Queen Street, Castle Hedingham, Halstead, Essex, CO9

The Old Vicarage is Grade II* listed, with its picturesque vistas of both the castle and church. The property is believed to have been built for a local wool merchant in the first half of the 18th century. The fine external elevations have been almost unchanged since its initial construction, with symmetrical elevations of equal grandeur and a front adorned by a central iconic porch with columns and painted quoins. Praised by Pevsner in 'The Buildings of England - Essex'.. "the best classical brick house." Previous owners include the Earl of Wilton, who undertook extensive renovations in the 1990s.

Internally, the property offers extensive, well-proportioned accommodation, highlighted by a grand reception hall, speculated to have served as a meeting venue for local weavers and wool merchants in the 18th century. A wide oak staircase adorns the entrance hall, leading to the first floor. The ground floor accommodates the main reception rooms, including the drawing and sitting room, with folding doors linking the two rooms. A dining room leads into a well-appointed kitchen/breakfast room on the opposite side. A cloakroom, utility room, and boot room complete the ground floor accommodation. Below are extensive partly-vaulted cellars.

On the first floor are four principal bedrooms, three with en suite bathrooms (a Jack & Jill bathroom to both bedrooms 3 and 4). A further staircase leads to the second floor, comprising four additional bedrooms and three bathrooms (one en suite).

Outside
The Old Vicarage is approached via an in-and-out carriage driveway bordered by a high, pollarded mature hedge. Generous lawns flank the drive, with magnificent Wellingtonia and a sweeping curved brick wall dividing the front from the garden and courtyard. Adjacent, a separate access point featuring automatic timber double gates and a side gate opens on to a spacious gravel parking area. The property includes a brick and tiled coach house, incorporating a guest cottage and garage with additional storage. A gravel path leads past the contemporary heated swimming pool to a seated area within the old kitchen garden. Beyond, a grass pathway winds through beautifully maintained lawns with several mature cherry, lime, and copper beech trees, offering access to an inner garden and orchard, which includes pear, plum, quince, and apple trees.

The dining room, drawing room and sitting room images are virtually staged and are shown for illustrative purposes

The Old Vicarage is located close to the centre of Castle Hedingham, one of Essex's most esteemed conservation villages, described by John Julius Norwich in his book "The Architecture of Southern England" as "ravishingly pretty". The village offers a delightful array of amenties, with several shops, inviting pubs, doctor's surgery, and a primary school. There are further shopping facilitis at Sudbury, Halstead and Colchester, a secondary school at Sible Hedingham and two private schools in the nearby village of Gosfield. Commuters benefit from easy access to London Liverpool Street via train services from Braintree or Witham and convenient connections to the A12 at Witham and the M11 via the A120 at Braintree.