A most impressive country home with paddocks, stables and self contained apartment' wing
Set in the heart of this extremely popular North Somerset Village, Milfort House is a wonderful example of a Regency country home with most elegant Bath stone façade. Believed to date from 1820 with the addition of a later service wing in circa 1900, the home offers extremely spacious accommodation of circa 7180 sq ft in the main house with three fully self-contained apartments in the adjacent wing currently bringing in extremely useful private revenue. In total the grounds extend to circa 10.81 acres that include stock proof paddocks, a floodlit arena with new sand and carpet fibre surface, a tennis court and private gardens. There are stables to the rear that include 7 loose boxes, plus a number of secondary ones for horses/ponies or storage. The floodlit Arena for dressage and exercise had a new sand carpet fibre surface in 2018.
A wonderful circular driveway is set immediately to the front of the home with triple garages for the main house and a small spur going to the stables. There is a central projecting semi-circular ionic porch opening to the wonderful reception hallway. Throughout the property, there is a wealth of original period detail that includes delightful acanthus frieze cornicing, fine twelve pane regency windows with working shutters and a superb cantilever staircase with cast iron ballusters with lion masks and floral splays. Within the hallway, the owners have installed a Dik Geurts wood burning stove set within a Mahogany surround creating a welcoming focal point to this important area. Radiating off the hallway are three reception rooms all of excellent proportion. The dual aspect sitting room overlooks the front and with doors to the garden terrace which is a perfect place to enjoy the morning sunshine. A working fireplace incorporates a Dik Geurts wood burning stove sits within the period fire surround with alcove cupboards to either side. The drawing room and dining room sit on the southern side of the property and are bathed in a good deal of natural sunlight. The drawing room has three sets of glazed doors opening on to the large terrace with a wrought iron canopy providing shelter from the sun and elements. A cast iron fireplace sits within a marble surround and again this room features original intricate cornice work. The formal dining room is of a superb proportion, large enough for entertaining on a grand scale and also featuring doors to the terrace allowing guests to drift freely between the house and gardens. The reception hall leads into the inner lobby with cloakroom and the floor finishes change from the Parquet entrance to a mellow Blue Lias stone in the L shaped kitchen/breakfast room . There are plenty of storage cabinets and a large four oven electric AGA. The day to day access is via a doorway from the kitchen out to the front driveway. Within the breakfast area is a superb original dresser and just off the breakfast room a utility room plumbed for laundry appliances and space for a large chest freezer. The ground floor study will certainly be ideal for those that need a dedicated area for home working, with space for a pair of desks and a glazed door opening to a good size conservatory, with lantern style roof linking through to the canopied terrace. Between the study and the kitchen there is a fully equipped shower room. A doorway between the study and kitchen leads down to the extensive cellarage, five individual rooms in total, one with a small heated fitness pool. A further room has the original stone wine bins. On the first floor there are five double bedrooms and three bathrooms, the principal suite being of a magnificent size and benefitting from its own en suite bathroom.
The gardens that lie predominantly to the south and west of the property include a large expanse of lawn interspersed with an array of mature deciduous and evergreen trees. The kitchen garden on the western boundary has a number of raised vegetable beds, a green house and just off to the side, a small productive orchard with number of well pruned eating apple, cooking apple and pear trees. It is truly a delightful garden and is well screened, private and predominantly level. A series of circular and geometric beds are stocked with colourful roses, Camellias and ornamental shrubs. An ancient Wellingtonia forms a striking back drop from the east terrace. To the front of the property, there is a fully enclosed tennis court now in need of a degree of restoration.
Adjacent to the garages, a spur from the driveway leads through a small wooded copse area to the stable yard and paddocks. This is currently run as a DIY livery with parking for trailers/cars and use of the toilet/basin behind the garage.
View payable Stamp Duty for this property
I love the unspoilt elegance of this impressive country home and the wonderful country lifestyle that it offers such a short drive from the city.
David Wild