The legacy of the Bass brewing family comes not only in the form of its beers, but also in the village of Rangemore in East Staffordshire, developed by Michael Thomas Bass as a place for staff to live.
They worked not at the brewery four miles away in Burton but at Rangemore Hall, the Bass family home, and on the estate.
Bass built Rangemore Church, licenced in 1867, in the village and a school in 1873.
His son, the first Lord Burton, was a generous patron, adding to the original church building and establishing the Rangemore and Reading Room for the benefit of his estate workers. Lord Burton also endowed the playing field for the use of all villagers.
Rangemore Hall is an impressive mansion house – something that has been recognised in its Grade II listing.
Designed in a loosely Italianate style, it has an early 19th century core with the principal sections of the hall dating from the late Victorian era. The distinguished central pediment is inscribed with the date 1900.
In 1909, Nellie Bass, Baroness Bass, inherited the hall and she split her time between Rangemore and two of her properties in Scotland.
When it became too big for her it was sold to Staffordshire County Council.
In 1944 the hall was occupied by American GIs. In 1954 it was opened as the Needwood School for the Partially Deaf, closing in 1985.
After that the main section of the building was divided into six grand properties, creating an exclusive private community.
The Bass Wing property offers grandly proportioned accommodation over two floors and includes the hall’s hugely impressive reception and staircase hall and drawing room.
This latter room now functions as a stunning open plan sitting room, dining room and kitchen.
Exceptional period features have all been retained while the home has been adapted for modern living.
At the front of the property, double gates open to a sweeping driveway with views over the surrounding countryside. This leads to the generous parking area and main entrance.
Columns flank the double doors which have a stone balustrade parapet above.
See The Edward VII Wing of Rangemore Hall here
Inside, a fine reception hall has oak panelling and intricate ceiling plasterwork, oak floors and a sumptuous carved chimney piece.
The room also has four impressive supporting columns.
Leading off the hall, there is a grand staircase with carved and polished banisters and spindles.
In the vast reception room there are ornate chimney pieces and tall windows providing lovely views over the terrace and the parkland leading down to the lake to the east of the property.
The kitchen area is comprised of four freestanding sections to preserve the integrity of the building.
On the first floor there is another reception room with bay window providing views to the south and a further large window looking out to the east.
It has a decorative fireplace and hand painted blinds. Next to the sitting room is an impressive study.
The wing has five bedrooms in total, all with en-suite bath/shower rooms.
The master bedroom has a particularly large private bathroom with a roll-top bath and rain shower plus twin basins.
The second bedroom features bay windows, an impressive fireplace and an en-suite bathroom.
Of the three remaining bedrooms, one of them has an en suite fitted with a Porcelanosa shower/sauna unit.
A glazed window above the landing allows natural light to flood through the middle of the property down the wide staircase and through an open light well.
The current owners commissioned a trompe l’oeil on the landing, which overlies the warm Sudbury yellow walls.
There is also a utility room on the first floor with fitted cupboards and space for a washing machine and tumble dryer.
A further store cupboard adjoins the utility.
Rangemore Hall is surrounded by parkland. Immediately adjoining the Bass Wing is the property’s own private formal terrace with planted beds.
The wider parkland contains woodland and a lake, covering an area of approximately 16 acres, which are shared by the owners of seven properties within the hall.
A garage block at the back of the hall provides garaging and storage.
VIEWING INFORMATION
AGENT: Fisher German
TEL: 01530 412821
WEB: www.fishergerman.co.uk
GUIDE PRICE: £1,250,000
