8 bedroom detached house for sale

Tenure: Freehold

GHYLLHEUGH
Ghyllheugh is at the centre of this beautiful Northumbrian mini-estate. The house is constructed in a substantial Victorian fashion in a baronial style. The house is of mellow sandstone elevations between graded Cumbrian slate roofs and has developed from what was originally built as a tower house.

The approach to the estate is through impressive gates and down a straight tarmacadam driveway. Only at the last minute does one see the principal house as the drive sweeps round and into a courtyard through a second set of gates.

The house, associated outbuildings and grounds form a most idyllic place to live in privacy and seclusion yet within extremely easy striking distance of the major financial and communication centres of the North East, and via Newcastle International Airport, the world.

Ghyllheugh is a substantial house yet it is easily managed. The internal accommodation is free flowing and exceptionally laid out for those who are used to entertaining on a grand scale. Equally, the accommodation allows for sensible use of downstairs space and occupation by only a few people. The front door opens into a generous reception hall with a cupola and views through multi-pane mullion windows down the topiaried garden to the swimming pool. The cloakroom (in traditional style) is just off the entrance hall and a staircase leads to the cellars. The panelled oak inner hall has a spectacular open fireplace with stone surround and inglenook and an oak staircase which rises to the first floor.

The principal reception rooms and another cloakroom are arranged off the inner hall. In keeping with modern day vogue, Ghyllheugh has a fantastic open plan L-shaped living kitchen with a dining and a seating area, built from timber sourced mainly from the estate. The timber floor continues from the reception hall to the kitchen where there is a spacious dining area capable of seating ten people comfortably for family and informal dining. The kitchen is arranged around a four oven oil fired Aga. Below the polished granite topped work surfaces are various integrated appliances including a four ring Miele cooker and a Miele barbecue unit all beneath an illuminated purifier. The double ware kitchen sink is set within a granite topped island unit. Lighting is from inset low voltage lights and there are oak ceiling cornices. The seating area has a wood burning stove as a focal point and a high cathedral style ceiling and views of the formal garden. There is a pantry conveniently arranged off the kitchen with a walk-in Williams fridge and freezer for added convenience and a timber spiral staircase rising to the first floor to a bedroom and bathroom.

The drawing room is a magnificent room with generous proportions, a high ceiling and fabulous south facing views of the garden. There is a feature open fireplace with marble surround and mantel and a door leading to the oak framed garden room which has a stone floor and double glazed windows. The pillared door in the southern elevation is a superb feature. The garden room is an excellent place to enjoy the views of the garden; particularly the spectacular cedar trees. The snug is an atmospheric room with partly panelled walls around the feature fireplace, timbered ceiling and a wood strip floor. This room also has excellent views south of the garden. A door leads out to a paved terrace area on the western elevation beneath an arch with superb vista to the west providing an ideal place for alfresco dining and entertaining. The dining room has a fine feature fireplace with stone hearth, surround and mantel, timber panelled ceiling and proportions which allow for generous scale entertaining.

The cellars are approached from the reception hall providing a utility room/laundry, store, wine cellar and a gym which is equipped with a sound system and a mirrored wall.

The broad timber staircase leads out of the panelled inner hall to a half landing with a beautiful mullion window overlooking the garden. The principal bedroom accommodation is arranged off a central landing.

There are six bedrooms and four bathroom facilities on the first floor and there are two further bedrooms on the second floor and an additional house bathroom. Access to the flat tower roof is from the second floor landing. The principal bedroom suite is elegantly decorated and has superb views to the south of the landscaped extensive gardens. There is a large walk-in dressing cupboard and a beautiful en-suite bathroom with a timber floor, an island bath with ball and claw feet and a high pressure shower unit, wc and airing cupboard. The guest room in the southern elevation has the benefit of a wet room with fully tiled walls and floor with modern basin and wc. A further guest room has a modern en-suite shower room with Travertine tiled floor and walls and high pressure shower. The "China" bedroom has the unusual benefit of a lavatory in the corner of the room, together with a wash basin. Two further bedrooms have easy access to the spiral staircase down into the kitchen, perhaps to suit an au-pair and a modern bathroom with stone tiles on floor and wall and modern ceramic fittings. The bedroom accommodation on the second floor has high quality rooms. Since these bedrooms are in the top of the tower, they have high timber ceilings. One of these bedrooms has a timber stripped floor and feature fireplace with timber mantel and surround. The view from these bedrooms is quite superb and only bettered from on top of the flat tower roof. The bathroom on the second floor is of generous proportions and there are two further rooms used currently for storage which could satisfy a number of different uses.

GARDEN COTTAGE
Garden Cottage is a handsome stone built cottage beneath a slate roof. It is situated to the north of Ghyllheugh and its outbuildings and is approached via a spur of the principal drive.

The accommodation consists of 2 bedrooms and a bathroom on the first floor, arranged off a landing. There is a sitting room and dining room; a good conservatory and a kitchen on the ground floor. The oil fired central heating boiler is in the kitchen. There is a small cloakroom off the kitchen. Outside, to the north is an enclosed yard and lean-to shed, an area of hard standing for parking cars, and some dog kennels.


HISTORICAL NOTE
In 1900 Louis J Ames Esq., a local businessman, took a Greenfield site on the southern banks of the River Coquet and commenced the building of the Ghyllheugh estate. It probably took 4 years to finish the house. The building contractors were Carse of Amble. They used the light coloured local sandstone and Cumberland slate to build the principal residence, the garden house, the garage/stable
block, together with the estate workshop and other outbuildings to create the property as it is today in a stylish and characterful fashion.

The gardens and grounds were laid out by Ames at the same time. Ames was buried in the woodland to the west of the house. Ghyllheugh has always been ahead of its time. It is thought that it was amongst the first houses in the region, if not the nation, to have its own electricity supply. Water powered turbines were situated amongst outbuildings in order to generate electricity for the estate


Ghyllheugh lies approximately 9 miles north of the popular, well located and increasingly vibrant market town of Morpeth in the heart of Northumberland. Northumberland is a county of exceptional beauty and is becoming increasingly popular because of its accessibility and the amenities it has to offer.

Whilst Ghyllheugh is situated in a tranquil location, the A697 trunk road connects with the A1 at Morpeth enabling excellent road access direct to the heart of Newcastle (about 22 miles) to the south. Newcastle International Airport is similarly convenient being about 24 miles and rail transport from either Newcastle, Morpeth or Alnmouth Stations is within what most would regard as a short drive.

The beauty of Northumberland is known to many and it remains a very special county in terms of scenery and leisure opportunities. The Northumberland National Park is a prime example of beautiful countryside with amenities stretching from Kielder Water, providing fishing, cycling, walking and boating, to the Cheviot Hills. There are top class racecourses and golf courses as well as plenty of stunning beaches within easy reach.

The rivers North and South Tyne and River Coquet have rarely provided better salmon returns than in recent years and the driven grouse, pheasant and partridge shooting in the country is world renowned. Ghyllheugh lies in the heart of the Morpeth Hunt country; the West Percy Foxhounds are another fun pack of hounds to follow over exciting country.

Walking, riding and mountain biking in the immediate vicinity are extremely pleasurable. There is a very good network of footpaths and bridleways spreading away from the area. The agriculture in the locality is principally stock farming with a little arable farming enabling good quality riding.

First class schooling facilities exist with the nearby Mowden Hall Prep School in the Tyne Valley. The Morpeth schools have a first rate reputation and access to all the Newcastle schools is easy.

It is likely that Ghyllheugh will next be owned, as previously, by international business people who appreciate privacy and require convenient access to the business centres of the North East and beyond. The amenity and pleasure that the surrounding acreage provides is a fabulous attribute especially for those who will use the stables and other outbuildings to their full potential.


EXTERNALLY
The vendors created a beautiful formal landscaped garden on the eastern side of the house with an impressive water feature and rill. The principally lawned gardens to the south of the property sweep away in an extensive fashion and are dominated by some spectacular cedar trees. Mature woodland on either side of the lawn ensures regular contact with wildlife. Roe deer and other woodland creatures including red squirrels are frequently seen on the lawns. Impressive vistas have been created on the western side of the house. Gravel paths and a sunken garden lead the eye to a double arch or circle within the walled garden.

The outdoor swimming pool has a nearby summer house and the greenhouse benefits from its own boiler and heating system with dovecot and nearby substantial workshop building the other side of the walled garden. A well lies within the walled garden; it is covered for safety.

The Ghyllheugh Millennium Project undertaken by the vendors was the creation of a maze. The maze is in the form of a swan and the figure 2000. It is best viewed from the roof of the tower.

OUTBUILDINGS
Various useful stone buildings exist within the curtilage of Ghyllheugh. Most notably of these is the Annex which has a reception hall with kitchen area, a first floor office and a ground floor bed/sitting room with en-suite shower room. Also within the courtyard is the stable block which has five loose boxes in Victorian cage box style. There is a superb panelled tack room with a wood burning stove and what probably was originally a stable lad's bedroom on the first floor. There is ample space over the stables, currently used for storage but with the potential for a variety of different uses.

There is a detached stone built workshop housing the generator with adjoining shed and a detached fuel store.

THE LAND
The property comprises about 126.18 acres in total. This provides a mix of about 44.4 acres of amenity woodland, 61.9 acres of permanent pasture and the River Coquet which forms part of the northern boundary.

FISHING
The property has the benefit of two rods on the River Coquet which is an increasingly popular and productive salmon and trout river. The control of a further twenty rods will eventually revert back to the ownership of Ghyllheugh upon the death of a previous owner. The fishings consist of approximately 1½ miles up stream from Weldon Bridge, on both banks of the River Coquet, to the Coquet's confluence with the Cockshot Burn, and a further ¼ mile approximately on the north bank only to its confluence with the unnamed water course running into the Coquet on its north side from Brinkburn Lodge. A variety of fishing is provided by a series of good pools. The Coquet is well known for its big run of sea trout and salmon are caught on the Ghyllheugh beat.

TENURE
Freehold with vacant possession upon completion. Garden Cottage is subject to a protected tenancy. The tenant is interested in acquiring the freehold of Garden Cottage.