The small village of Beverston, two miles west of the ancient market town of Tetbury, is dominated by the Grade I-listed, semi-ruined Beverston Castle, its manor house and its Grade II*-listed, Norman Church of St Mary the Virgin. The castle and manor house are really quite something: they came up for sale a few years ago, together with 615 acres of land, at £10 million.
For those who missed out last time, who have pockets not quite so deep, or aren't looking to get involved with restoration of ancient buildings and large-scale land management, a better option in the village is now on the market: The Old Rectory in Beverston, Grade II-listed house which stands right next to the church and in the lee of the castle, in a private setting on the edge of the village. Knight Frank quote £3 million for the house and its four acres of grounds.
According to its Historic England listing, the former rectory was built by one Thomas Savage in 1729 on the site of an older house and enlarged in the 19th century, as confirmed by the initials TS and date 1729 carved on a date stone above the central 20th-century door on the east front.
For the past 57 years, The Old Rectory, set in four acres of beautifully maintained gardens and grounds, has been the cherished family home of the present owner, whose parents acquired the house in 1968.
Approached along a sweeping gravel drive flanked by horse-chestnut trees, the house offers 5,200sq ft of well-proportioned accommodation on three floors, including, on the ground floor, a reception hall, two main reception rooms, a kitchen/breakfast room with a glazed garden room, plus utilities and boot room.
On the first floor are the principal bedroom suite, three further double bedrooms and a family bathroom; and, on the second floor, a large play/study area leading to two/three bedrooms, a large bathroom and a storage attic.
Further accommodation is provided in a pretty, two-bedroom cottage and a charming one-bedroom bothy.
Outbuildings include a period building with two stables and a greenhouse. There is also a purpose-built, three-bay garage, with space for further development, subject to planning.
The gardens are arranged in compartments, from the front gardens around the drive and turning circle to the water garden, main lawn area and well-stocked herbaceous borders at the rear of the house.
The grounds include an orchard, tennis court and, to the front of the house, an area of pastureland fenced with parkland rail and bounded by dry-stone walling and mature trees.
Beverston is horse country par excellence; for 59 years from 1959, the Beverston Castle estate was owned by the late Maj Laurence Rook, winner of the first European Championships, at Badminton in 1953, and an Olympic gold medal in 1956, and then by his widow, Jane, until her death, aged 91, in 2018.
Both were stalwarts of the British eventing community and of the Duke of Beaufort’s hunt, dispensing legendary hospitality to eventing visitors from around the world, especially during Badminton week.
The Old Rectory, Beverston, is for sale at £3 million — see more details.
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