Melcombe Bingham, Dorchester, DT2

The house has been in the same family for two generations and is a warm, welcoming family home with enormous charm and historical pedigree. It is undoubtedly one of Dorset’s finest, undiscovered and untouched treasures.

The house is approached over a dramatic entrance drive through the remarkable 14th Century Gate House, which serves as an entrance to the courtyard, and is one of the earliest complete surviving parts of the house. The reception hall, believed to be medieval, was extensively remodelled in the 18th century with the addition of an oriel and an arda stone stair. The interiors also boast a mix of 17th and 18th Century panelling, elaborate chimney pieces and original fireplaces. Notably, the sitting room features a mid 18th Century chimneypiece with Adam and Eve figures and the east wing contains an early 18th Century marble chimneypiece.

GROUND FLOOR
From the grand reception hall, which enjoys access to a small walled garden of its own, there is a lovely panelled drawing room, and stairs lead up to the games room on the first floor. A beautiful, light sitting room with high ceilings has doors out to the west lawn. A garden hall has stone spiral steps to the first floor. A cloistered corridor leads to the dining room and adjacent kitchen/breakfast room.

FIRST FLOOR
In the main part of the house there are 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms (all ensuite), the fifth being a single bedroom with a WC and wash basin across the landing. In the south wing, and approached through the Gate House by two separate staircases, are 4 further bedrooms and 2 further bathrooms.

GARDENS AND GROUNDS
The gardens are largely attributed, in their present form, to Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe, who laid them out after the Second World War for Lord Southborough. They are mostly laid out to the north and west of the house, with further areas of informal pleasure grounds in the valley of the Devil’s Brook to the east.

The formal gardens are laid out in a series of terraces, the lowest terrace comprising the kitchen garden, bordered by neat gravelled paths, and with 2 greenhouses and a potting shed.

To the north of the house is a charming knot garden and a romantic summer house within a high stone wall. A broad grass walk beyond the west garden wall leads to a lime avenue underplanted with rhododendrons to reach a mid 18th century Grade II listed stone bridge which crosses the Devil’s Brook.

PARKLAND AND FARMLAND
The estate enjoys a diverse landscape with approximately 174 acres of arable, approximately 105 acres of pasture and downland along with approximately 75 acres of mixed and largely mature woodland over the estate. The land is currently farmed in hand.

The estate lies in beautiful undulating Dorset countryside with some significant topography in places which lends itself perfectly for the family shoot that is run in conjunction with a neighbouring landowner. This arrangement could be allowed to continue although the estate is capable of supporting an enjoyable shoot in its own right utilising its own steep valley and dramatic woodland banks.

THE DOWER HOUSE
Approached over the main drive, and set in beautiful gardens overlooking the Devil’s Brook, the Grade II listed Dower House, formally the Old Rectory for the Church next door, is a wonderful house in its own right. Of stone and flint under a tile roof with stone mullion windows and leaded lights, the house comprises on the ground floor 3 reception rooms, a cloakroom WC, kitchen and boiler room; on the first floor 3 bedrooms and the second floor a further bedroom, bathroom and attic storage. The Dower House is currently used as offices and will require modernisation and the relevant planning consents to be returned to a private residence.

THE COTTAGES
With access over the farm drive to the west are a pair of semi detached cottages of rendered construction under slate.

Binghams Melcombe occupies its own hamlet, the only other bulding in the cluster of dwellings being the Church, one mile from the slightly larger village of Melcombe Bingham. The estate is surrounded by open farmland which forms an impressive backdrop on all sides.

The A354 is 6 miles to the south giving access to the A31 and A35 and Sherborne is 16 miles to the north with trains to Waterloo in 2.25 hours. Bournemouth Airport is a 45 minute drive.

For immediate needs, there is a good convenience store in Ansty (1 mile) while more comprehensive amenities can be found in Blandford, Dorchester or Sherborne.

The area offers a good selection of Prep Schools, such as Handford, Bryanston Prep, formerly Knighton House, Sandroyd and Sherborne with Public Schools, Bryanston, Canford, Milton Abbey and Sherborne boys and girls also close by.

Dorchester 11 miles
Sherborne 16 miles (Waterloo 2 1/4 hours)
Shaftesbury 17 miles
Bournemouth Airport 28 miles
Blandford Forum 11 miles
(All distances and times are approximate)