If you’re after a bucolic bolthole, cast your eye over Belgate House. This six-bedroom country house is nestled in just over nine acres of rolling Herefordshire countryside, offering panoramic views and plenty of privacy from prying eyes.
The sprawling property is on the market with a guide price of £2.75 million. That's a lot for this part of the world — the 14-bedroom North Manor Park is listed at £2m, for example — but Belgate's agents, Strutt & Parker, call this house 'one of Herefordshire’s finest', citing its ‘spectacular views' and the fact that it's a 'beautifully-finished country house.'
We certainly can't contradict them on those views: from inside and outside, this is clearly a place which has been built from the start to make the most of the location.
Inside, Belgate House has been restored and extended to create a modern, family home with high-end fittings and interiors. Think bespoke joinery, marble fireplaces and bold wallpaper... and there's no point ignoring the fact that for some, it might be overly bold. It has to be said that there is a fair bit of lilac.
Still, at least you won't have to worry about changing it: the property is not listed, so there is plenty of scope to make it your own — and even develop it further, assuming you get the green light for any necessary consents.
Belgate House has a spacious drawing room and library as well as an open-plan dining, sitting and snug area, all of which lead off the main hall.
It also has a fully kitted out kitchen, complete with mahogany units, granite worktops and an electric three-oven Aga. Tucked away beyond the kitchen is a walk-in larder, utility room with a freestanding island, two cloakrooms and an office, plus a wine cellar downstairs.
The property has been modelled to make the most of its picturesque surroundings. One of its standout features is a unique two-storey orangery, which has a cast iron mezzanine floor installed to create a walkway that leads to a seating area with spectacular views of the countryside.
Meanwhile, several rooms on the ground floor, including the drawing room, library, kitchen and orangery, boast double doors that open outside.
Belgate House has six bedrooms upstairs, one of which has been transformed into a generous dressing room packed with custom-made joinery.
Beyond the main house, there’s an indoor swimming pool — surely one of the most sought-after features in a property? And for those with green fingers, there’s landscaped gardens, a potting shed as well as a greenhouse and fruit cage adjacent to a small orchard.
Belgate House has various outbuildings, including large oak-framed barns that are ripe for development. The grounds also include south-facing terraces, two enclosed courtyards, and stables alongside woodland and paddocks.
The main house and outbuildings sit at the end of a long private drive. Shobdon village is two miles away, while Leominster train station is around 10 miles away.
Belgate House is located in a particularly scenic part of the country, sandwiched between the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales.
Belgate House is on the market via Strutt & Parker with a guide price of £2.75 million — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
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