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809.51 acres, Little Malvern, Malvern, Worcestershire
For Sale - Guide Price £13,250,000

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• Grade II* Listed 15th Century Priors Hall
• Exceptional gardens and amenity grounds
• Extensive pasture and productive arable land
• Significant ranges of farm buildings
• Nine additional residential properties
• In all about 809.51 acres

A diverse country estate in a lovely setting in the lee of the Malvern Hills with about 809.51 acres

Description



Location
The Malvern Hills, designated a National Landscape (formerly 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 Marks and Spencer, a Waitrose superstore and a wide range of independent retailers, cafés, pubs and restaurants on the bustling High Street. The charming towns of Ledbury and Upton upon Severn are within short driving distance and offer excellent local amenities.

In the Cathedral City of Worcester are extensive shopping and recreational facilities including County cricket 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 entices thousands of racing spectators year after year.

There are excellent links to the M5, and M50. Worcester Parkway, a recently developed 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.

History
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 to circa 1126 when linked to the Benedictine Monastery 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
undertaken during the late 20th Century in which the house was sympathetically improved and modernised.

The Property
The Little Malvern Court Estate is being offered for sale with about 809.5 acres, creating a rarely available country estate with an excellent balance of residential property, productive farmland, extensive farm buildings and a historic principal residence with captivating gardens and amenity grounds. The property is available as a whole or the Court could be acquired with less land, and the Estate divided into a number of lots.

Lot 1 - Little Malvern Court About 37.0 acres (14.98 ha)
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 splendid reception rooms and bedrooms which enjoy views over the beautiful gardens and beyond. The rooms have an excellent flow and there are some wonderful features at every turn including fine fireplaces, carved stonework, exceptional joinery and some amazing exposed timbers.

At ground floor level, the wide reception hall serves a series of impressive reception rooms whilst the kitchen and breakfast room opens into the adjacent dining room creating an excellent family space. In addition to these areas there are a range of domestic offices providing versatile utility rooms. Many of the principal rooms overlook the beautiful gardens and there are doors from drawing, dining and family rooms out to a lovely garden terrace.

The Priors Hall is a dramatic space, rich in history and with wonderful character and detailing, dramatically located on the first floor at the heart of Little Malvern Court. The medieval oak roof of this grand 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 ensuites in the tower, stone spiral stairways and hidden rooms behind panelling create interest whilst sitting comfortably alongside traditional rooms. The first and second floors feature 6 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms in a fascinating configuration.

The Gardens & Grounds
Little Malvern Court and its grounds provide a perfect blend of history and horticulture. The extraordinary house stands amidst exceptional gardens, formally monastic grounds, with breath-taking 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 to include a 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 over the last decade; including the re-discovery of the stream garden and replacing the cascades between the 2nd and 3rd ponds.

There is an impressive collection of trees, including magnificent cedars, 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.

The aforementioned gardens surround the main house. 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. To the north of the walled garden is an area of pasture and pockets of deciduous woodland.

On the east side of the house is a most attractive courtyard with a range of stone built garaging, carports and stores with multipurpose first floor room.

Lots 2 & 3 – Stable Cottage and Coach House Cottage
To the north of the main house and with separate vehicular access are a pair of semi-detached black and white timber framed cottages. These semi-detached cottages provide excellent additional accommodation for guests, staff or letting as an income stream. Stable Cottage extends to about 1,157 sq ft and provides 3 bedroom accommodation whilst Coach House Cottage has 2 bedrooms on the first floor and a single bedroom/study at ground floor, extends to about 1,014 sq ft and has stone built outbuildings adjoining.

Lot 4 - Underhills Farm About 80.42 acres (32.54 ha)
Situated in private and tranquil setting to the south of the Court is Underhills Farm with a detached farmhouse, an interesting range of buildings and surrounding grounds comprising mature woodland and permanent pasture.

Running north-south through the heart of the estate is a good quality access road. This leads down to Underhills Farm, a perfectly situated, half-timbered detached house. The farmhouse extends to about 2,196 sq ft and requires some modernisation.

The accommodation comprises entrance hall, 2 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, boiler room, utility room, 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

Adjacent to Underhills Farmhouse is a range of outbuildings of various ages, sizes, styles and condition. These include a brick and tile garage, stone barn with tiled roof, 4 bay steel portal frame barn, timber-built storage shed, traditional brick and tile barn, 5 bay steel frame barn, storage building of concrete block construction and a steel frame Dutch barn and implement store.

Some of the buildings are tenanted and further information can be obtained from the joint agents. This range of buildings may well offer some alternative use or development potential, subject to planning.

The land features most attractive topography and is predominantly pasture with wooded backdrops. Much of the farmland is subject to a Farm Business Tenancy. Further details are available from the joint agents.

Lot 5 - Land to the east of Little Malvern Court About 103.26 acres (41.78 ha)
Located to the south-east of the Court, the majority of this well farmed block is arable land divided into 8 fields with two access points from the public road. In addition to the arable areas there is a single field of permanent pasture of about 4.30 acres.

Lot 6 - Land to the west of Welland village About 120.88 acres (48.90 ha)
Situated south of Marlbank Road, between The Court and the village of Welland, this easily accessible arable land consists of 6 fields, complemented by a central strip of woodland.

Lot 7: Rathmore Bungalow About 0.45 acres (0.18 ha)
Rathmore Bungalow is a modern home that stands in a large plot with south facing garden and prefabricated garage. Subject to an agricultural occupancy condition and extending to 987 sq ft, it has 2 bedrooms with potential of a third in what is currently used as a dining room.

Lot 8 - Wood Farm About 383.20 acres (155.08 ha)
Wood Farm is located in the eastern part of the Estate, adjacent to Welland village and comprises a well-equipped ring-fenced farm with two residential properties, a very extensive range of multipurpose farm buildings and well situated arable and pastureland.

Standing on the south-eastern edge of the farmstead, Wood Farmhouse is a handsome house of brick and slate construction comprising entrance hall, 2 reception rooms, kitchen and breakfast room, utility, 3 bedrooms, study and 2 bath/shower rooms, with adjoining garage. Extending in all to about 1,937sq ft.

Cherry Cottage is located halfway down the main driveway to Wood Farm, it is an attractive detached house comprising 2 reception rooms, kitchen, 4 bedrooms and a family bathroom. Excluding the utility, WC/ Cloakroom and the attached single garage the property extends to about 1,332 sq ft.

The farm buildings are extensive and were largely built in the 1970’s, with some later modern additions. In its time it was a state-of-the art dairy unit and consists of the following buildings:
1 - Brick under tile building with toilets and kitchenette (Let under a 1954 Act Tenancy)
2 - Brick under tile workshop with roller shutter door (Let under a 1954 Act Tenancy)
3 - 4 bay steel portal framed general purpose building with open sides and lean to (Let under a 1954 Act Tenancy)
4 - Traditional brick under tile, two storey building converted with four offices, toilets and kitchenette (Let under a 1954 Act Tenancy)
5 - 5 bay Dutch Barn lean to workshops
6 - Multi-span 5 bay steel portal framed general purpose building
7 -16 bay single span steel portal framed building with southern lean to sections
8 - 7 bay steel portal framed general building with open frontage
9 - A range of 6 adjoining 11 bay steel portal framed buildings
10 - Former dairy plant room
11 - 4 bay modern steel portal framed livestock building
12 - 8 bay modern livestock building with open frontage
13 - Above ground slurry tank
14 - Silage clamps

The farmland offers a rare opportunity to acquire a large ringfenced block. It is mainly arable with some of the smaller parcels closer to the central yard area being pastureland. The pastureland is stock fenced with water troughs to most fields. Areas of wooded shelter belts intersperse the holding, with a principal concrete track that runs through the centre of the holding providing easy access to the farmland. There is a dirty-water lagoon to the north of the central yard area which historically fed a dirty-water irrigation system although this has not been used or tested in recent years.

Lot 9 - North Farm About 84.07 (34.03 ha)
North Farm comprises three residential properties, a range of multi-purpose buildings and land extending to about 84.07 acres.

North Farmhouse is a redbrick farmhouse that comprises of a principal sitting/dining room, kitchen/breakfast room with utility off, cloakroom, 3 bedrooms and a bathroom. It extends to 1,302 sq ft and is currently occupied under a Rent Act Tenancy.

Some of the buildings and containers are tenanted and further information may be obtained from the joint agents.

Wintercott is an attractive 4 bedroom semi-detached house of traditional construction with beautiful stone mullion window surrounds. A characterful interior consisting of 2 large reception rooms and kitchen. There is a basement garage under the property which is accessible via
the front driveway.

Elm Tree Cottage adjoins Wintercott and is equally characterful. This 2 bedroom semi-detached cottage has a kitchen, 2 reception rooms, WC and family bathroom. The cottage garden is well maintained and the cottage benefits from adjoining outbuilding/store.

The farm buildings comprise a range of traditional red brick and timber framed barns with some adjoining are modern additions, a 9 bay steel portal framed general purpose building with open frontage and a further 11 bay steel portal framed building. The traditional barns and outbuildings offer potential subject to planning.

The Land comprises of 3 fields that run to the east of the farm buildings. The upper field is grassland with the other two being arable land. The land fronts the lane to the south.

General

Method of sale
Little Malvern Court is offered for sale by private treaty, subject to any existing leases, licenses and agreements. Further details are available from the joint agents.
The property is available to purchase as a whole or in a number of lots as described. The vendors may consider a sale of Little Malvern Court with alternative land areas to those shown and options should be discussed with the joint agents.

FBT
A Farm Business Tenancy is in place covering the majority of the agricultural land and can be brought to an end on 28th September 2026 subject to the correct notice being served.

Land Quality and Soil Type
The land is classified as Grade 3 according to the Natural England Regional Agricultural Land Classification Maps. The soils may be described as slowly permeable slightly acid but base-rich loamy and clayey soils. These soils are generally suited to grass production and some cereal production.

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.

Designations
Little Malvern Court is set within the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with part of the estate within the Malvern Hills SSSI.

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.

Holdover
Is required to permit the harvesting of growing crops.

Rural, environment and woodland schemes
The property is not subject to any ongoing rural, environmental or woodland schemes.

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.

Covenant and/or Restrictions
There are restrictions/covenants listed on the Land Registry Title Deed, details of which are available by the vendor’s solicitors on request.

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.

VAT
VAT may be charged over a proportion of the Estate. Further information can be obtained from the joint agents.

Health & Safety
Given the potential hazards of a working estate we ask you to be as vigilant as possible when making your inspection for your own personal safety, particularly around the buildings and machinery.

Directions
WHAT3WORDS///hedgehog.nimbly.cashew will direct to the driveway entrance to the Court reinvest.silence.waistcoat will direct to the driveway entrance to Wood Farm

Viewings and Data Room
Viewing is strictly via appointment with the joint agents. Access to the data room is available upon request for interested parties and their advisors.

Solicitors
Withers, 20 Old Bailey, London, EC4M 7AN


Residential Property (as at time of brochure production)
Property                EPC Band   Council Tax Band   Tenure                   Electricity   Water    Drainage   Heating
Little Malvern Court      F                H                           Owner occupied    Mains         Mains    Private      Oil Fired
Stable Cottage             E                A                           Occupied AST       Mains         Mains    Private      Oil Fired
Coach House Cottage   F                A                           Vacant                   Mains       Mains    Private      Oil Fired
Underhills Farmhouse   E                F                            Vacant                   Mains       Mains    Private      Oil Fired
Rathmore                      E                C                           Occupied AST       Mains         Mains   Private       Oil Fired
Wood Farmhouse         E                E                            Occupied AST       Mains         Mains   Private       Oil Fired
Cherry Cottage             E                E                            Occupied AST       Mains         Mains   Private       Oil Fired
North Farmhouse         F                E                            Rent Act Tenancy   Mains         Mains   Private       Oil Fired
Wintercott                   E                F                            Occupied AST       Mains         Mains   Private       Oil Fired
Elm Tree Cottage          ?                D                           Occupied AST       Mains         Mains   Private       Oil Fired


Acreage: 809.51 Acres