Whelpley Hill, Chesham, HP5 3RR
Property Description
Property Features
- Mid-16th Century Manor House
- Wonderful Unique Tudor Property
- Brimming with Character & Charm
- Convenient Commuter Links Close By
- 5 Acres of Grounds with Equestrian Facilities
- Tennis Court
- Extensive Outbuildings with Conversion Potential (Subject to Relevant Consent)
Property Summary
Mid-16th Century Cottage | 5 Acres of Stunning Grounds | Extensive Outbuildings | Tennis Courts | Fantastic Commuter Convenience | A Wealth of Character & Charm | Equestrian Facilities |
Full Details
“Barton Colyers”
Barton Colyers is an important historic Grade II listed Tudor Manor House sitting in substantial grounds of circa 5 acres with equestrian facilities, formal gardens, tennis courts and a large paddock. Brimming with character, the accommodation is arranged over three floors and is accompanied by a host of outbuildings perfect for a car collection or similar and providing the potential for conversion (subject to relevant Grade II listed planning consent).
Property Highlights
• Believed to have been built in the mid-16th Century, this wonderful and quite unique Tudor Property has been a quintessential family home for the past three decades and is steeped in historic character and charm wherever your eye roams. You can expect to see a wealth of exposed beams, stone flags and parquet flooring, brace and latch doors, original exposed timber floors, large open fireplaces, and an exquisite Minstrel Gallery with lute.
• Located in the picturesque and highly desirable Hamlet of Whelpley Hill, the property is conveniently located within 8 minutes’ drive of Chesham Underground Station, which is part of the Metropolitan Line. For a swifter commute, Hemel Hempstead Train Station is also less than a 10-minute drive away with a commuting time of under 30 minutes into Euston. There is a popular gastro pub in the village and an array of well renowned schools to choose from including Wycombe Abbey, Haberdashers’ Boys School, Haberdashers’ Girls School, Dr Challoner’s Grammar School and more. Travel links by car are equally convenient with the M25 and M1, both accessible in around 10 minutes.
• The nature and extent of the grounds of this spectacular property make for excellent equestrian potential if required. There are stables already located within the grounds and the current vendors have kept horses in the past. It is worth noting that neighbouring the property there is the Two Counties Equestrian Centre, with stables, livery yard, and indoor and outdoor training centre.
• Providing shelter over the period solid timber braced front door there is a brick and timber porch with windows to the side elevations, bench seats either side and a York stone path that leads to the front door.
• Stepping through the imposing front door takes you into the impressive and charming Entrance Hall which fills you with the homes’ integral sense of character as you journey throughout. is brimming with period charm and gives you a sense of the character that will follow as you journey through the home. There is an inset coir mat by the front door, painted natural stone flooring and access to the principal reception rooms.
• Drawing Room. A generously sized room with natural light flowing in from the windows to the front elevation, window and door into the side conservatory, and French doors to the rear leading to the gardens. There are exposed timber beams, timber panelled walls to dado height, stairs rising to the first floor and a gorgeous red brick inglenook fireplace with an open fire and original warming seats.
• Sitting Room. Beautifully presented and benefitting from a stunning solid oak herringbone parquet floor, exposed beams, and an inglenook fireplace with a cast iron multi-fuel burner.
• As the central hub of this gorgeous property, the remarkable Kitchen/Dining Room not only offers up to 36ft of open plan space, but also a fantastic vaulted ceiling in dining area with feature exposed brick and timber gable end, a roof-light injecting light into the kitchen and a quaint unique shop serving as an eccentric pantry cupboard or for entertaining young family. In addition to this there is a staircase that leads up to the master suite, uPVC French doors with sidelight windows that lead to the patio at the rear of the property and a generous Kitchen.
• The fitted Kitchen includes solid timber country style units, recently painted topped with Silestone worktops, whilst the island unit incorporates natural green slate work surfaces. There is an inset one and a half bowl stainless steel sink with draining grooves in the worksurface, electric four ring ceramic hob, a high-level double oven and space and plumbing for an under-counter dishwasher (not included).
• Separate Study, a fantastic work from home space and a vestibule through to the formal dining room. There is a gorgeous solid oak herringbone parquet floor, fitted storage and bookshelves to one side, a timber and glass panelled door to the kitchen and double timber and glass panelled doors to the formal dining room.
• Truly impressive formal Dining Room, providing ample space for a generous table befitting of the grandeur of this fine home. There are exposed timber floorboards, two windows and a glass panelled door providing ample natural light, a vaulted ceiling with imposing exposed beams and an original minstrel gallery, typical for a manor house of this era.
• Boot Room offering space to clean your muddy boots, additional storage space, a timber stable door to the rear lobby and access into the ground floor shower room with a traditional style three piece suite.
• Ground floor Bedroom, an ideal guest bedroom or for guests/family who can’t manage stairs. Although currently used as a bedroom, there is the possibility for additional office space, reception space, a playroom, or many other uses.
• The first and second floor boast a versatile layout with four bedrooms. There are two principal staircases that provide access to the first floor at either end of the property and bedrooms three and four have their own separate staircases from the first floor.
• Master Suite – This beautiful room is in keeping with period charm of the rest of the property and features exposed beams, wide-plank exposed timber floorboards, a walk-in dressing room that also provides access from the south wing of the property, a further walk-in wardrobe, and a storage cupboard with a trapdoor leading the Priest Hole. The en suite Bathroom incorporates solid oak flooring, ceramic tiled walls, a chrome heated towel rail and a four piece suite to include a wash hand basin built into a useful storage unit, a low-level WC, a panel enclosed bath, and a shower enclosure.
• Family Bathroom. A modern appointed suite featuring a solid oak floor, a WC and wash hand basin built into a useful storage unit with Silestone worksurface, and a panel enclosed ‘P’ shaped bath with a fitted screen and an ‘Aqualisa’ shower over.
• Miscellaneous features. There is oil fired central heating to the property with a wet underfloor heating system in the Kitchen/Dining Room. Waste is connected to the main sewers with a septic tank located in the garden that flows from there to the main drains. Please note that the Barn was underpinned in 2015, caused by being located next to the ancient pond. The exceptionally high standard of workmanship throughout this process is plain to see.
• The extensive outbuildings include a generous barn measuring 39’7” x 27’7” (12.1m x 8.4m), a storeroom with air conditioning, making for an ideal wine cellar, a double garage with light and power, and a car port providing covered storage for two vehicles. In addition to this there are four stables and a potting shed by the property that once had planning permission to be converted into a self-contained annexe. The planning consent has since expired.
The Grounds
The property is nicely secluded within a rural picturesque setting, with screening afforded by a wooded copse and occupies an enviable position on the periphery of the village. Electrically operated iron gates provide access from the road into the driveway and as you enter you can turn right into the paddock to where there are stables located, ideal if you have horses or livestock. The driveway also meanders left through mature trees to the front courtyard of the property and furthermore to an additional driveway on the other side of the plot with double iron gates to the road.
Although the gorgeous five acres of gardens are seamlessly linked, they are primarily split into four sections with the frontage, side paddock, rear garden, and rear paddock. The beautiful frontage features a hard standing driveway providing ample off-road parking and access into the array of outbuildings, the garage, storeroom, stables, and car port. There is an ancient pond to one side and a front garden resplendent of colour with a host of mature and established plantings, and ancient trees providing an excellent degree of privacy. The rear garden features a stone patio by the French doors of the kitchen making for an ideal entertaining space, whilst the extensive lawn features various varieties of fruit trees leading to the recently refurbished tennis courts (regularly used by the current owners). The paddock located to the side of the grounds provides a private and secluded woodland walkway with rows of stunning mature trees and beautifully maintained hedgerows, whilst the rear paddock offers a further lawn area ideal for grazing livestock or for equestrian purposes, if required.
Historical Note
Extract taken from sales particulars in 1948, when the property was called Little Colyers:
“Little Colyers is a property of considerable antiquity, and enquiries indicate that by the time of Henry VIII it had acquired status of a Manor House, whilst the discovery of the side of a Roman Camp close to the property shows that the property may have had historical connections of a much earlier date.
The existence of a Priest Hole within the house suggest that importance of this residence both during the reign of Queen Elizabeth and during the later Civil Wars, when Rom,an Catholic priests, escaping to the West, would be afforded refuge. In this connection it is possible that the famous Father Campion, well known in local history, was given protection here.
Ancient grazing rights on Boxmoor Common are still granted to the owner of “Little Colyers”.
Please note, the red outline showing the boundary does not form part of the official title plan. It is intended as a guide only.