Standing in some 20-odd acres of famous gardens on the Essex-Cambridgeshire border, Grade II-listed Caldrees Manor, takes its name from the Cistercian Calder Abbey that stood on the site in medieval times. For sale with Lucy Banks of Savills at a guide price of £5 million, the historic manor house hides behind a boundary wall in the heart of Ickleton village, 10 miles south of Cambridge.
Previously listed as Caldress Manor, the present house was largely rebuilt in about 1800 around the core of a 16th- or 17th-century farmhouse. Later 19th-century additions and alterations were carried out by Sir Robert Herbert (1831–1905), who, in the course of a stellar diplomatic career, was Queensland’s first and youngest Premier. At that time, the original floor levels and some of the reception rooms were altered and the chimneypiece in the grand, double-height reception hall was rebuilt with 17th-century pilasters from The Grange at Ickleton. The grounds were extended by exchanging land with Clare Hall in 1870 and 1884, at which time a stream was diverted to create ornamental ponds.
For the past 30-odd years, Caldrees Manor has been the much-loved family home of notable businessman John Gildersleeve who, after 20 years at the helm of Tesco, went on to hold a succession of chairmanships of major British companies, among them EMI Group, Gallaher Group, Carphone Warehouse and British Land.
At the same time as juggling a career in the City, Mr Gildersleeve worked with his wife on reconfiguring and upgrading the manor house, which now offers some 14,000sq ft of grand, yet versatile accommodation on three floors, including a magnificent billiard room (the former ballroom), a formal dining hall, conservatory, elegant drawing and dining rooms, a kitchen and breakfast room, with an Aga, and nine bedrooms, including six en suites. Staff accommodation is provided in a self-contained, two-bedroom apartment or a two-bedroom cottage.
Using his well-honed organisational skills to spectacular effect and with no gardening experience whatsoever, Mr Gildersleeve has masterminded the creation of ‘a phenomenal pleasure garden’ within Caldrees Manor’s ring-fenced grounds. Here, 100,000 snowdrops will shortly be in bloom, followed by the blossom on 28 varieties of apple trees in the old orchard. The gardens are laid out as a series of ‘garden rooms’ and include a Japanese Garden, Dry Garden, Fernery, Stumpery, Wild Garden, Hydrangea Walk, New Wood and two acer glades.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
A converted barn in West Sussex with the most spacious interiors
The Great Barn in East Lavant might be the pinnacle of open-plan living
Clive Nichols: Secrets from the king of garden photography
Britain's top garden photographer Clive Nichols joins the Country Life podcast.
22 country houses for sale, from under £300k to over £5m, as seen in Country Life
Our look at some of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life in the past week
-
‘Its loss became a cautionary tale, and a rallying cry for architectural conservation’: The rise and fall and renewed interest in Ireland’s remarkable country housesLesley Bond traces a brief history of Ireland’s country houses and questions whether you can ever separate the house from the history it represents.
-
Alan Titchmarsh: 'I am so weary of seeing Lutyens-style benches and chairs absolutely everywhere'A strategically placed chair doubles as a focal point and a spot to rest — but we need to move on from Lutyens-style ones says our regular garden columnist.
-
A micro estate for sale in west Wales shows that the best things come in small packages. In this case, three of themBrithdir is a remarkable collection of properties centred around a lake and just five miles from the sea.
-
This blissful converted mill has sweeping views, a breathtaking library and gardens by a Chelsea gold medallistPenny Churchill takes a look at Stanbridge Mill, one of the finest properties for sale today in the west country.
-
Portmore has it all: A 3,459-acre Scottish estate for sale, with a signature Baronial sandstone mansion at its heartFor sale for the first time in 40 years, Portmore Estate is everything you could ever want in Scotland.
-
Location, community and charm: the enduring desirability of London's mews housesFrom birds, to horses, to beautiful family homes, the mews of London are some of the nation's most sought-after homes. But why?
-
The distinctive and historic home that might just be 'one of Dorset’s most picturesque'Grade II*-listed Manor House, set in just under eight acres, dates from the 16th century.
-
A 17th century farmhouse in Surrey with one of Britain's oldest squash courtsFords Farm is on the market for the first time in over half a century.
-
The 15 best-value commuter towns for people working in London, according to new research from one of Britain's top estate agentsSavills have released their list of the best-value commuter towns in Britain. But do the sums add up? Toby Keel takes a look.
-
What everyone is talking about this week: Where are the new Cotswolds?The appearance of American Vice President J. D. Vance in the Cotswolds is a sure sign that they're saturated, but where else can you escape to that has the same charm?
