Keyford House in the hamlet of Little Keyford, on the edge of the popular Somerset market town of Frome, is truly idyllic. Surrounded by rolling countryside and the Mendip Hills AONB, it has distant views towards the Longleat, Bradley and Stourhead estates. It’s on sale, with Andrew Cronan of Strutt & Parker in Bath quoting a guide price of £2.65m for this handsome, Grade II-listed home.
According to its Historic England listing, Keyford House and conservatory were built in the 1830s in the Greek Revival style of Bath stone around an earlier 18th-century house.
The present house offers more than 7,500sq ft of elegant accommodation, including a large reception hall, three principal reception rooms, an orangery, kitchen, 10 bedrooms and three bathrooms.
Traditional features include high ceilings to all levels, wood flooring, original fireplaces and triple-sash windows.
During their 20-year tenure, the present owners, who plan to downsize to a smaller house in the county, have greatly improved the main house, which previously housed a nursery on the first floor accessed by an outside staircase.
Mr Cronan, who handled the sale at that time, recalls being deeply unpopular with the local ‘yummy mummies’ who found themselves faced with the problem of finding alternative nursery accommodation.
Approached along a gravel driveway, Keyford House stands in 2¾ acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and grounds, with plenty of parking and turning space.
Charming ornamental gardens include immaculate lawns, a parterre garden with box hedging and a central pergola, a walled vegetable garden and an array of mature specimen trees, established shrubs and hedgerows. Outbuildings include a double garage with lapsed planning consent for conversion to a one-bedroom cottage.
Frome itself is a quirky and charming place, full of unusual shops, places to eat and entertainment. It also offers a choice of schools, including two good secondary schools, the independent Springmead prep school and the Beckington Church of England School, rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted. Yet it’s also easily accessible via road and rail, with Bath about half an hour away to the north.
Keyford House is for sale at £2.6m via Strutt & Parker — see more pictures and details.
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
-
Vertigo at Victoria Falls, a sunset surrounded by lions and swimming in the Nile: A journey from Cape Town to CairoWhy do we travel and who inspires us to do so? Chris Wallace went in search of answers on his own epic journey the length of Africa.
-
A gorgeous Scottish cottage with contemporary interiors on the bonny banks of the River TayCarnliath on the edge of Strathtay is a delightful family home set in sensational scenery.
-
A gorgeous Scottish cottage with contemporary interiors on the bonny banks of the River Tay
Carnliath on the edge of Strathtay is a delightful family home set in sensational scenery.
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country LifeWe take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producersStormzy, Rihanna and the Rolling Stones are just a part of the story at Osea Island, a dot on the map in the seas off Essex.
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in KentNorth Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
-
A rare opportunity to own a family home on Vanbrugh Terrace, one of London's finest streetsThis six-bedroom Victorian home sits right on the start line of the London Marathon, with easy access to Blackheath and Greenwich Park.
-
A tale of everyday life as lived on Britain's most expensive streetWinnington Road in Hampstead has an average house price of £11.9 million. But what's it really like? Lotte Brundle went to find out.
-
Damon Hill's former home in Marbella is the perfect place to slow downThe glorious Andalusian-style villa is found within the Lomas de Marbella Club and just a short walk from the beach.
-
A 327-acre estate in the heart of 'England’s Côte d’Or', with a 26,000sq ft Georgian style home at its heartStokes Hall in the Crouch Valley is an inspiring property looking for a new owner.
