A historic manor house in one of Stockport’s most idyllic villages is currently on the market, and we’re a little bit obsessed with it.
The only thing is, you’ll just need the small matter of £1.6 million before it’s yours.
Of course, it goes without saying that the vast majority of people reading this article won’t have £1.6 million just sitting in their bank account, and that properties of this size and stature are not the kind we’ll ever get to call home, so the next best thing we can do is just snoop around on good old Rightmove and have a nosey at all the jaw-dropping pictures instead.
Like us, if you’ve got no shame in admitting that one of your favourite internet pastimes is looking up houses you can’t afford in places you’ll probably never live, then allow us to introduce you to this absolute stunner.
We’re talking Georgian manor with six bedrooms, a separate annexe, picturesque views of the surrounding countryside, and described as being “truly distinctive”, kind of ‘stunner’.
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And, surprisingly, it’s only in Stockport… yes, Stockport.
This stunning manor house in Stockport is surrounded by countryside and on the market for £1.6m / Credit: Julian Wadden
This is Lower Hall.
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Located in Mellor – which is one of the borough’s most affluent and sought-after neighbourhoods that’s known for combining the best of rural living, while still being conveniently close to a wide range of amenities, excellent local schools, and transport links across Greater Manchester and beyond – estate agents say the six-bedroom home is nothing short of an “exquisite landmark residence”, and has so much to offer prospective buyers.
Tucked away behind the gates of a private sweeping driveway and nestled within expansive grounds, Lower Hall boasts generously-proportioned living spaces that are both brimming with character, and adaptable for modern life at the same time.
The main house itself is filled with beautiful Georgian period features throughout, including a grand entrance porch and hallway adorned with stone flooring, original bannisters, vaulted ceilings, sash windows, and roaring open fireplaces.
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It’s located in one of Stockport’s most sought-after and affluent villages / Credit: Julian Wadden
A bespoke fitted kitchen with wooden units and elegant granite worktops, formal dining and sitting rooms looking out onto the manicured gardens, a cosy snug with its own fireplace, a practical ‘boot room’, and an absolutely jaw-dropping garden room with plants draping from the ceilings, are just some of the stand-out living spaces on the ground floor.
When you make your way up one of the two staircases leading to the first floor, here is where you’ll find the six spacious bedrooms – including the master double bedroom which has open vaulted ceilings and built-in wardrobes.
The property boasts several en-suites, downstairs WCs, and a large bathroom fit for all the family.
Adjacent to the main house is the separate self-contained annexe, which offers up its own sitting room, an extended garden room, a kitchen, and a shower room on the ground floor, with a double bedroom on the first floor.
The property is brimming with original Georgian period features throughout / Credit: Julian Wadden
The outside of the property is just as impressive as the inside too.
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As mentioned, a grand gated driveway meanders from Church Road through the property’s grounds to a spacious parking area suitable for several vehicles to the rear.
The front formal gardens offer what estate agents call “captivating countryside vistas”, while the rear gardens feature lawned areas and patio seating spaces, which make ideal spots to entertain guests, or just to sit and bask in the summer sunshine.
Lower Hall is currently on the market with Stockport-based independent estate agents, Julian Wadden, for a whopping £1.6 million, and if you fancy taking a closer look, then you can contact the property company to arrange a viewing.
Or you could just take the cheaper route instead and have a nosey at the Rightmove link here.
Featured Image – Julian Wadden
Property
A historic Stockport pub has officially become a listed building
Danny Jones
The Angel Inn pub in Stockport has officially become the thriving Greater Manchester borough’s latest listed building.
Being granted Grade II-listed status following an extensive visit and survey by Historic England (HE), Stockport Market Place’s Angel Inn may have had a lick of paint amidst the ‘Old Town Revival’ over the last decade or so, but the pub itself was erected back in the 16th century.
Reopened as one of the area’s most beloved boozers back in 2018, whilst still maintaining key fixtures and that feeling of authenticity, it harks back to the town’s Cheshire roots and taps into a deep vein of local culture.
The assessment, which was completed earlier this month, means that Angel Inn has been recognised as having special architectural or historic significance – i.e. the definition of a listed building.
Writing in a post on social media, the government-backed English heritage organisation detailed that while the inn predates the Early Modern/post-medieval period, the Angel‘s frame is comprised of wood from the 15th century.
But it gets even more interesting than that…
As well as being one of a select few surviving, traditional wattle-and-daub structures in the UK – nearby Bramall Hall being another (and a technique that had died out by the 18th century) – a close inspection of the internal floorboards unearthed something truly fascinating.
It just so happens that tests by HE proved that one particular plank of flooring “was cut from a tree alive in 1086, the year the Domesday Book was completed: the oldest government record held in The National Archives, commissioned by William the Conqueror.
How bloody cool is that?
It’s also worth noting that it’s genuinely a brilliant boozer and one of the most popular watering holes you’ll find in the town centre, promising a cosy interior, an intimate little outdoor area out back and serving plenty of regional ales.
You only have to glance at the exterior to clue into its age, let alone what there is to be found inside.Way back when.Credit: Historic England (handout)/Stockport Archives
Although they say it’s likely that the floorboard in question was originally cut for an earlier building situated in the same location, it still goes to show how old this particular North West settlement is.
“The name ‘Angel Inn’ dates from as early as 1769, though the site’s hospitality roots extend further, with references to “Cotterell’s inn” used for sequestrators’ meetings in the 1640s, who met to organise the confiscation of property of supporters of King Charles I during The English Civil War”, HE went on to add.
Angel Inn is one of only a handful of venues like this in Greater Manchester and Cheshire; safe to say a lot of time, effort and money are being put into preserving these links to the past.
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Historic England (handout)/Stockport Archives
Property
The local property developers helping Mancs buy a home without the large deposit
Emily Sergeant
A North West developer that specialises in creating Shared Ownership homes currently has eight new developments under construction across Manchester.
Getting your foot on theproperty ladder or taking the next step to owning a bigger home can be one of the most challenging things to do and is often not financially viable for a lot of people – and this is whereGecko Homes‘ unique Shared Ownership scheme comes in.
The developer is enabling first time buyers and other qualifying homebuyers to purchase shares in its homes instead.
With deposits from as little as £2,438, the scheme means residents can buy shares ranging from 10% all the way up to 75% instead and then pay rent on the rest, with the option to increase the share percentage at later dates, all the way up to outright ownership.
Gecko Homes is helping Mancs get on the property ladder / Credit: Supplied
As mentioned, the company is currently working on eight new developments across Manchester in some of the city’s most sought-after suburbs, and prospective buyers can now register their interest.
One of the most popular developments currently underway is ‘Tatton Place’ in Sale – which is a redevelopment of a historic Masonic Hall and police station into 31 homes, including two and three-bedroom houses, one and two-bedroom apartments, and several stunning duplexes, all with access to both private and communal gardens.
Another key development is ‘Emerald Way’ over in the popular Manchester suburban town of Chorlton, where prices start from £60,625 for a 25% share, meaning a buyer would only need a deposit of £3,031.
Over in West Didsbury is one of largest ongoing developments called ‘Two Didsbury Point’, which is a £20 million scheme of 76 affordable homes across two connected eight and five-storey blocks – 46 of those being for shared ownership – on the site of the former Withington Hospital, with an outdoor communal terrace and green spaces for residents to enjoy.
Another one of the developments currently in the works that prospective buyers can now register their interest for is ‘Boundary View’, which lies in the thriving Manchester community of Old Trafford.
“Our Shared Ownership model has transformed people’s lives by giving them a way onto the property ladder in a modern, stylish, and high-quality home that they can afford to live in,” explained Christina Tattersall, who is the Head of Sales at Gecko Homes.
Eight developments are currently underway across Manchester / Credit: Supplied
“All of our latest developments are already generating high levels of interest from local people who want to live in some of Manchester’s most popular and vibrant suburbs that all benefit from great amenities and regular transport links.
“Each development will be finished to a very high specification, with contemporary kitchens and bathrooms, as well as luxury floorings and quality fixtures and fittings throughout.”
Residents interested in any of these developments are asked to visit Gecko Homes’ website here to find out more and register their details now.
Prices shown are based on 25% Shared Ownership and a 95% LTV mortgage. All properties are bought as leasehold, with full terms applying, and prices shown may be subject to change and are a guide only.
Emily Sergeant -
14th May 2024 
