A Gloucestershire home with huge character, stables and 800 years of history
Ashleworth Manor was once the summer home of the Abbot of the Abbey of St Augustine. Almost a millennium later it's a grand and comfortable country home.

Lots of houses come to the market described as having interesting histories. Very few can match up to the 800-odd years of tales on offer at Ashleworth Manor, however, a Grade II*-listed house in a village a few miles north of Gloucester.
The house — which is for sale via Andrew Grant at £1.5 million — as it currently stands doesn't go back quite that far. It's primarily 15th century, with later additions including a late Victorian extension which was beautifully matched in style to the rest of the building.
Yet there were buildings here centuries before the present home was erected: this estate was once the summer residence of the Abbot of the Abbey of St Augustine, in what is now Bristol Cathedral. The Earl of Berkeley had donated the entire manor to the Abbey in the 12th century.
Five years ago a metal detectorist with permission to look in the grounds of the house discovered a papal bulla — a type of lead seal used on papal documents at the time — dating to the reign of Boniface VIII (1294-1303). It's intriguing to imagine the sequence of events which led to the survival of this fragment of history — or how it came to be lost at all, considering that it would have come from the Supreme Pontiff himself.
The 15th century saw the house undergo many alterations and additions, thought to have been ordered by Abbot Newbury, when the huge, hand-carved oak beams were installed to support the floors above the main hall. These and many other touches from over the centuries can still be seen: there are dragon beams in the study, beautiful flooring and fireplaces, and a 15th century porch which bears the marks — so the tale goes — from target practice undertaken by soldiers garrisoned here during the English Civil War.
On the ground floor there's a staircase hall, sitting room, study, kitchen, dining room and, rather unusually, a strong room.
Upstairs, there are five bedrooms and two bathrooms, with a double-aspect master bedroom that's huge and has fine views of front and rear.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Above on the second floor are three smaller bedrooms and plenty of storage space — the agents suggest that it 'could provide excellent further accommodation' and could even be purposed as a 'teenager's suite'. This made us think that you could install a dumb waiter as well, and thus go weeks without running into a recalcitrant teen; equally, as we head into a New Normal, it sounds as if these three rooms would make ideal home offices for people no longer wanting (or needing) to commute.
At one end of the house there is a self-contained annexe, which like the main house spreads over three storeys, while there are stables, outbuildings and paddocks elsewhere within the 10.2 acres of grounds.
Ashleworth Manor is for sale via Andrew Grant at £1.5 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
Toby Keel is Country Life's Digital Director, and has been running the website and social media channels since 2016. A former sports journalist, he writes about property, cars, lifestyle, travel, nature.
-
'The watch is Head Boy of men’s accessorising': Ginnie Chadwyck-Healey and Tom Chamberlin's Summer Season style secrets
When it comes to dressing for the Season, accessories will transform an outfit. Ginnie Chadwyck-Healey and Tom Chamberlin, both stylish summer-party veterans, offer some sage advice.
By Country Life Published
-
Lewis Hamilton, Claude Monet and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Country Life Quiz of the Day, April 29, 2025
Tuesday's Quiz of the Day looks back at Lewis Hamilton's first win and ponders on the meaning of greige.
By Toby Keel Published
-
About time: The fastest and slowest moving housing markets revealed
New research by Zoopla has shown where it's easy to sell and where it will take quite a while to find a buyer.
By Annabel Dixon Last updated
-
A wisteria clad hall built by one of the founders of the Bank of England
Come for the history of Old Hall. Stay for the interesting interiors.
By Annabel Dixon Published
-
A gorgeous Scottish cottage with contemporary interiors on the bonny banks of the River Tay
Carnliath on the edge of Strathtay is a delightful family home set in sensational scenery.
By James Fisher Published
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country Life
We take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
By Toby Keel Published
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producers
Stormzy, 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.
By Lotte Brundle Published
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in Kent
North Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
By James Fisher Published
-
A rare opportunity to own a family home on Vanbrugh Terrace, one of London's finest streets
This six-bedroom Victorian home sits right on the start line of the London Marathon, with easy access to Blackheath and Greenwich Park.
By James Fisher Published
-
A tale of everyday life as lived on Britain's most expensive street
Winnington Road in Hampstead has an average house price of £11.9 million. But what's it really like? Lotte Brundle went to find out.
By Lotte Brundle Last updated