'One of the most private and pristine estates' in the west is for sale — with 1,468 acres, glorious cloisters, and its own 12th-century chapel
The Dinmore Estate is breathtakingly beautiful and 'straight out of a fairytale'.
The spectacular Dinmore Manor estate at Hope under Dinmore, situated on high ground in a remote Herefordshire valley, is one of the west of England’s most private and pristine residential, sporting and farming estates. Today, it's seeking a new owner.
The estate was briefly seen on the open market in 2019 — when we described it as being 'straight out of a fairytale' — but later withdrawn as the Pandemic took hold not long after. This historic, 1,468-acre property sitting between Hereford and Leominster, is now for sale again through Savills at a guide price of £25 million for the whole, or in up to eight lots.
A guide of £9 million is quoted for lot 1, the Grade II-listed, six-bedroom manor house with its Grade II*-listed medieval chapel, manor barn and two cottages — 397 acres in all.
A guide of £12.5 million is quoted for lot 2, Dinmore Farm, comprising an extensive farm-buildings complex, cattle-breeding facilities, a state-of-the-art equestrian centre with an indoor riding school, 40 stables and staff accommodation, the four-bedroom Kipperknowle Farmhouse and seven additional cottages — 862 acres in all.
Lots 3 to 8 are smaller parcels of arable land and woodland, a lodge and semi-detached cottages, at prices ranging from £414,000 to £1 million.
Dinmore was established by royal charter in 1189 as a Commandery of the Knights Templar and, in 1320, following their suppression, of the Knights Hospitaller. Little remains of the original 12th-century chapel, apart from some ancient walling; the rest of the chapel was rebuilt in about 1320.
Dinmore reverted to the Crown at the Dissolution, after which it was granted by Edward VI to Sir Thomas Palmer, who unwisely supported Lady Jane Grey’s claim to the throne and was tried and beheaded in 1553 on the orders of Queen Mary.
The Dinmore Estate was featured in Country Life in 1985, when Clive Aslet — who went on to edit the magazine — produced a lengthy feature about it. 'There are three principal reasons to visit Dinmore,' he wrote at the time. 'The view, the history of the site as a commandery of the Knights Hospitaller, and the extraordinary cloister and music rooms added in 1932-36.'
The manor passed through the Wolrych and Fleming families of Shropshire before being sold to Richard Hollins Murray in 1927. His descendants owned it until 1999, when it was acquired by the current owners, who embarked on an ambitious 10-year programme of restoration, renovation and remodelling, which included the purchase of an additional 600 acres and two further properties.
The focal point of the estate is the fairytale stone manor house, which dates from the late 16th century. Notable elements added over the years include the magnificent Cloisters and Music Room built by the Murray family in 1936.
For all its stately grandeur, Dinmore Manor is a surprisingly well-organised and manageable family home, which has been restored and upgraded by some of England’s finest craftsmen.
The main house offers 15,770sq ft of spacious, light-filled accommodation including entrance and staircase halls, three main reception rooms, a kitchen/breakfast room, study and music room, with the sumptuous master suite, three further bedrooms and bathrooms on the first floor, and a further bedroom suite on the floor above.
Highlights include the grand entrance hall leading to a newly created cantilevered staircase; an elegant drawing room with an 18th-century marble fireplace from Berkeley Castle; a charming green-panelled sitting room; and the impressive main dining room, which stretches along the southern façade and features a fine Georgian fireplace of 1765.
The pièce de résistance is the wonderful Music Room with its two staircases, one leading to the Cloisters overlooking the garden, the other up a turret to a secret sixth bedroom.
The Dinmore Estate is for sale through Savills at £25 million — see more details.
