A gorgeous country home with grace, space and an original medieval moat
East Donyland Hall has come to the market, a superb home set in 83 acres. Penny Churchill takes a look within.


Tim Phillips of Savills country department is overseeing the sale, at a guide price of £5.75m, of elegant, Grade II-listed East Donyland Hall set in 83 acres of parkland, woods and farmland running down to the Roman River and saltmarsh near the quiet rural village of Fingringhoe, five miles southeast of Colchester in the heart of Roman Essex.
The first record of a house on the site was in 1463, followed in 1638 by that of a mansion house built around the medieval core and encircled by the moat that still exists today.
In 1730, David Gansel, an architect, acquired the property, had the house re-fronted in the Queen Anne style and built a model farm opposite the house with three matching listed buildings with pedimented gables comprising the stables, dairy and brew house.
He also laid out a park and planted many cedar trees, some of which are still standing.
The classic Georgian interior provides some 6,535sq ft of free-flowing accommodation on three floors, including an entrance hall with a fine 18th-century staircase, four main reception rooms, a conservatory and a kitchen/breakfast room.
There is a principal bedroom suite, four further bedrooms and two bathrooms on the first floor, and two further bedrooms on the floor above. There is also a two-room cellar, with access from the study.
Further accommodation is available in the two-bedroom gate lodge, and two pretty estate cottages.
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.
Approached along a private tree-lined drive, the Hall sits well within its setting, surrounded by lovely landscaped gardens. In all, the estate comprises some 21,000sq ft of houses and buildings, of which 10,000sq ft of farm buildings have potential for development, the agents say.
East Donyland Hall, Essex, is up for sale at £5.75m — 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
-
Ford Focus ST: So long, and thanks for all the fun
From November, the Ford Focus will be no more. We say goodbye to the ultimate boy racer.
By Matthew MacConnell Published
-
‘If Portmeirion began life as an oddity, it has evolved into something of a phenomenon’: Celebrating a century of Britain’s most eccentric village
A romantic experiment surrounded by the natural majesty of North Wales, Portmeirion began life as an oddity, but has evolved into an architectural phenomenon kept alive by dedication.
By Ben Lerwill Published
-
A mini estate in Kent that's so lovely it once featured in Simon Schama's 'History of Britain'
The Paper Mill estate is a picture-postcard in the Garden of England.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
Hidden excellence in a £7.5 million north London home
Behind the traditional façades of Provost Road, you will find something very special.
By James Fisher Published
-
Sip tea and laugh at your neighbours in this seaside Norfolk home with a watchtower
On Cliff Hill in Gorleston, one home is taller than all the others. It could be yours.
By James Fisher Published
-
A Grecian masterpiece that might be one of the nation's finest homes comes up for sale in Kent
Grade I-listed Holwood House sits in 40 acres of private parkland just 15 miles from central London. It is spectacular.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
Some of the finest landscapes in the North of England with a 12-bedroom home attached
Upper House in Derbyshire shows why the Kinder landscape was worth fighting for.
By James Fisher Published
-
Could Gruber's Antiques from Paddington 2 be your new Notting Hill home?
It was the home of Mr Gruber and his antiques in the film, but in the real world, Alice's Antiques could be yours.
By James Fisher Published
-
What should 1.5 million new homes look like?
The King's recent visit to Nansledan with the Prime Minister gives us a clue as to Labour's plans, but what are the benefits of traditional architecture? And can they solve a housing crisis?
By Lucy Denton Published
-
Welcome to the modern party barn, where disco balls are 'non-negotiable'
A party barn is the ultimate good-time utopia, devoid of the toil of a home gym or the practicalities of a home office. Modern efforts are a world away from the draughty, hay-bales-and-a-hi-fi set-up of yesteryear.
By Madeleine Silver Published