A Grade-I listed manor house has gone on the market over in Cheshire, and to say it’s absolutely stunning is a serious understatement.
Oh… but you will need a spare £11.4 million to fork out on it though.
Of course, it goes without saying that the vast majority of people reading this article right now won’t see a sum of £11.4 million ever in their lifetimes, and 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 visit, then allow us to introduce you to this absolute beast of a mansion in Cheshire.
We’re talking a Grade I-listed, 10-bedroom, has its own library, lake, tennis courts, self-contained lodges, a venue for hosting weddings and corporate events, and is sat in extensive farmland kind of ‘beast’.
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This is Dorford Hall, in the Nantwich area of south Cheshire / Credit: Savills
This is Dorford Hall.
Nestled in a secluded, yet still very easily-accessible corner of Nantwich in south Cheshire, the expansive Dorfold Hall Estate boasts a seriously-stunning Grade I-listed Jacobean manor house surrounded by breathtaking Victorian gardens that’s been immaculately-restored and renovated by the current owners over several years to now offer accommodation for modern living within a historic setting.
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While the estate may now serve the dual purpose of being a cherished family home, and a picturesque venue for weddings and corporate events, that’s now how it started life in the 17th century.
Built in 1616 and designed in the characteristic Jacobean style, the Grade I-listed Hall is steeped in local historical and architectural significance – with rumours claiming its construction was even expedited to host King James I during a royal visit.
It’s a Grade I-listed manor estate rumoured to have been built for King James I to stay in during the 17th century / Credit: Savills
Now, estate agents Savills call it a “fine example of Jacobean architecture”, all thanks to its symmetrical design, red and blue brick diapering, stone detailing, slate roofing, large mullioned windows, ornate chimneys, and gables.
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Accommodation is arranged over three floors, with the spacious reception rooms, bespoke kitchen and dining room, library, billiards room, and the separate lodges, cottages, and apartments for housekeepers, being just a few of the stand-out features it has to offer.
And the wow-factor doesn’t stop with indoors either, as the outside is arguably even more impressive.
It’s currently on the market for £11.4 million / Credit: Savills
Once you’ve entered the estates grounds through the electric gates and make your way down the impressive tree-lined drive, you’ll find acres of mature and historic gardens, new lawn and garden irrigation systems, several outbuildings, and even an enviably-beautiful walled garden with its very-own wildflower meadow, lake.
As mentioned there’s even tennis court within the grounds too, as well as a restored Clock Tower, and the small matter of a RIBA award-winning avant-garde event space and Coach House that’s licensed to hold civil ceremonies.
We know we’ve used the word ‘impressive’ quite a few times throughout this, but what’s one more… it’s all pretty impressive, right?
Dorford Hall is currently on the market with Savills for a whopping £11.4 million, and if you fancy taking a closer look, then you can contact the property company to arrange a viewing.
Or take the cheaper route instead and just have a nosey at the Rightmove link here.
Featured Image – Savills
Property
Plans officially submitted for ‘vibrant’ new food hall in Wythenshawe
Emily Sergeant
Are you feeling hungry? Good, because a new food hall is on the horizon.
That’s right – plans to transform Wythenshawe Civic have taken another exciting leap forward this week, as Manchester City Council and placemaker Muse have submitted a planning application to bring a brand-new food hall to the town.
Set to be housed within the three units next to the former Peacocks store – which has now been demolished – the new food hall will become a ‘vibrant’ destination for independent and local food vendors to attract people with ‘delicious and diverse’ offerings.
Developers also hope the new food hall will keep the suburban Manchester town’s centre ‘bustling’ throughout the day and into the evening.
The announcement that the new food hall is in the works comes as part of the already-announced plans for Wythenshawe Civic – with work to soon begin on everything from the public realm, and outside space, to the vacant office space above the existing Iceland-store, which will also be transformed into modern new workspace to support local start-ups and bring new jobs into the town centre.
Developers also recently submitted three separate applications to create 422 new affordable homes for social rent across three locations in the town centre.
“Listening to local people over the last year and more, we know that Wythenshawe residents want more from their town centre – more things to do, opportunities to spend time in Civic and night time attractions that give the area a lift and attract visitors,” commented Cllr Bev Craig, who is the Leader of Manchester City Council.
“This is the drive behind the Culture Hub. A place for local people with an interest in the arts to take part in creative activities, see a show or enjoy the cinema space – right in the heart of their community.
“This is another exciting chapter in the transformation of Wythenshawe Town Centre.”
Joel Chandler, who is the Senior Development Manager at Muse, added that developers are ‘moving at pace’ with plans to give the town centre the ‘regeneration it deserves’.
“The food hall will be a hive for a range of local outlets and will provide new spaces for the community to spend time in and give the town’s nighttime economy a major boost.”
Featured Image – Supplied
Property
Inside the north’s rare 1950s mid-century ‘masterpiece’ on the market for £1.1m
Emily Sergeant
A rare Grade II-listed mid-century modern home designed by a renowned architect has gone on the market in Lancashire.
Now, we know this one is a little off patch for us… but honestly, it’s a truly unique masterpiece worth hyping up.
Before we all get carried away, it goes without saying that the vast majority of us won’t have the money to buy this house just chilling in bank accounts right now, but if like us, you’ve got no shame in admitting you love looking at houses you can’t afford in places you’ll probably never live, then allow us to introduce you to this absolute beauty.
This is Domus – thought to be one of the first ‘modern’ houses in the county, commissioned for Eric Cookson and his wife all the way back in 1958.
Mid-century modern homes are commonplace in the US, but rare in the UK / Credit: The Modern House
Mid-century modern (MCM) homes are commonplace in the US and in other countries across Europe, but here in the UK, it’s a different story.
MCMs homes are said to be rare in the UK due to a preference for traditional, durable materials like brick, as well as higher land costs demanding smaller footprints, and because we have a climate that makes large, single-pane glass windows more impractical.
Hence why this home in the sought-after Burnley town of Reedley is so special.
Designed by the renowned architect Alan Chambers, and concealed from view at the foot of a private driveway, fronted by landscaped gardens and a screen of mature specimen trees, estate agents say this exceptional Grade II-listed modern masterpiece is set intended for ‘creating, communing, and entertaining’.
This Grade II-listed home was designed by renowned architect Alan Chambers back in 1958 / Credit: The Modern House
One of the property’s other stand-out features has to be its abundance of natural light in the main living spaces, where expansive full-height windows frame views of the garden.
Retaining the building’s legacy has also been integral to its current owners, with much of the property’s internal detailing having been beautifully preserved throughout – most notably in terrazzo tiles, marble floors, and aluminium door furniture, light switches and sanitaryware.
Oh, and of course, we have to mention the artfully crafted open-tread staircase as one of the many original features that just steals the show.
The outside of Domus is just as impressive as the inside too / Credit: The Modern House
The outside is just as impressive as the inside too, as not only is there a collection of characteristic balconies surrounding the property, but you’ll also find that the gardens and woodland extend to around 5.7 acres – which form an integral part of what makes this home so remarkable and unlike anything else in the North West
Like what you see then?
This property is currently on the market with mid-century modern expert estate agents, The Modern House, for a (pretty reasonable, to be fair) £1.1 million, and if you fancy taking a closer look, then you can contact the agents to arrange a viewing.
Emily Sergeant -
23rd April 2024 
