When Sheila Kirk was driving down Pakenham Road, near Bury St Edmunds, she spotted something strange but familiar: chimneys.
But these were not just any chimneys. No, these chimneys — as Ms Kirk felt sure — chimneys in the vernacular of Philip Webb, one of the ‘fathers’ of the Arts-and-Crafts Movement. Ms Kirk had ‘discovered’ one of his previously unknown buildings.
That very property, Manor Farm, is now on the market via Bedfords with a guide price of £1.45 million, with five bedrooms and some six acres of land.
Originally built to be the farm manager’s house by the Greene family of Suffolk, the property is now listed Grade II* and is a fabulous example of Webb’s design and ideas.
There are areas of this home which would do well from a lick of paint and touch of TLC. The ‘farm office’, for example, would make a wonderful flower or garden room, and the triple-aspect bedroom suite on the second floor, with its walk-in wardrobe and ensuite bathroom, lends itself naturally as the principal bedroom.
Outside, the grounds are spectacular. To the front of the property is a sweeping gravelled driveway framed by immaculate topiary. To the rear, a swimming pool, rose garden and an orchard with a variety of productive fruit trees. Situated slightly further away from the property is a vegetable garden and open meadows.
Located on the outskirts of both Pakenham and Thurston, the property is in a convenient location, while retaining its rural appeal.
The village of Thurston is situated about four miles from Bury St Edmunds and has excellent educational facilities with a pre-school, primary school and community college. With a train station, butchers, two pub and several shops, there is everything here you need for day-to-day life.
The nearby historic market town of Bury St Edmunds — ‘the jewel in the crown of Suffolk — is surrounded by picturesque countryside and has over 1,000 years of history to explore.
There are excellent restaurants and good local pubs, theatres, art galleries and boutique shops to explore.
Manor Farm is currently on the market via Bedfords with a guide price of £1.45 million — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further 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
-
'I’m going to be the first in more than 100 years to sell anything off': How the upcoming budget uncertainty is impacting young farmersChanges to inheritance tax, property relief and Defra budgets will likely change Britian's rural landscape. We ask the next generation of farmers what they think their future will look like.
-
'The night smells like engine oil… and money': How Singapore’s glittering night race paved the way for a new era of city-centre Grands PrixIt's the Las Vegas Grand Prix this weekend, but it and other city-centre Grand Prix would be nothing without trailblazing Singapore. Natasha Bird explains how the city state got it so right.
-
The pink granite chateau that the Cointreau family built in the Loire Valley is for sale at £3.5 millionThe great country seats of the Guinness family have an equivalent over the Channel, where the chateau built by the Cointreau family is on the market.
-
Is this the end of the Forever Home?The classic dream of finding a family house in which you can settle down, raise a family and grow old has never been harder to obtain. So has the concept of the 'Forever Home' had its day? Annabel Dixon reports.
-
An Arts-and-Crafts home that sits in prime position in the most exclusive (and priciest) road in HampshireWith its own private jetty on the Beaulieu River, The Rookery is a rare and beautiful home. Penny Churchill takes a look.
-
A home where medieval, Georgian and modern come together in rare styleSet in a couple of acres in the leafy outskirts of Essex, Rochfords is a family house that blends old and new with charm and a sense of fun.
-
A private island in the Thames Estuary is up for sale at £50,000, complete with its own Victorian fortDarnet Fort is seeking a new owner — but it's going to need someone of great vision and spirit.
-
A 500-year-old house with Soho House-style interiors, Chelsea gold medallist gardens and a grass tennis courtHaslingfield Manor is an extraordinary mix of styles and ideas, from Tudor Britain to the cutting edge of modern design. Penny Churchill takes a look.
-
Utterly wonderful country homes for sale across Britain, from a 10-bedroom mansion to a Devon hideaway, as seen in Country LifeFrom an irresistibly charming house in Devon to a 400-year-old commutable home in Hertfordshire, here's our pick of some of the best homes to come to market via Country Life in the past week.
-
The London house where Rolls-Royce's co-founder Charles Rolls tinkered with his very first car is for sale at £17 millionCharles Rolls, the engineer and co-founder of Rolls-Royce, got his hands dirty when using the stables of this fine London home as a makeshift garage. Annabel Dixon reports.
