The Manor House, Finghall, Leyburn, North Yorkshire £799k
Now sold, subject to contract.
There is no doubt that this grade ii listed, late 17th/early 18th century house, with 19th century alterations is a blummin’ funnyossity when viewed from the garden front. The way the roof comes down over the twin octagonal bows like a mad fringe is very strange. The Edwardian type sashes too, look out of place. If the roof line were raised so that the three faces of the two matching octagonal bows each had their own triangle of roof, which met at the pinnacle, as usually happens with the roof of an octagonal bow, the appearance of the property would be enormously improved.
It is much more sensible, plain, even dull from the street front. And yet I love this house. I don’t think they will get anything like what they are asking for it, despite Richmond being such a sought after area, but maybe this is wishful thinking, because I want it, but can’t afford it.
The reason I want it is because I dream of living in a huge house and discovering there is another wing to it I didn’t know about. This comes from growing up in an early house with an unrestored wing. You get the service wing at the side with this, as well as the stables and coach house.
The wide and elegant staircase runs from the basement to the attic. I can’t tell if it is ebonised or done to resemble dark walnut. I can’t tell how many balusters per tread, but I think the listing details would mention if it had 3. Turkey carpets are never out of place in an English country house. I like this rust coloured plain one, too. Plain carpets are annoying if you have dogs, but rust colour is better than beige or cream in the country.
I like the pink and blue colour combo though I would re do the pink in a slightly more subtle shade of faded rose, in a chalkier paint. I like the floor to ceiling shutters in the canted bays ( octagonal bows).
I can imagine the light flooding in and standing watching the clouds scudding past.
It seems strange to think that the people who chose those country Hepplewhite dining chairs and that lovely mirror over the chimneypiece were the same people who asked a builder to dawb over the
stones by the front door with a trowel laden with dark, modern cement. But fashion is funny the way it manipulates otherwise intelligent people with good taste. We should be grateful they didn’t rip out the 19th century fireplaces and replace them with fireplaces constructed in a lumpish way out of Yorkstone crazy paving.
Only two of the seven bedrooms within the main house are pictured in the brochure, but the house has a cottage too, so you could house a very large family here, or run a guest house.
You get plenty of land, including woodland and a vegetable garden.
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/131972810#/?channel=RES_BUY
And now it's for sale again, having been tarted up in the way one has come to expect.
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