Bedford Road, Riseley, MK44

The house has five well-proportioned bedrooms, three reception rooms, and two studies/offices. Additionally, there is a two-bedroom detached cottage. There is a Martin Collins 20x60 Ecotrack surface manège and a detached stable block with a tack room and three loose boxes. There is also an all-weather tennis court, a double and single garage, a horse walker and a modern insulated machinery shed and workshop.

History & Heritage

Built on a greenfields site in 1905 for Col. Spenser Jackson by the Architect Spencer Carey Curtis.  The house was used as a nomination for Carey Curtis into RIBA.  The Architect is also known for Good Hope in Merton built in Cape Dutch style. The house retains much of the original Edwardian detail and layout.  Other notable owners and occupants include pioneer aviator Winifred Crossley, the local benefactor and racehorse owner David Robinson. Air Marshall Sir Leonard Slatter (who may have entertained Haile Selassie at the house, although evidence is yet to be found), as well as members of the Whitbread family.  The Lime tree-lined drive to the Sharnbrook road is believed to be original planting from when the house was built.

Ground Floor

The Mallowry is entered via double doors into a foyer that features a glazed shelved display cupboard and has access to a cloakroom which boasts a half-moon-shaped window overlooking the driveway. Moving into the grand galleried entrance hall there is an old gun safe currently used as a drink’s cupboard, a log-burning stove with limestone hearth and a large bay window with an inset seat. There is access to the recently converted basement which is currently used as a home cinema and games room.

Off the entrance hall, the furthest reception room is currently used as a family room and has a log-burning stove and inset cupboards; this room offers views over the gardens. The formal drawing room is of an excellent size with a limestone fireplace and inset log burner, a bay window and a door leading to the garden and access to the dining room via internal double doors.

The dining room can also be accessed from the main and service hallways through respective doors. This space has a feature fireplace and bay window overlooking the garden.

The kitchen/ breakfast room has recently been upgraded a modern range of hand-painted shaker units, a traditional pizza oven and four-oven electric conversion Aga. There is an integrated dishwasher and space for a large American style fridge freezer. The kitchen/diner features an open layout and is dual aspect with views of the rear and walled garden one of which is through a feature half-moon-shaped window. There is also a door providing access to the walled garden.

An L-shaped service hall with integrated storage leads to the remaining ground floor rooms, including a study, a utility, a cloakroom and a boot room. There is also a rear staircase in the service hall leading to the first floor.

First Floor

The master benefits from a dedicated bedroom with a four-poster bed and direct access to a large dressing room that can be accessed via three steps under beautiful archways, this space is further enhanced with a separate bathroom and shower room as well as a further dressing room, all independent of one another.

Bedroom two is a large spacious double bedroom and much like the master is light and offers excellent views over the lawns and surrounding countryside. Bedroom four has a balcony while bedrooms three and five are in the old servant’s area of the home, these rooms are both doubles and have been fitted with custom shutters. Bedroom five offers a further converted upstairs playroom that was previously used as storage space. This further area could be utilised as a sixth bedroom if required.

All further bedrooms are supported with a bathroom with a beautiful cast iron bath and a separate shower room. There are a range of built in linen cupboards on the first floor.

The Cottage

There is a further two-bedroom detached cottage located at the end of the tree-lined driveway, it has recently been fully refurbished. The property enjoys views over the front paddocks, manège and newly created woodland area to the side. The property has two reception rooms both with feature fireplaces, an L-shaped kitchen with a range of floor-mounted painted units and a large boot room and WC.

On the first floor, there are two double bedrooms which share a Jack and Jill bathroom.

The cottage has recently been installed with double-glazed windows and offers an excellent space for multigenerational families or as extra rental income.

Gardens and Grounds

The property is accessed by an electric gate and onto a 250-meter-long gravelled driveway lined with horse Chestnut trees. The main house has a central grass island to the front enabling easy manoeuvring when entering and leaving the property. There are formal gardens around the house with a walled garden on the east side of the property.

There are numerous well-stocked flower beds interspersed as well as many mature trees. The all-weather tennis court is located over the driveway from the cottage. There is estate fencing separating the formal gardens and the paddocks. The Mallowry has a second driveway with gated access onto the Riseley Road which is currently not used.

There a small brook that runs along the roadside boundary and the second driveway. The current owners have recently planted over 7,000 trees in a stewardship scheme and, have created new paddocks with post and rail fencing.

The detached rendered stable block includes a double and a single garage, and a tack room. The loose boxes are independently accessed and include a concreted groom’s area. There is access to a boarded loft space.

Location Summary

Riseley is a charming village located in North Bedfordshire, offering a range of local amenities such as a village shop, a primary school and a public house/restaurant. In addition, there is a park, a gym and various sports clubs including football, cricket and bowls.

The property is situated in the catchment area for the highly-regarded Sharnbrook Academy and is within a quick 6-minute drive of Kimbolton School, while the renowned Harpur Trust schools in Bedford are just 11 miles away.

Additionally, Bedford railway station, located approximately 10 miles away, provides services to St. Pancras with a journey time of just 43 minutes.