There are monarchs that will remain forever etched in the psyche of this nation, for one reason or another. William the Conqueror, so named after all his conquering. Henry VIII, for the wives. Charles I, for losing the monarchy and Charles II, for getting it back. George III, for his madness. Even Elizabeth II, for being around for a jolly long time.
Sometimes, however, you hear of a monarch for what feels like the first ever time. For example, William IV. Without looking it up, can you tell me anything about him? Anything at all? Well, I can give you one little factoid for free, which is that one of his daughters, Amelia, lived in Rudby Hall in North Yorkshire, which is for sale with Savills for £2.5 million. Every day a school day here at Country Life.
Completed in 1838 to a design by the architect Anthony Salvin, Rudby Hall is ‘one of the most significant country houses’ in the county, say the agents, and it also underwent a ‘ground up’ restoration in the 1980s, which saw improvements to the Westmorland slate roof and stone work, as well as upgrading of the heating, plumbing and electrics.
Approached via a sweeping driveway, the property offers some 13 bedrooms and bathrooms in total. You will, quite frankly, never see a house in your life with as many bathrooms as this one. Every time you go to the shops to buy bleach, you’ll no doubt be setting off an alarm at MI6. They say 13 is an unlucky number, and it certainly is for whoever has to clean all those loos.
Set over four floors, it is on the ground floor where you will find the four reception rooms, which open up off the main reception hall. Despite the substantial renovations conducted by recent owners, the property retains many of its exceptional original features, especially in the ground floor reception rooms, such as ornamental fireplaces, plasterwork and cornices.
If all that wasn’t enough, the gardens and grounds extend to about seven acres, and are predominantly parkland and laid to lawn designed by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. On the west side of the house, a sheltered stone-paved terrace fronts the kitchen and, beyond, level terraced lawns are protected by the wall of the original kitchen garden, which is covered in climbing roses.
Set within the hamlet of Skutterskelefe (trying saying that after a gin and tonic), the property is less than a mile from the village of Hutton Rudby, which features all the amenities (pub, church, primary school, cricket club, taxidermist) you could wish for.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
An ivy-clad manor house in one of Oxfordshire's 'most sought-after' postcodes
Manor Farm House, near the hamlet of Cleveley, offers everything you could ever want from a classic Cotswold home, and
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
Credit: Symonds & Sampson
An utterly gorgeous Victorian house with character, charm and a couple of acres, all for just £650k
Those who dream of swapping a suburban semi for something magnificent should step right up.
11 magical homes across Britain, as seen in Country Life
Wonderful homes across the country, including a house which will make you think twice about ruling out a new-build.
-
‘Its loss became a cautionary tale, and a rallying cry for architectural conservation’: The rise and fall and renewed interest in Ireland’s remarkable country housesLesley Bond traces a brief history of Ireland’s country houses and questions whether you can ever separate the house from the history it represents.
-
Alan Titchmarsh: 'I am so weary of seeing Lutyens-style benches and chairs absolutely everywhere'A strategically placed chair doubles as a focal point and a spot to rest — but we need to move on from Lutyens-style ones says our regular garden columnist.
-
A micro estate for sale in west Wales shows that the best things come in small packages. In this case, three of themBrithdir is a remarkable collection of properties centred around a lake and just five miles from the sea.
-
This blissful converted mill has sweeping views, a breathtaking library and gardens by a Chelsea gold medallistPenny Churchill takes a look at Stanbridge Mill, one of the finest properties for sale today in the west country.
-
Portmore has it all: A 3,459-acre Scottish estate for sale, with a signature Baronial sandstone mansion at its heartFor sale for the first time in 40 years, Portmore Estate is everything you could ever want in Scotland.
-
Location, community and charm: the enduring desirability of London's mews housesFrom birds, to horses, to beautiful family homes, the mews of London are some of the nation's most sought-after homes. But why?
-
The distinctive and historic home that might just be 'one of Dorset’s most picturesque'Grade II*-listed Manor House, set in just under eight acres, dates from the 16th century.
-
A 17th century farmhouse in Surrey with one of Britain's oldest squash courtsFords Farm is on the market for the first time in over half a century.
-
The 15 best-value commuter towns for people working in London, according to new research from one of Britain's top estate agentsSavills have released their list of the best-value commuter towns in Britain. But do the sums add up? Toby Keel takes a look.
-
What everyone is talking about this week: Where are the new Cotswolds?The appearance of American Vice President J. D. Vance in the Cotswolds is a sure sign that they're saturated, but where else can you escape to that has the same charm?
