Across the county border in Dorset, Luke Pender-Cudlip of Knight Frank’s Sherborne office is selling Hammoon House near Sturminster Newton, an unlisted former Victorian hunting lodge built by the 2nd Viscount Portman in 1880 so that his family and guests could hunt in comfort.
A guide price of £2.4m is quoted for the house, which stands in an idyllic, 19-acre setting overlooking the water meadows that border the River Stour around the tiny village of Hammoon, whose name derives from the de Mohun knights who came to England with William the Conqueror.
Hammoon House remained part of the Portman estate until 1923, when it was sold as part of a 323-acre farm. After the war, it was owned for some 45 years by Angela Hughes, a distinguished ornithologist and conservationist, who helped to reintroduce the otter to the River Stour.
The compact, Georgian-style house was looking decidedly tired when its present owners bought it some 25 years ago and they embarked on a comprehensive programme of renovation, enlarging its footprint with the addition of a good-sized reception hall and a south-west-facing orangery overlooking the garden and grounds.
It now has four good reception rooms, seven or eight bedrooms and five bathrooms and comes with a converted coach house, outbuildings and a heated outdoor pool. A ha-ha separates the garden from a series of three meadows leading down to the Stour, where the property owns the rights to some 854 yards of single bank fishing.
Hammoon House is currently on the market via Knight Frank at a guide price of £2.4 million — see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for more details.
Sturminster Newton: What you need to know
Location: Sturminster Newton is located in the Blackmore Vale area of Dorset. Sturminster lies north of the River Stour, whilst Newton lies to the south. The closest rail station is in Gillingham, nine miles away, offering direct links to London.
Atmosphere: This thriving town used to be home to the largest cattle market in England and is now home to a prize-winning delicatessen, an artisan baker and numerous other independent retail shops and supermarkets.
Things to do: There is a food market every Monday, lots of unique shops and cafes to explore, as well as the beautiful, unspoilt countryside of the Blackmore Vale for walks.
Schools: Yewstock School, – rated outstanding in its Ofsted review – is situated nearby, as well as The Forum School and St Nicholas Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Child Okeford. Sturminster Newton High School is the local secondary option.
See more property for sale in the area.
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
-
Graham Norton's elegant East London home hits the market, and it's just as wonderful as you would expectThe four-bedroom home in Wapping should be studied for how well it uses two separate spaces to create a home of immense character and utility.
-
Sign of the times: In the age of the selfie, what’s happening to the humble autograph?When Ringo Starr announced that he was no longer going to sign anything, he kickstarted a celebrity movement that coincided with the advent of the camera phone and selfie. Rob Crossan asks whether, in today’s world, the selfie holds more clout than an autograph?
-
Graham Norton's elegant East London home hits the market, and it's just as wonderful as you would expect
The four-bedroom home in Wapping should be studied for how well it uses two separate spaces to create a home of immense character and utility.
-
About time: The fastest and slowest moving housing markets revealedNew research by Zoopla has shown where it's easy to sell and where it will take quite a while to find a buyer.
-
A wisteria clad hall built by one of the founders of the Bank of EnglandCome for the history of Old Hall. Stay for the interesting interiors.
-
A gorgeous Scottish cottage with contemporary interiors on the bonny banks of the River TayCarnliath on the edge of Strathtay is a delightful family home set in sensational scenery.
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country LifeWe take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producersStormzy, Rihanna and the Rolling Stones are just a part of the story at Osea Island, a dot on the map in the seas off Essex.
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in KentNorth Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
-
A rare opportunity to own a family home on Vanbrugh Terrace, one of London's finest streetsThis six-bedroom Victorian home sits right on the start line of the London Marathon, with easy access to Blackheath and Greenwich Park.
