The Elms at West Pennard is a 19th century joy in an ancient part of England, sitting as it does close to Glastonbury, Wells and the Isle of Avalon. It’s one of three large Victorian family houses in the village mentioned in British History Online as being built in the Victorian Gothic style and worthy of note. The Wells office of Fine & Country is handling the sale of this fine home, and quotes a guide price of ‘excess £1.75m’.
The Elms, which stands in three-quarters of an acre of mature gardens on the edge of the village, with views over Glastonbury Tor, has been completely renovated by the present owners, who bought it in 2014.
In the past 18 months alone, the house has — deep breath — been re-roofed, rewired, replumbed, had a new central heating system with new radiators and boiler, and windows swapped out for high specification replacements.
For all the work that’s been done, the house still retains such classic Gothic Revival features as stone mullion windows, marble and cast-iron fireplaces, fine plaster cornicing, stained-glass windows and, of course, servants’ bells.
The village of West Pennard itself, which sits halfway between Glastonbury and Shepton Mallet in the Mendip district of Somerset, was granted to Glastonbury Abbey by the king of the Mercians in 681 and was held by the abbey until the Dissolution in 1539.
The village, which lies between Glastonbury Tor to the west and the equally dominant Pennard Hill to the east, takes its name from the Old Welsh for ‘high hill’ — these being something of a rarity in these parts.
Although country house prices in the area are generally less daunting than elsewhere in the county, the village boasts excellent mainstream connections, being 24 miles from Bath, 26 miles from Bristol and eight miles from the cathedral city of Wells.
The Elms at West Pennard is for sale at £1.75m — 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
A walk from Glastonbury Tor to Wells Cathedral
Glastonbury Tor and Wells Cathedral have long gazed at each other across the historic Somerset Levels.
Glastonbury, Somerset: The place where the Holy Grail came to Britain
The ancient town of Glastonbury is synonymous without spirituality, mysticism and legend — and it's an unmissable stop-off on our list
12 fascinating facts about Somerset, from to King Arthur’s Avalon to the skeleton at the bottom of Cheddar Gorge
From the watery Levels and mystical Glastonbury Tor to the wild, heathery hills of Exmoor, Somerset is a vast, mainly
-
Ford Ranger PHEV: The eco-pickup for campers, builders and post-apocalyptic survivalistsThe Ranger PHEV might deviate from first principles, but it remains convincingly fit for purpose — and therefore highly desirable
-
Jane Austen's uncles house comes to the market, tucked away in its own conservation area, and just half an hour from LondonIn a secluded spot in Sevenoaks, Brittains Farm is up for sale — though it'll need a new owner not afraid of a little hard work.
-
Jane Austen's uncles house comes to the market, tucked away in its own conservation area, and just half an hour from London
In a secluded spot in Sevenoaks, Brittains Farm is up for sale — though it'll need a new owner not afraid of a little hard work.
-
Mesmerise yourself in this iconic listed home on the north Cornwall coastFormerly a Mine Captain's home, there is something absurdly profound about the Count House in Holywell Bay.
-
Sir Noël Coward sold this spectacular Art Deco cottage in the shadow of the White Cliffs of Dover to Ian Fleming — and now it could be yoursThe sale of Mermaid Cottage represents a rare opportunity to acquire a spectacular house in an iconic beach location.
-
A graceful country home in Wiltshire with an award-winning water feature in its picturesque groundsLocated on the edge of Bremhill in Calne, and just a short walk from the local gastropub, this estate is a picture perfect property for sale with Knight Frank.
-
The house 'where Anne Boleyn took Henry VIII as her lover' is up for auction at £295,000In the heart of Windsor, a maisonette is up for sale within the 16th century house in which Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII are said to have met up for their romantic trysts.
-
A grand manor house with a window taken from Lord Nelson's flagship, set in one of Britain's most beautiful — and quirkiest — villagesLavenham Hall in Suffolk is on the market, a grand country house with a genuinely unique feature: one of the windows from Lord Nelson’s HMS Foudroyant.
-
A pretty beach house that brings the Italian Riviera to the coast of West SussexPeace, seclusion and grandeur just a few steps from the sea are on offer at this beach house near Littlehampton.
-
Georgian harmony meets 21st century exuberance at a spectacular Cotswolds mansionDaisy Green is a '21st century Palladian masterpiece' that has come to the market in one of the most sought-after corners of the Cotswolds. Penny Churchill takes a look.
