A country manor that's 18th century on the outside, 21st century on the inside
House price growth in the north of England has outstripped that seen down south in recent years, but there's still a huge gap — and houses such as Hartlaw Manor offer astounding value.
Although prime property prices in many southern locations remain below their pandemic peak, those in some parts of the North have fared better. According to Hamptons, northern areas, which recovered more slowly following the 2008 financial crisis, are now catching up after the surge in London values between 2010 and 2015. The North-West has seen up to 90% price growth over the past decade.
Part of the reason is down to affordability. As Sam Gibson of Galbraith in Hexham, Northumberland, says: ‘A budget of up to £1.5 million will secure you quite a grown-up house in the northern counties — that’s not necessarily the case down south.’ He reports that buyers’ appetites for properties up to that value are healthy, but anything above is less so.
‘We all have to look forward rather than backwards, and everyone acknowledges the difficulties of last year,’ says Gibson. ‘Houses worth £2 million in this part of the world are rare and, at this stage of the year, owners aren’t convinced that they would get a warm welcome from prospective buyers if they launched onto the market right now when spring is still a long way off.’
Gibson has no such concerns for four-bedroom Grade II-listed Hartlaw Manor, which lies a few miles south of the historic market town of Alnwick and is on the market for offers over £1.25 million. That buys you 5,000sq ft country home — enormous for a four-bedroom house — for the price of a terrace in Twickenham.
Not only is the asking price within the current ‘sweet spot’, but the location is spectacular, with far-reaching views south across the Vale of Coquet to Longhorsley Moor and as far as Cresswell Point. ‘It’s a cinch to get to from either Morpeth or Alnwick and, for those who are doing the weekly commute to London, trains from Alnmouth to King’s Cross take about 3½ hours.
Sitting within a hamlet — the wonderfully-named Guyzance — the house is secluded, but not isolated, which is ideal for many buyers, and central Newcastle is about a 40-minute drive.’
The garden extends to just over an acre and includes an attractive walled garden, which is also Grade II-listed; a further 26 acres with outbuildings and an outdoor school are available by separate negotiation.
There is another advantage that will attract would-be buyers to Hartlaw Manor: its condition. ‘It’s effectively a new house within the envelope of an old building,’ explains Gibson. The property originally formed part of Hartlaw Farm and was described in the early 18th century as ‘a goodly house, on an eminence’.
Over its long history, the house, which was originally constructed as a long and narrow dwelling, was divided into two, and later three, homes before being restored into one property.
The current owner purchased the house in 2010 when it was in a state of disrepair. Since then, they have carried out a full renovation programme, adding a modern extension to the northern end to give it more depth. ‘It has an EPC [energy performance certificate] of C, which is epic for an 18th-century house,’ adds Gibson.
Hartlaw Manor is for sale via Galbraith at £1.25 million — see more details.
