Middlewood, Chatburn, Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 4GR Guide price £1,995,000

Situation

Middlewood stands within a secluded and private parkland setting on the edge of the village of Chatburn within the Ribble Valley to the South of the Forest of Bowland, one of the most picturesque and tranquil settings in Lancashire. The area is known as ‘The Taste of Lancashire’ due to its close proximity to some of the North’s finest restaurants. Northcote Manor and Mitton Hall are both within easy striking distance and other notable eateries in the area include The Inn at Whitewell, The Freemasons at Wiswell, The Assheton Arms at Downham and The Calf’s Head by the river in Worston. Good schools are abound including Stoneyhurst, Westholme, Giggleswick, Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Blackburn, Bolton School and Clitheroe Royal Grammar School. Access to the principal commercial centres on both sides of the Pennines is good via the M65 only 10 miles away and Clitheroe station has a regular service to Manchester Victoria (1hr.15mins) and Preston (52 mins). Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool airports are about equidistant. Clitheroe has many
independent specialist shops as well as supermarkets including Booths and Sainsbury and Clitheroe Castle is believed to have the smallest Norman Keep in the country. This can be glimpsed over the trees from the second floor rooms. For those with a love of the outdoors, there are some splendid local walks including a meandering route to The Calf’s Head at Worston and onto Downham for lunch at Assheton Arms. For more hardy walkers there is the mighty Pendle Hill with it’s many surrounding walks.

Description

This fine Victorian mansion has been beautifully restored by our clients over recent years to create a stunning home of exceptional quality. The dramatic galleried and panelled reception hall is quite exceptional and the detailing of the house throughout is a credit not only to William King-Wilkinson who commissioned the property in 1866 but to our clients for their meticulous and sympathetic restoration which now suits a contemporary lifestyle. The grandeur of the principal reception rooms with their period fireplaces including the sumptuous drawing room together with the main hall create a formidable entertaining area and with 5 guest bedrooms on the second floor there will always be space for friends to stay. The approach to Middlewood is no less impressive with a gated, sweeping driveway which leads past the tennis court and pavilion through an avenue of trees to the entrance, courtyard and the parking area with garaging to the rear. Middlewood has great presence and stands in its elevated setting with an attractive alfresco entertaining terrace accessed from the kitchen looking down over the lawns towards woodland. A separate cottage stands on the far side of the courtyard and offers completely self contained 3 bedroomed accommodation over two floors with an adjoining studio over a garage with an external access staircase. This is perfect for a dependent relative or perhaps for additional staff; there is already a staff apartment on the second floor within the main house. There are some astonishing architectural details including the intricately moulded ceilings, fantastic doors, stone mullion windows and leaded and stained glass panels. The bathrooms and the bespoke kitchen are very contemporary and yet cleverly fuse with the drama of
the original features. This was a house built with little regard to cost and embraces the finest of materials and craftsmanship of the period. The gardens are extensive and very impressive including formal gardens adjacent to the driveway, a picturesque walkway through an avenue of trees adjacent to the tennis court, extensive open garden areas to the side and rear of the property including well stocked shrubbery borders and a private woodland. The gardens provide a wonderful frame for Middlewood, which looks spectacular from every angle.

Accommodation

The grand main entrance includes a stone archway leading into the porch area with a recessed coachman’s seat and a splendid oak front door opening to the oak panelled entrance hall. There are lovely stained glass side windows and a passageway leading off to the right to the study, typically designed to allow business visitors to be met without disturbing the main household. A cloakroom with splendid period tiling lies off this hall and has a separate w.c. The two storey galleried reception hall forms the centre piece of the house and is simply breathtaking. The ceiling mouldings, carved oak galleried staircase traversing 2 walls to the gallery and the two storey high stone mullion window are impressive enough but combined with a deep inglenook fireplace with a log burner and oak parquet flooring with contrasting inlaid borders, replicated in the principal reception rooms, this is a stunning reception space. The first door off to the right leads into the morning room with its side bay window and a stone fireplace fitted with a cosy log burning stove and an oak surround flanked by bespoke oak built in display cabinets. The next room on the right is the drawing room and this is achingly attractive with a dual aspect over the gardens, a deep bay recess to the rear supported by a pair of Ionic columns and intricately moulded ceiling and wall reliefs over wainscot panelling. There is an Adam style fireplace and the side bay provides incredible natural light to this beautiful room. The formal dining room adjoins the kitchen and hall and for formal dining it really doesn’t get much better than this. The focal point of the room is the ornately carved firepiece over a stone fireplace for a real fire. The 6 panel mullion stone windows overlook the gardens and there is ample room for at least 12 for dinner. The strapped ceiling is intricately moulded and there is carved oak wainscot panelling with an oak lined serving recess adjoining the kitchen. The kitchen has been reappointed with bespoke cupboards, granite tops and twin Smeg professional ranges, a hardwood topped island provides a breakfast bar for 6 and the limestone floor has under floor heating. The fridge and freezer are integrated into a free standing piece of matching furniture and an arched door leads out to the dining terrace. Ancillary rooms include a laundry with access to the cellar area, a boot room adjoining the family’s day to day entrance and a pantry store. A second cloakroom with a w.c. lies off the boot room and there is an access door, as well as from the kitchen, to an excellent garden room with, naturally, a door to the garden and a second door to the courtyard with the cottage opposite. The most practical aspect of this area, beyond the limestone tiled flooring, is a fabulous welly/dog washing area. The cellars are a very interesting area of the house and previously had a number of separate entrances which are now limited to one off the laundry room. There is a large
boiler room, an appropriately large wine cellar with wine bins, 2 large rooms and a 3rd smaller room.
The gallery landing leads off to the master bedroom suite which includes a dressing room and a newly appointed en-suite bathroom, 4 further double bedrooms with 3 further bathrooms, both in period style and very contemporary. There are 2 staircases leading up to the second floor where there are 5 guest rooms, a study/games room and a self contained staff apartment including a bedroom, a lounge and a dining kitchen. The cottage has an entrance hall with a staircase leading up to the first floor and a door through to the dining area of the L shaped lounge/dining reception room. The kitchen off to the left is superbly appointed with granite topped oak contemporary cupboards with integrated appliances and on the first floor there are 3 bedrooms and a shower
room. Off the fitted larger bedroom there is a door through to a studio room with an external staircase and a large mirrored wall. Outbuildings include a range of stables, a garden garage, open bay garages and covered storage with a garage below the studio. Further images available on http://youtu.be/DwIL9vd8MCA

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