Churches in towns and villages across England became hives of building activity during the 19th century, as eminent Victorian architects, among them Augustus Pugin, William Butterfield and George Gilbert Scott, dedicated much effort to designing, constructing and renovating these ecclesiastical edifices. These architects, together with others, also ensured that the clergy, keen to meet the needs of their local parishioners, weren’t left out in the cold, with hordes of vicarages and rectories also springing up during this period. These impressive buildings were designed to last and many were later acquired, extended and transformed by wealthy Victorians into high-status private houses, one of which has recently come to the market.
For sale through Hamptons Private office at a guide price of £4.5 million, Monks Bridge is a restored and renovated former vicarage set in 14 acres of formal gardens, parkland and woodland. It is situated in the charming south Warwickshire village of Butlers Marston on the banks of the River Dene, a mile from Kineton in prime Warwickshire Hunt country and 10 miles south-east of Stratford-upon-Avon.
For many of today’s London buyers, Butlers Marston is seen as the perfect rural location, being a 35-minute drive from Worcestershire’s Cots-wold gem, Broadway, and a similar journey from both Daylesford and Soho Farmhouse.
Originally built in 1837 — the year of Queen Cictoria's ascension to the throne — it was created as the vicarage to the neighbouring Grade II*-listed village church of Saints Peter and Paul. Somehow Monks Bridge is unlisted, and it was extended with the addition of two wings in the 1890s.
Previously owned by Eleanor Wharton, the last surviving granddaughter of chocolate manufacturer George Cadbury, who bought Monks Bridge for £9,000 in 1952 and lived there until her death, aged 94, in 2013, the property was acquired in 2014 by the current vendors.
According to selling agent Paul Houghton-Brown, the new owners, who moved there from the Cotswolds, were specifically looking for a historic property that could be altered and updated without the constraints of listed-building restrictions. Monks Bridge fitted the bill perfectly and they immediately embarked upon a meticulous restoration of the main house, which involved stripping the interior to the bare bones before carefully rebuilding it, although preserving and enhancing its many original features. The work included re-wiring, re-plumbing, the fitting of new windows, the installation of under-floor heating and the refurbishment of the roof.
The process also uncovered many hidden historic elements, including the original Victorian quarry tiles in the grand reception hall, with its lantern roof and cantilevered staircase, and an antique bell system that has been re-wired and reinstated throughout the house.
The kitchen is a totally modern addition. Completed in 2016, it incorporates elegant white-painted cabinetry with premium Miele appliances and a large breakfast bar set in a vast, light-filled living-space that includes an adjoining dining room, breakfast room, two pantries and two laundry rooms.
Further informal spaces include a morning room, craft room and a sizeable boot room — which is ideal for dogs, the agents suggest. The cellar below includes a wine store, wine room and boiler room. Upstairs are six double bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms. The principal bedroom suite boasts its own private balcony and dressing room. In addition to the main house, which offers 6,317sq ft of accommodation, including six reception rooms, six bedrooms and six bathrooms, a brick-built former coach house has been converted to a separate two-bedroom annexe.
The beautifully landscaped grounds provide a wonderful backdrop to the main house and its secondary buildings, which include a well-equipped gym and an enclosed hard tennis court. The delightful formal gardens comprise box hedges laid out ‘parterre style’, paved walkways, manicured lawns, water features and flower gardens for moments of private contemplation. Keen gardeners will appreciate the orchard and the fruitful kitchen garden.
Monks Bridge is for sale at £4.5 million via Hamptons Private Office — see more details.
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