House for sale in York, North Yorkshire, YO60 7PL

Mileage

Malton 9 miles, York 14 miles, A1 25 miles, Harrogate 34 miles, Leeds 39 miles, Leeds Bradford Airport 43 miles

Description

History
Built by Sir William Bamburgh in c.1610, whose coat of arms are above the main entrance, Howsham Hall is largely late Jacobean with early classical renaissance influences. The interior was subsequently remodelled in c.1775, thought to be attributed to John Carr, known for his work at Chatsworth, Harewood House and Castle Howard to name a few.
For much of it's history the house was in the ownership of the Cholmleys before it passed to the Strickland family who sold the estate and its contents in 1948 – 10 years later it was bought and converted into a boy's preparatory school.
The current owner has converted the house from it's institutional incarnation creating a fine, enviable country residence. The house has only been on the open market 3 times since the land was acquired in 1573.

Accommodation
Howsham Hall offers the rare combination of exceptional formal rooms together with practical family accommodation designed for modern living.

The house is situated around a traditional central courtyard with the front door entrance porchway leading into the great hall, a finely proportioned state room retaining important architectural details including an arcade of Doric columns and cornicing. The drawing room, another fabulous reception room with Adamesque stucco frieze matches the detailed marble fireplace.
Adjacent to the great hall is the staircase hall, where a grand staircase rises up to the first floor supported by Tuscan columns. Accessed from here, is the dining room featuring early eighteenth century woodwork by Thornton of York and beautifully detailed cornicing. The fireplaces throughout the property are of exceptionally high quality.

Beyond the formal reception rooms the ground floor accommodation has been remodelled, including an extensive Mark Wilkinson kitchen with stunning GL50 signature worktops, walnut floor and modern appliances. Steps then lead up to the adjacent breakfast room with playroom beyond, ideal spaces for everyday family living. Looking over the River Derwent along the northern side of the house is a cloakroom and family room with stone stairs to the lower ground floor where further rooms incorporate the leisure / family wing of the house. These comprise a magnificent entertainment room, a kitchen / bar and an additional cloakroom all creating a self-contained living area with access to the outdoor terrace enjoying views across the river and attractive countryside beyond. Also accessed from this downstairs passageway is a gymnasium and offices. Planning permission has been approved for an indoor swimming pool to be created within the courtyard with further scope to create changing areas and a sauna.

There is a study which has a bay window overlooking the River Derwent and there is a small library with panelled walls. From here a passage winds its way back to the great hall with cloakroom and stone steps dropping down to the southern section of the lower ground floor:

This area of the house comprises space for entertaining on a more formal scale in the "gentleman's retreat" with snooker table and caterer's kitchen. In addition, there is a store room, two wine cellars, kitchen store, laundry room, gun room, boot room and boiler room.

The ground floor of the northern stretch of the property includes a staff sitting room, two staff bedrooms and a bathroom.

To the first floor is the fabulous principal bedroom suite comprising a substantial bedroom with bay window offering fantastic views over the park. This was likely to have been the great chamber in the early 17th century house with its Adam-style stucco ceiling and inlay marble fireplace. From here is the dressing room, make-up room and bathroom with its own fireplace. In addition there are six further spacious bedroom suites each of great character and many with lovely views.

Outside
Situated in a quiet, secluded valley 14 miles north east of York, the property comprises in the region of 83.5 acres. The grounds are dominated by beautiful formal lawns extending to over 10 acres, emphasising the unique parkland setting of the Hall and its relationship to the surrounding countryside. The level main lawn to the front of the house has been prepared for cricket for nearly 50 seasons and the grounds to the west, hide insights into the past with the remains of the original ice house, boat house and folly. There is river frontage for approximately 0.5 miles to the Derwent including fishing rights and the opportunity to moor a boat. There are approximately 68 acres of pastureland to the south west recently purchased by the current owners. There is planning permission to the east of the house adjacent to the ground floor kitchen for a garage complex with a log, machine store and secure parking.

Accommodation

5 formal reception rooms, Staircase hall, Principal bedroom suite and main guest suite (each with dressing room), 5 further bedroom suites, Snooker room, Family and leisure wing, Offices, Staff, Historic parkland, formal lawns, frontage and fishing rights on the River Derwent. In all approximately 83.5 acres (33.8 hectares).

Situation

Howsham is set in rolling countryside on the edge of the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and adjacent to the small yet attractive village of Howsham. It lies 14 miles from York, with its mainline railway station with regular services to London, the fastest taking as little as 1 hour, 45 minutes. The A64 just to the north of Howsham offers access to York, and the motorway network of the M1 and M62. The market town of Malton is 10 miles away with a diverse range of amenities
including a railway station, restaurant, shops and a weekly market. Ganton Championship Golf course is 24 miles along the A64 and York Racecourse, a primary attraction is 14 miles away. Castle Howard, one of the finest houses in Europe and famous for its location in Brideshead Revisited stands 8 miles to the north. Schools include Ampleforth College near Helmsley, Terrington Preparatory near Malton, St Peters in York and Queen Margarets York.