Georgian, Grade II*-listed Piers Court at Stinchcombe is ‘one of the most beautiful houses in Gloucestershire’ in the words of Rupert Sturgis of Knight Frank, who were selling the house for the second time in just a few years. In 2018 it went up for sale at a guide price of £3 million, eventually selling a year later at £2.9m.
Now, following some reported ups-and-downs (well, mostly downs) under the current ownership, this magnificent Cotswold manor has been sold again — this time at £.16 million via Allsops auctioneers.
The sale took place on December 15 'on the instruction of the joint fixed charged receiver', according to its listing; though there is a bit of a fly in the ointment in the form of sitting tenants. Tenants who — again, according to the listing — have been paying just £250 a year, though they have been given notice to leave: 'The property is occupied under a Common Law Tenancy at a rent of £250 per annum. A Notice To Quit was served on the occupant on 19th August 2022 and a copy of such Notice was affixed to the property gate on 22nd August 2022.'
The listing goes on to add a warning which should be taken seriously: 'Prospective purchasers should take their own legal advice regarding this and will be deemed to bid accordingly.'
It seems a sad state of affairs for a famed house whose previous owners — who bought Piers Court in 2010 — had done much to enhance a place described by Pevsner as ‘dignified and elegant’, which, behind its classical 18th-century façade, caters for both formal entertaining and informal family living. The standard of fixtures and fittings is really something – as this picture of one of the bathrooms demonstrates.
Or at least, it did demonstrate in 2018; the tenants did not permit viewings ahead of the auction, and Knight Frank made it clear that all images on the listings are from that previous sale a few years ago.
Still, it seems as if somebody has been happy to take the risk of coming through the legal wrangling to buy a house whose interiors haven't been seen publicly for over four years. Good luck to them — though there's every chance they will end up the happy, proud owners of a genial, pleasantly rambling family house that has some 8,400sq ft of accommodation, including five reception rooms.
There is also a kitchen/breakfast room with a beautiful beamed ceiling, tiled floor and lovely rustic feel.
Upstairs there are eight bedrooms and six bathrooms – the master bedroom is pictured below – plus extensive attics and a one-bedroom staff wing.
Approached down a long drive lined with high beech hedges, Piers Court nestles in some 23 acres of gardens, parkland and pasture, with distant views over its land to the Welsh Hills and the Forest of Dean. Within the grounds are several outbuildings, including a mews and a Queen Anne coach house.
Used as a safe house for Royalists during the Civil War, it is probably best known as the home of the writer Evelyn Waugh from 1937 to 1956 – apart from during the war years when it was taken over by nuns.
It was here, in his beloved library (pictured below), that Waugh penned Brideshead Revisited, Men at Arms and Officers and Gentlemen.
Waugh moved on in part because he was apparently spooked at having been tracked down to Piers Court by a pair of Daily Express reporters. He sold up and moved to Combe Florey House, near Taunton, which coincidentally went up for sale recently. The writer lived there happily for the next 10 years until his death.
Piers Court was sold for £3.16m in December 2022 — see more details and pictures. Additional reporting by Penny Churchill.
Mini-break: The Painswick, Gloucestershire
The cream of the Cotswolds.
Top five afternoon teas in the Cotswolds
We pick five of the best places for afternoon tea in the Cotswolds, where you can enjoy traditional scones and
The Country Life guide to the Cotswolds: Where to go, what to see, where to stay and what to eat
Straddling five counties, the Cotswolds is arguably England's most famous region outside of London. Here’s our guide to what to
Credit: Old Came Rectory - Thomas Hardy's friend's house
A sprawling Dorset cottage for sale where Thomas Hardy met his inspirational mentor
Old Came Rectory is a delightful thatched cottage just outside Dorchester where one of Britain's greatest writers was a regular
Bruern Holiday Cottages: A cosy Cotswolds getaway perfect for a winter weekend
Bruern Holiday Cottages are the perfect place to spend a winter weekend curled up by the fire, discovers Victoria Marston.
The magic of Dorset: Radical writers, glorious countryside and just far enough from London
Those in the know have peeled off the main routes to the South-West and made this county of contrasts their
-
Sophia Money-Coutts: Can my dog sit with me at the table when I’m eating out?'Admittedly, I did once offer Dennis a small piece of truffled arancini in a Mayfair restaurant, but I felt it was important that he try his first truffle.'
-
Sir Denys Lasdun: The brains behind the building branded 'a clever way of building a nuclear power station in the middle of London’ by The KingJohn Betjeman admired Sir Denys Lasdun’s work, but The King disliked it, and opinion remains divided to this day. Either way, the man who viewed ‘buildings as landscape’ has left an indelible mark on London.
-
The perfect summer house? A country home, beach house and rural escape rolled into one in a prime spot in SussexIf there's a finer house than Grangewood House in which to enjoy the summer, we'd love to see it. Penny Churchill takes a look.
-
A six-bedroom modern masterpiece mere minutes from Europe's best golf courseVilla Stern catches the eye with its distinctive design, and is imbued with luxury inside and out.
-
Everything the light touches… The London penthouse for sale that will make you feel like a kingThe Observatory in London’s Fulham boasts 360-degree views of the capital.
-
This converted mill is the epitome of bucolic beauty and its grounds were masterminded by one of the finest garden designers alive todayHunworth Mill is the very picture of bucolic bliss, with exquisite gardens created by Arne Maynard.
-
Yes to padel, no to swimming pools: How to attract a new generation to the countrysideYoung parents are leaving the city earlier than in previous years, according to new research. What are they looking for?
-
A country house for sale that's had a century and a half of blood, sweat and tears poured into itGeneration after generation has lovingly restored Little Onn — and their efforts have paid off in fine style.
-
Papple your wick at this elegant Georgian home in Nottinghamshire which used to be part of an Augustine MonasteryThe Grade-I listed estate is on the market with Strutt & Parker — set in more than 10 acres, it comes with four cottages and a rather grand spiral staircase.
-
Hide from your hay fever in a larch-clad Passive House in Surrey designed by an award-winning architectHeron House might cost more than a pack of Piriteze, but it does come with three bedrooms and you'll save a fortune on bills.
