Aley, Over Stowey, Bridgwater, Somerset

Lot 1: The main house, surrounding buildings and 19.18 acres (pink on the plan)

Named after the nearby Quantock Hills, Quantock Lodge is a Grade II Listed 19th century Gothic revival mansion built by Henry Labouchere, then MP for Taunton and subsequently the 1st Baron Taunton, as a summer residence. Inherited by his daughter, the Hon Mary Labouchere and her husband Edward Stanley, MP for West Somerset, and subsequently by one of their sons, the house and its contents were sold at auction in 1919 to settle the latter’s debts. The house was purchased by Somerset County Council to become the Quantock Sanatorium, which stayed open until 1961. In 1962 the council sold the house to David T Peaster, who in 1964 opened it as a school using the late Lord Taunton’s coat of arms as the school crest. The school closed in 1998 and is currently used as a centre for recreation and banqueting and as a youth summer camp centre. The property offers the prospective purchaser the opportunity to continue its current use, re-open a school or convert the property back to a stunning manorial estate. The vast number of reception rooms and accommodation, extending to over 43,000 sq. ft., are configurable to the purchaser’s own requirements and feature numerous original period features. There is also a kitchen/dining hall block extending to more than 3,500 sq. ft. as well as a patio block extending to more than 6,800 sq. ft.

Local Authority: Sedgemoor District Council

Services: Mains electricty. LPG gas. Mains and private water and drainage which we understand to be compliant with current regulations.

Tenure: Freehold

Rights of Way: There are two bridleways that cross over the land from Pepperhill to Adscombe and from Aley to Forestry. Further information can be sought from the vendors agent.

Quantock Lodge is located in the hamlet of Over Stowey in the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in West Somerset, surrounded by a wealth of local footpaths and bridleways leading to superb moorland, woodland walking and riding on the Quantock Hills, within easy distance of the West Somerset coast. The nearby village of Nether Stowey offers a good selection of day-to-day amenities including a general store, Post Office, butcher, GP surgery, library, hairdresser, popular primary school and local public houses. Nearby Bridgwater offers a wider selection of shopping facilities including an Asda Superstore while the county town of Taunton offers more extensive shopping, service and recreational amenities together with mainline rail connections.

Communications links ae excellent: the property enjoys easy access to the M5 at Taunton and A39 at Bridgwater, Bridgwater and Taunton offer regular train services to London Paddington and Exeter Airport has a growing number of national and international flights.

The area offers a wide range of state primary and secondary schooling together with a good selection of independent schools including King’s Hall, Queens College, Taunton Prep and Senior Schools and Wellington.