A converted medieval monastery set in 16 acres of Somerset that has a miniature castle as its poolhouse

In a world of its own surrounded by mature borders and trees, Ivythorn Manor sits in almost 16 acres of gardens, pasture and woodland to the south of the little hamlet of Marshalls Elm, about 1½ miles from the Somerset village of Street, and roughly twice that to Glastonbury.

This historic and handsome house, which is Grade II*-listed, is for sale via James Toogood of Savills, who currently quotes a guide price of £2.5 million. That's something of a bargain: the house first hit the market last year, but hasn't yet found a buyer — hence the welcome discount.

Beyond its 16th-century oak front door — with the Abbot of Glastonbury’s coat of arms carved into the stone above — the beautiful Grade II*-listed manor house has seven bedrooms, plus a connected three-bedroom cottage, which needs 'some modernisation', according to the agents. So, 'quite a lot of modernisation', then.

None of those rough edges or — ahem — 'bold' colour choices is to detract from the essential charm, however. Indeed, it probably adds to it — and buyers can come in knowing that this is a place ripe for them to put their own stamp on.

Just as beautiful — and unusual — as the house are the aforementioned grounds, though. This is just a delightful place where you'd feel cocooned from the world, and everything fits together so perfectly.

A case in point is the swimming pool, which has a poolhouse unlike any other we've seen: a miniature castle. This two-storey castellated tower — built as a folly rather than a gatehouse — has been cleverly repurposed as a changing room-cum-garden room.

Ivythorn Manor has earned its Grade II* listing not just for its beauty, but also its history. While it's a home today, it was once a medieval monastic house.

According to its Historic England listing, the manor was rebuilt in 1488 for Abbot Selwood of Glastonbury Abbey, before passing to the Marshall and Sydenham families after the Dissolution. In 1834, the house was partly ruinous, but was restored in about 1904, with the addition, in 1938, of the two-storey west wing, which, ‘although relatively modern and much altered is included [in the listing] because, with its 15th-century moulded beams and original fireplace openings, it completes the ensemble’.

Image 1 of 4

As it stands today the manor house offers 8,126sq ft of atmospheric living space on two floors, including a reception hall, four reception rooms, a snug, kitchen, vast principal bedroom suite overlooking the south garden, six further bedrooms and three bathrooms.

Image 1 of 3

Built on an irregular L-plan of coursed and squared rubble under a Roman tiled roof, the house boasts many period features, including ancient timbers and inglenook fireplaces, decorative timbered and plastered ceilings and period timber joinery; of particular interest is the oak front door, above which is a tablet carved with the arms of Abbot Selwood.

Acquired by the vendor’s parents in the 1970s and meticulously renovated over the years, Ivythorn Manor stands next to National Trust-owned woodland, halfway up a slope overlooking the Somerset Levels.

For sale via Savills — request more details here.