Last week saw the launch onto the market of one of Suffolk’s most intriguing country houses, the imposing Grade II*-listed Mockbeggars Hall — a secluded Jacobean mansion set on high ground to the south of the village of Claydon, with the A14 to the east and the valley of the River Gipping, a tributary of the Orwell, to the west.
Joint agents Jonathan Penn of Jackson-Stops in Ipswich and Georgie Veale of Knight Frank quote a guide price of £1.45 million for the handsome brick-built house, with its Elizabethan façade and striking Dutch gables, reputedly built in 1621 for the Aylmer family, with major alterations carried out in the late 19th or early 20th century. The house has been substantially improved in recent years by the present owners, who bought it in poor repair in 2016.
According to 19th-century historian J. R. Green, the name Mockbeggars can be traced to the late 16th and early 17th centuries, ‘when there was much complaining in the rural districts because the nobles and gentry flocked up to London, leaving their country houses empty and neglected, so that where in former times there had been feasting for rich and poor alike, a beggar could not now get a crust of bread. To the houses thus deserted was given the nickname of “Mockbeggar Hall”’.
In his book The Norwich Road: An East Anglian Highway (1901), writer and illustrator Charles George Harper (1863–1943) describes Mockbeggars, Claydon, in the following terms: ‘Just before entering the village, an old mansion is glimpsed from the road, embowered in trees, a mansion which, on inquiry, the ingenious youth of Claydon declare to be “Mockbeggar Hall”. Claydon Hall is its true title, but the popular name has been handed down since many, many years, when the old house (not old then) long remained tenantless.
Like the many other places named “Mockbeggar”, it stands well within view of passing travellers and must have induced many a sturdy rogue and vagabond to trudge wearily up the long approach in search of alms, only to find the place deserted… Inhabited now, Claydon Hall is a handsome old house bearing the date 1635 on its Dutch-like gables. It will probably never lose its popular name.’ Although the date on the gables is 1621, the handsome old house is indeed still called Mockbeggars, although, according to local historians, it was known as the Old Hall in the late 1800s.
Approached via a long drive through electric gates, the hall stands in almost four acres of sheltered gardens and grounds that include a sunny private terrace and a newly built heated swimming pool and pool house. Beyond the terrace, an area of level lawn opens onto a parkland-style garden enclosed by mature trees, with an acre of paddock to the east. Set off the main drive, a large garage has capacity for eight cars and, above it, a studio flat, currently let on a rolling assured short-hold tenancy.
Having lost its two outer gables along the way, Mockbeggars Hall now offers 5,340sq ft of light, well-laid-out and manageable accommodation on three floors, including a high ceilinged central dining hall with further reception rooms beyond. The double-aspect drawing room has a feature fireplace, French doors opening onto the garden and planning consent for an orangery. Off the hallway, the library boasts carved oak panelling and wood boarded floors with an open fireplace. A new kitchen features bespoke cabinetry, an Aga, and modern ovens and appliances.
An outside newel staircase leads to the first and second floors and a total of eight bedrooms, most of which enjoy views over the gardens or the Gipping Valley. Available by separate negotiation, the two-bedroom Mockbeggars Cottage stands east of the hall with its own access and garden and is currently let on an assured short-hold tenancy.
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 Scottish castle for sale that comes with grandeur, history, its own golf course — and the title of 'Baron'
Kelly Castle in Angus is an estate steeped in history, and looks to be the ultimate location to entertain friends
Credit: Knight Frank
A heavenly thatched home in Oxfordshire that's a perfect chocolate box cottage
From Summer Fields and the Dragon all the way to Oxford University, Farthing Cottage near Wallingford has got expensive education
A classic Georgian country house that's perfectly secluded amid woodland, orchards and lawns
Derwent Hill is a delightful country house that's just 20 minutes from Newcastle — yet feels like it's in a dreamy
-
'One of the finest houses in Cheshire' blends Georgian architecture, modern exoticism and space to park your helicopterPenny Churchill looks inside Stretton Hall, an exceptional house for sale
-
Marilyn, maraschino cherries and classic movie musicals await you in Country Life's Quiz of the Day, August 29, 2025Friday's quiz puts your cocktail knowledge to the test.
-
'One of the finest houses in Cheshire' blends Georgian architecture, modern exoticism and space to park your helicopter
Penny Churchill looks inside Stretton Hall, an exceptional house for sale
-
Splendid isolation at four gorgeous properties for sale around the worldFor those craving a home that offers a true escape from the world, some wonderful properties are on the market right now. Here's our pick of some of the finest — ideal for nature lovers, those in search of tranquility and Bond villains alike.
-
The market for super-prime houses in England's biggest millionaire's playground is booming — and this £10m example is one of the bestWhirley Hall is a 17th century building that's a perfect example of how 21st century updates can transform an old home almost beyond recognition.
-
If I had to spend the rest of my life living underground, I would do it in this four-bedroom house for sale in the Peak DistrictThe aptly named Underhill is a 'a work of inhabitable art' that was built in the 1970s. And there's a swimming pool in the middle of it.
-
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?
