Hill House at Blackwells End in Hartpury, Gloucestershire, was built in the 16th century.

The north west wing is a far more recent addition having been completed in 2000. However, with its timber frame and leaded light windows, it blends in seamlessly with the parts of the property that were built in 1583.

A substantial Grade II* listed country house, it is set on the borders of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire and enjoys views over the surrounding countryside towards the Malvern Hills.

The present owners have had the house since 1998 and have significantly refurbished it, including adding the extension.

The ground floor provides a good balance of well-proportioned formal reception rooms combined with comfortable less formal family space and practical utility areas.

A drawing room looks out over the gardens on both sides of the house while the oak panelled dining room, complete with flagstone floor, is filled with character.

Its walls lined with bookcases, the library centres on an attractive Voysey fireplace with a wood burner.

Like the dining room, the sitting room is also panelled and with a wood burner, making it a cosy, less formal family room. There is a beautifully appointed kitchen/family room that is divided by a run of work surface and cupboards. To one end is an Aga and central island while the dining end enjoys views of the Malvern Hills and has French doors onto a large terrace and into the garden.

The extension to the house benefits from underfloor heating.

Making up the first floor of the new part of the building, the master bedroom suite also enjoys the views of the Malverns. It has a Cotswold stone fireplace with exposed oak beams and floorboards.

Accessed via the main staircase, the first floor of the older part of the property has five comfortable double bedrooms, a dressing room, two bathrooms and a shower room.

Interesting and distinctive plaster mouldings dot the walls and ceiling of the main staircase (which is actually one of three), as the stairs rise to an unconverted attic that provides excellent storage space.

Well-tended gardens border three sides of the house.

To the front, enclosed by a 17th century red brick wall, formal box hedging and a large expanse of lawn surrounded by beautifully planted herbaceous borders, flank the approach to the door.

Tucked away and screened on three sides by mature hedges is a heated swimming pool (complete with ‘Fastlane’ current machine) and pool house which enjoy views of the paddocks to the south.

Further lawns to the east of the house lead to an area of orchard with well-established specimen trees and then into a productive, fenced kitchen garden complete with a traditional Hartley Botanic greenhouse.

A range of carefully maintained traditional red brick outbuildings include nine stables, stores, a coach house that leads into a part galleried party barn, further stores and workshops with a self-contained and well-appointed one bedroom flat over the top – useful as staff accommodation.

Behind the traditional stables is a large steel frame portal agricultural building.

It is surrounded by stock fenced paddocks.

Limbury Hill, a prominent local landmark, is accessed from Hill House to the north and Buttersend Lane to the south.

Extending to approximately 40 acres and divided by a number of rides, the hill is covered in mature mixed woodland that plays host to a diverse range of wildlife and transforms into a spectacular bluebell wood during the spring.

Hartpury is a traditional village set in the heart of the Severn Vale. Hill House occupies a slightly elevated spot a mile and a half from the village, and the property has totally unspoiled rural views over open farmland with the backdrop of the Malvern Hills to the north. Hartpury village has its own church, post office, store, two pubs and a primary school.

There are state secondary schools at Tewkesbury and Newent and public schools in Malvern, Cheltenham and Gloucester.

Hartpury College (Sports, Equestrian and Agricultural) is also nearby.

Among the impressive leisure amenities in the area, is the Michelin starred Butchers Arms at Eldersfield, three miles away.

There are plenty of opportunities for walking, riding and hunting with the Ledbury Hunt, and an excellent network of bridle paths and footpaths. Hartpury Equine College is nearby.

There is excellent access to the M5 at Tewkesbury or Gloucester and the M50 at junctions 1 and 2.

Direct trains lead to London Paddington, Birmingham New Street and Bristol Parkway from Cheltenham Spa.

VIEWING INFORMATION

AGENT: Knight Frank

TEL: 01242 246959

WEB: www.knightfrank.co.uk

GUIDE PRICE: £2,350,000