7 bedroom detached house for sale

• Central Reception Hall • Drawing Room • Dining Room • Sitting Room • Study/Office • Kitchen/Breakfast/Family Room • 2nd kitchen / utility room

• Master Bedroom Suite • 6 Further Bedrooms (1 ensuite) • Family Bathroom • Family Shower Room

• Large Timber Framed Open Fronted Barn • Storage Building • Garden Machinary Store • Extensive Garaging, tank store, Insulated Wine Cellar and Log Store • 3 Greenhouses

• Mature Landscaped Grounds with brook, ornamental lake and moats • Hard Tennis Court • Secret Patio Area

• About 8.6 acres


Martels Manor is an exceptional Medieval timber framed hall house of plastered elevations, displaying fine pargetting, under a plain tiled roof, meticulously and sympathetically refurbished and extended, listed Grade II as being of architectural and historical importance.

The beautifully presented accommodation radiates from a welcoming central reception hall with modern family living having been skilfully blended with the essential character and history of this charming family home. Internally, the accommodation has been greatly improved and enjoys an abundance of natural light. The rooms display a wonderful array of character and features including panelling; a magnificent inglenook fireplace; exposed timber framing and solid oak doors.

The principle reception rooms enjoy views across the formal gardens and down the front drive; whilst, to the rear, are the bespoke fitted airy family Aga kitchen/breakfast room and contemporary rear hall/conservatory enjoying views across the open lawns to the rear and woodland beyond. To the side, overlooking the lake are a tranquil study and sitting/media room retreat. On the first floor are 7 delightful bedrooms of varying styles; 2 of which are on suite, a family bathroom and a family shower room.

Electrically operated wrought iron gates open on to a gravelled drive, flanked by sweeping lawns and an established productive orchard, leading through a Yew hedge and opening onto to a gravelled sweep with central lawned turning circle in front of the house.

To the sides and rear are established lawned gardens with a broad terrace abutting the house offering sheltered entertaining and lovely views across the grounds. The lawns then open onto meadows, studded by a wide variety of mature trees, both coniferous and deciduous, through which Martels Brook with its ornamental waterfall meanders, linking with the original moat, together with a screened "secret garden" and a hard tennis court. A private automatic, lake fed, watering system has been subtly incorporated into the water features.

Within the grounds are an excellent range of traditional and contemporary outbuildings; these offer extensive storage facilities and the option to further develop into entertaining areas or, indeed, ancillary accommodation (subject to any necessary consents). There are also useful secondary accesses; the substantial detached garage containing aa insulated wine cellar and separate W.C. is beside one.

The grounds are enclosed and protected by mature light woodland and back directly onto the surrounding undulating open countryside.


Standing amongst gently undulating open countryside and steeped in history, Martels Manor is mentioned in the Domesday Book as being owned by Geoffrey Martel, Lord, in 1086. It occupies a delightful mature park like setting, standing centrally within established grounds, protected by light woodland, about half a mile outside Barnston.

The village of Barnston, with its Norman Church of St Andrew and village hall, is a small flourishing rural community set about 2 miles south of the charming market town of Great Dunmow; which provides a broad range of amenities including a supermarket and a busy high street of independent stores along with numerous pubs and restaurants. For a more comprehensive range of amenities, the fine town of Bishops Stortford and the city of Chelmsford are just 11 miles to the West and South, respectively. There is a wide choice of excellent schooling in the area, both state and private, including Bishops Stortford College and the Felsted Schools.

Barnston is well placed for communications, with the A120 just 1½ miles to the north giving access to junction 8 of the M11 to the west; from where Stansted Airport and Bishops Stortford can be accessed. Bishops Stortford and Chelmsford both offer rail way stations with access to London Liverpool Street with an approximate journey of 45 minutes and 35 minutes, respectively.

The County of Essex is distinguished by its open undulating farmland and provides a broad range of leisure pursuits; including a number of local golf clubs and the Essex Coast offering extensive walks, bird watching and sailing.