The perfect package, especially for a King in hiding…

“King Charles II stayed here when he was fleeing after the Battle of Worcester. I’m surprised he didn’t stay longer in this beautiful Country House!”

This glorious Manor House is located in Little Worfold, Warwickshire, UK

A perfect package of an historic Grade II* Listed manor house, dating from the 15th century with outstanding views, set in about 34 acres of gardens and pasture together with a gate lodge and separate cottage, says the agent Jackson Stops.

Little Wolford Manor exudes period character. Standing well in its land it has a quiet and peaceful air and provides an almost perfect balance of house, land and ancillary accommodation. Built of Cotswold Stone with a stone slate roof the house is approached through a pair of ornate wrought iron gates via a sweeping drive to the ancient oak linenfold panelled front door. The entrance hall retains the original 15th century oak screen and at the far end another ancient tracery door opens to the 17th century porch and courtyard garden. An arched doorway leads into the great hall with its vaulted roof and hammer beams, minstrels gallery and a huge fireplace with an overmantel carved with the Ingram arms. 

At the east end a door leads to the panelled study with an ornamented frieze and fluted pilasters. The stone fireplace has an ornate plaster overmantel. To the North of the great hall the small music room, known in the family as the pine room, has 18th century pine panelling and a marble fireplace.

To the South of the hall an inner hall with linenfold panelling and a wine cellar leads to the dining room. Originally the kitchen, it has oak panelling and a massive inglenook fireplace with an impressive bressumer beam. 

Beyond is the drawing room, added in the 1935 restoration, it has a 16th century fireplace with adjacent salt cupboard, three windows, one a bay with a window seat and fabulous views over the valley to Great Wolford and the Cotswold hills beyond. 

The gun room has a cloakroom leading off and leads to the domestic offices of various kitchens, larder, back hall and stores. The staff sitting room, originally a separate bakehouse, boasts an inglenook fireplace with a huge bread oven. Local legend has it that this became a hiding place for King Charles ll after the Battle of Worcester.

The upper floor falls into two parts. The first is approached by a stone spiral staircase, said still to retain blood stains dating from the Civil War Battle of Edgehill! It leads to the original Solar or owners accommodation now a panelled guest bedroom with a separate bathroom and WC. 

The second, dogleg staircase with pine dado panelling leads from the inner hall to the main bedroom accommodation. The master bedroom has limed oak panelling with a stone fireplace flanked by cupboards with a carved overmantel. The views over the garden and grounds are stunning. A door leads to the dressing room and thence the en-suite bathroom. There are a further six bedrooms on this floor, two with panelling, and two more bathrooms. A staircase rises to an attic bedroom.  

Adjacent to the front gateway there is a Tudor style Lodge with hall, sitting room, kitchen and back hall on the ground floor and two bedrooms and a bathroom on the first.
The back drive leads to the self contained Manor Cottage with hall, sitting room, small kitchen and WC at ground floor level and 2/3 bedrooms and a bathroom above. There is a double garage.

A timber building provides a further garage and workshop and there is a stone log store, former pigsty, coal store and a greenhouse. 

The gardens surround the house and are well kept. They extend to about 5.40 acres and are laid out with sweeping lawns interspersed with mature trees and flower borders leading down to a ha-ha and a grand view over the paddocks to Great Wolford. There is a tennis court needing resurfacing and a small spinney with spring bulbs. To the South of the great hall there is a charming courtyard garden and an adjacent formal rose garden. 

At a higher level there is a partly walled vegetable garden and an orchard. To the left of the back drive an open, grassed area has a few more fruit trees and there is ample space for a swimming pool and stable yard if required. There is plenty of parking in front of the house with a generous carriage sweep and a further parking area close to the back door.

The land lies to the north and west of the house and slopes down to a stream on the western boundary. It provides a further 28.55 acres split into three fields of permanent pasture with some woodland.

For the full details by the selling agent  click here