The 20th century was a time of relative peace and plenty at Julians Park. This secluded, 183-acre residential and farming estate sits on the edge of the small rural village of Rushden, six miles from Baldock and eight miles from the commuter hub of Stevenage in north Hertfordshire. It’s now for sale via Strutt & Parker at £5.75 million.
At its heart stands a beautifully proportioned Georgian house, listed Grade II*. Originally known as Rushden Place, it was built in 1605 for William Stone, re-fronted and remodelled in 1710 for one Adolphus Meetkerke and further altered in the late 1930s by Col Reginald Cooper.
An article by Christopher Hussey in Country Life (June 20, 1947) sets the scene of ‘Julians, in the arable country near Buntingford’:
‘It is an old house, originally built in Jacobean times and reconstructed during the 18th century. But its present appearance, setting and internal character are barely 10 years old. As we see them today, they are due to Mrs Pleydell-Bouverie, since she came to live here in 1940, and during whose time the garden has come to maturity. But the actual restoration of the place was done during 1937–39 by Col Reginald Cooper, whose remarkable flair for discovering and resurrecting derelict houses has already been illustrated at Cothay Manor, Devon (Country Life, October 22/29, 1927).’
Col Cooper reinstated the enclosed court, which had been replaced by an informal carriage sweep, remodelled the gardens to the north of the house and added a dramatic, Roman-style swimming pool set in one of the walled gardens.
He also created the single-storey wing at the side of the house that contains the magnificent, 59ft-long music room.
The current owners have been there since the 1940s and the house remains much as it was then, apart from the addition of a new kitchen and the conversion of part of the stable block to a comfortable, four-bedroom house.
For Mark Rimell of Strutt & Parker, who is handling the sale of the estate at a guide price of £5.75m, Julians Park, with its timeless charm and 12,755sq ft of accommodation, including five reception rooms and 10 bedrooms, is his ‘very favourite house in the whole of Hertfordshire’.
Julians Park is for sale via Strutt & Parker at £5.75 million — see more details and pictures.
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.
