A Somerset country home that unites the best of medieval, Georgian and Victorian under one roof
The Yews has changed many times over the centuries — and seemingly always for the better.
It's very easy to think of home improvements as a phenomenon starting with the 1980s DIY boom, or the Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen era TV shows of the 1990s. Obviously, though, this isn't true, for making a few changes around the place' is as old as human history. No doubt the first Neanderthals to move in to a cave were also the first to discuss knocking through into the cave next door, or perhaps adding a mezzanine floor made of bamboo and clay bricks.
And that leads us on to The Yews, a wonderful old house that has been much improved by a string of owners over many centuries. It's currently for sale via Jackson-Stops at £1.95 million.
The Yews started life as a medieval manor house — to which its original ceiling beams bear testament — but by the mid 18th century, a five-bay entrance façade had been added, with Hamstone dressings and quoins.
The 19th century owners of this Grade II*-listed property thought that more could be done. They commissioned a 30½ft by 18¾ft ballroom to be constructed, which today forms a bewitching reception room with eye-candy items, including a carved-oak fireplace, decorative ceiling cornice, an arched top window and French doors that lead out to a loggia where mature grape vines and jasmine grow. It's wonderful.
It's also eminently practical as a family home. The seven bedrooms mean that this is a house that's ideal for those with plenty of kids, or who love entertaining friends.
A further bedroom can be found above the original coach house beyond the main house and an added ‘extra’ (or a feature not often found intact these days) is a glorious Victorian glasshouse — a haven for plant enthusiasts, who will also love the 2¼ acres of gardens.
The location, Curry Rivel, is perched on a ridge above the Somerset Levels, and it isn’t only the landscape that is spectacular here: so, too, apparently, is the community spirit.
A lovely house in a lovely place, then; no wonder it's been so clearly loved by those who've lived within these walls for so long.
The Yews is for sale via Jackson-Stops at £1.95 million — see more details.
