who owns a two- bedroom apartment in Loddington Hall, a converted Grade II-listed former country house in Northamptonshire that dates to medieval times.
Smith, who is selling his home through Jackson- Stops for £ 235,000, has loved living in a historic property while also having access to modern facilities and five acres of grounds with tennis courts and a swimming pool.
‘I still get a buzz when I drive through the gates and see the manor,’ he says. ‘ And because ownership is leasehold, maintenance issues are dealt with by the building management firm.’
The lack of responsibility for upkeep is one of the main attractions of this type of home.
‘Our buyers want space, character and gardens without having to maintain them,’ says Jenna Frudd, of FC7 Construction, the familyowned firm developing Epperstone Manor, a Grade II-listed house in the village of Epperstone, near Nottingham. ‘They come home to a beautiful stately home and apartments that are contemporary.’
Epperstone Manor dates to the 18th century but was extended in the mid-1800s by Thomas Huskinson, the local squire. Of seven apartments, two remain, from £200,000 for a one-bedroom flat.
Given the significance of the building, it’s fitting that Frudd’s family is from Epperstone. ‘I grew up in the village and my father worked on the estate, so buying and renovating it is more than a business, it’s a labour of love,’ Jenna says.
If you want a real connection to nobility, Albury Park, near Guildford, Surrey, is possibly one of the grandest estates being marketed. The beautiful house once belonged to the Duke of Northumberland and 150 acres of surrounding, pheasant- rich parkland is still owned by him.
The Grade II-listed manor house is a stately pile of ornate brick with thick wood doors and 63 decorative chimneys. It dates to the 17th century and was remodelled in the 1800s by Augustus Pugin, who also designed the Big Ben clock tower.
Original features include fireplaces in marble or carved wood, plasterwork ceilings, panelling and wine cellars. It was at Albury Park in 1761 that King George III held his Coronation banquet.
The property is being converted into 12 units, yet you can buy into all this grandeur from £475,000 for a one-bed.
‘You don’t just buy an apartment here, you’re getting a foothold in a magnificent historic building in beautiful countryside,’ says John Fisher, sales agent for Sotheby’s, which is marketing the house.
Historic house conversions appeal most to downsizers who don’t want to live in a standard property, according to Matthew Brazier, sales manager for developer Millgate Homes. ‘ They may not want the hassle of a big house, but still want character with services,’ he says.
The firm’s 24-acre Woolley Hall development, near Maidenhead, was once a manor house with a history that includes links with the Fiennes and Sackville families.
Now restored to its former magnificence, the hall offers a mix of new-build homes in the grounds, plus six apartments in the Grade II-listed manor house with architecture from the Jacobean and Georgian eras. A further four units are in the converted stables, which is also listed. Prices start at £825,000 for three bedrooms.
Millgate is also restoring the original cloistered gardens, with pretty Arts and Crafts summerhouse, designed by Edwardian landscaper Thomas Mawson.
A historic apartment conversion won’t make you lord of the manor but it will allow you to live like one — for a lot less money.