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
You can live in an actual windmill near Greater Manchester
Thomas Melia
A truly stunning four-storey windmill has been converted into a dream home and has now gone on the market for £850,000 in the rural setting of Cheshire.
Ever fancied living outside of the usual four walls and roof? How about living in a house with just one curved wall and a pretty big fan on top?
This place will make the rolling fields of Cheshire feel more like Amsterdam and with 1.65 square metres of space, you can easily fit more than a handful of tulips into your garden.
Located just outside of Greater Manchester and very close to Chester – only about 10 minutes, in fact – the interior of this luxury home is arguably even more eye-catching than the windmill itself.
Spacious and open sitting area. The Gibbet Windmill, Cheshire (Credit: Rightmove/ Signature Property Partners)
As you enter ‘The Gibbett Mill’, the ground floor boasts an open plan kitchen space with an island framing the layout.
The first floor has a spacious sitting area which with a bit of creativity could easily be turned into something similar to a cinema room, for cosy nights in or even entertaining guests.
If you don’t have enough space to host all your friends and family, why not sit one or two of them on the balcony which is attached to this level?
Two bedrooms are spread across the second floor with one bathroom space which will be shared between both these rooms.
For those of you who are DIY fanatics, the property even has planning permission for a two-storey extension, if you want to add your own personal touch to your new home – not that this pad needs anything more done to it, mind you.
The third and highest floor has an impressive master bedroom with its own en-suite shower room and with its incredible height, this room boasts views of the Cheshire countryside.
Cosy little nook with a spiral staircase.En-suite and Shower room attached to Master bedroom. The third floor which homes the Master bedroom.Spacious kitchen area.The Gibbet Windmill, Cheshire is genuinely breathtaking. (Credit: Rightmove/ Signature Property Partners)
For anyone with an admittedly big budget, this property is ideal for anyone trying to escape the hustle and bustle of busy day-to-day life, situated in the village of Woodbank, the population is just over 100, and you’ll be treated to some relaxing peace and quiet.
Chester itself has lots to offer too, from well-known shops homed in black and white Tudor-style buildings to impressive walls you can walk which highlight the city and provide incredible views of the landscape.
Life is all about the perfect balance and with the three-bedroom listing being just a 12-minute drive away from Cheshire Oaks, you’re a short journey away from some much-loved retailers and recognisable brands.
S,o if you happen to have £850,000 to spare and fancy living in something more cylindrical and almost out of a fantasy film, this property is your match made in heaven. You can see more down below.
You can find The Gibbett Windmill’s full listing HERE.
Featured Image — Rightmove/ Signature Property Partners
Property
Plans approved for new ‘first of its kind’ majority LGBTQ+ housing scheme for over 55s in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Plans have been approved for the UK’s ‘first of its kind’ purpose-built majority LGBTQ+ social rent housing scheme for over 55s in Manchester.
Great Places Housing Group’s proposals for the site of the former Spire Hospital on Russell Road in Whalley Range – a brownfield site which has been vacant since the hospital was demolished in September 2019 – were approved at Manchester City Council’s planning meeting last week (26 September).
The plans for the majority LGBTQ+ ‘Extra Care’ housing scheme have been co-produced in partnership with the Russell Road Community Steering Group, Manchester City Council, and LGBT Foundation.
According to developers and the Council, this newly-approved development will be made up of 80 one and two-bedroom apartments for older people within a “high-quality sustainable building offering a safe and welcoming feel and inviting presence”.
Designed to “respect the surrounding conservation area”, the low-carbon scheme will also include several shared communal facilities too – including lounges, treatment rooms, and landscaped gardens.
The site will also include a neighbouring development of 40 shared ownership homes.
Plans have been approved for a new ‘first of its kind’ majority LGBTQ+ housing scheme in Manchester / Credit: John Walding (via Great Places Housing Group)
Greater Manchester‘s Extra Care housing schemes are all about increasing the opportunities for older people to move into high-quality accommodation across our region – with all the residents at Russell Road therefore being aged 55 or over.
The majority of residents at the development will also be members of the LGBTQ+ community from Manchester, and they will live alongside allies in what developers and the Council are aiming to be an “open and inclusive place of psychological safety”.
Cllr Gavin White, who is Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development, said the approval of the plans is “a real celebratory moment” and a “landmark development in every sense”.
He continued: “[This development] has been in the works for some years and is designed to meet a clear need for quality, social rent housing for LGBTQ+ older people to live in safety, dignity, and as part of a welcoming and supportive community.
“We have helped build hundreds of Extra Care homes across Manchester in recent years to meet demand for older people to live in their later lives, many with care needs provided on site, but this is the first purpose-built LGBTQ+ majority Extra Care community in the UK”.
Work on the new development – which will be funded by Great Places, complimented by grant funding from Homes England, and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Brownfield Housing Fund – will begin later this year, the Council has confirmed.
Emily Sergeant -
23rd April 2024 
