Apartment up for sale is former ‘reading closet’ in historic hall

WE’D all love to have our very own stately home, or entertain friends and family in an historic hall just yards from our own bedroom.

However, those kinds of opportunities only come along very, very rarely – and when they do they can cost a pretty penny.

However, now a chance has come to the market for you to own your very own piece of a historic building, one that dates back to the 19th century. It even has connections with the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun.

Built between 1812 and 1834, Bretby Hall is situated in the village of Bretby, on the Derbyshire-staffordshire border, and is within a stone’s throw of two of Britain’s top independent schools – Repton and Foremark Preparatory.

The hall was once owned by the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, who used to call Highclere Castle home, now more famously known as Downton Abbey.

Living in the now world-famous Downton Abbey isn’t George Herbert’s only claim to fame, however – the 5th Earl was also fascinated by Egyptian history.

During the opening decades of the 20th century, he funded many archaeological digs in the country and, in 1923 along with Howard Carter, discovered the tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun.

After Bretby Hall was used as an orthopaedic hospital, it was turned into a number of apartments and it’s one of these apartments, in a vital area of the old hall, that has now come up for sale.

Located right in the heart of the old library and “reading closet”, the apartment can be yours for just £650,000, and has three bedrooms spread over two floors.

Two of the bedrooms are en-suite and the apartment also has a very large living/dining room, kitchen and, upstairs, a sitting room.

It also has access to two garages, and is one of the few apartments within the hall to have its own private outdoor space.

Luke Billson, associate in the residential sales team at Savills in Nottingham, says: “This sale presents a truly unique opportunity to acquire an impressive ground floor apartment within the historic Bretby Hall.

The Porchester Suite is believed to be the hall’s original library and reading closet, which offers views across the southwest parkland and embodies the ambience of a historic home whilst providing modern amenities.”

The apartment has large living areas, including a sitting room and dining room, inset left, it also has three bedrooms, two of which are en-suite, plus its very own private outside space, inset right, as well as all of the communal gardens.

Bretby Hall – once the second home of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, the man who funded the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb