Great Ellingham Hall, Great Ellingham, Norfolk

Handsome and tremendously generous, this Grade II-listed hall in Norfolk has its origins in the late 16th century. Inside, its profuse primary plan stretches to over 6,200 sq ft and includes six bedrooms and a series of comfortable, interconnected living spaces. Outside, an enchanting moated garden unfolds over around seven glorious acres and is the setting for a network of outbuildings that include a converted barn, garage and a workshop. Set back behind a long, winding driveway, the house has a feel of remove. Despite this, the buoyant village is a short walk away, while Norwich (with its medieval streets and railway station) and Wymondham are 18 and eight miles away respectively.

Setting the Scene

Great Ellingham is a charming village in the heart of rural Norfolk yet within striking distance of Norwich, Wymondham, Diss and Attleborough. The village has a wealth of period architecture including its Grade II-listed, 14th-century church, St James'.

Built around 1570, Great Ellingham Hall is a wonderful palimpsest of 16th, 17th, 18th and even some 19th-century features, from timber-mullioned casement windows to wattle and daub walls. It has been gently tended to in its long life, a treatment that has preserved its period integrity. One of its most intriguing features is a medieval well that the house was built over. More recent upgrades have been added with the utmost sensitivity, drawing attention to the tactility of its original building materials and strengthening the relationship between the house and its expansive grounds.

The Grand Tour

Set back behind a long gravel-laid, driveway, Great Ellingham Hall's long white-rendered profile peers out behind mature trees. Black-painted windows are an arresting counterpoint, and an attractive black glazed pantile roof crowns its form.

L-shaped, the plan is exceptionally generous. Entry is from the front, to a capacious entrance hall grounded with richly darkened floorboards and encased by exposed beams and posts - a motif that spreads into almost every room. A broad fireplace, now fitted with a wood-burning stove, extends a warm welcome on arrival.

Living spaces extend on either side of the hallway; to the left is a drawing room, which has an open fire and French doors to the garden. Beyond lies a study - a wonderful place to hunker down with a book. From the rear of the entrance hall is a short flight of stairs that rises towards a cosy family room and an adjacent WC.

To the other side is a second hallway, which gives way to a cosy snug. This, in turn, opens to the kitchen, a bright and newly fitted space that revels in its rustic feel. The deep tone of the exposed beams overhead contrasts with large limestone tiles underfoot, and a bank of cupboards and open shelves (ideal for displaying favourite glassware) at one end. There is an oversized butler's sink set beneath a garden-facing window, along with a black Aga and a stainless-steel range.

A door opens to a pantry, while another flows into a hallway and towards a utility room with a WC and access to the garden. The kitchen has plenty of space for a large dining table, although an adjacent reception room would make for a terrific dining spot befitting the more special of occasions.

Within the entrance hall, sits a remarkable original Elizabethan staircase. It has decorative newel posts housing incised rectangular fields and top ball finials, heavily turned balusters and raddled moulded handrails. The treads are dressed with a complementary runner and rise to the first floor, providing access to a shower room and to the atmospheric primary suite, which has a WC and a shower tucked behind two handsome panelled doors; a broad, brick-framed former fireplace lies between.

A second staircase ascends from the ground floor to the easterly part of the house, where there are three bedrooms and a room apt for use as a study. One of the rooms has an en suite shower room, while another large bedroom has a broad fireplace, a large storage cupboard and access to a Jack-and-Jill bathroom with a separate shower.

The remaining two bedrooms lie on the second floor, set beneath the gently sloping roofline. Positioned at either end of a long corridor, both have a distinctly private feel and share a shower room, making it the perfect retreat for guests or teenagers seeking solitude.

The Great Outdoors

Befittingly impressive, the grounds that unfold around Great Ellingham Hall are full of varied delights. Stretching to around seven acres in total, they are made up of large swathes of lawn that provide opportunities for gathering, playing or relaxing. Clusters of mature trees - including impressive monkey puzzles - dot the ground, providing shady spots to seek respite beneath on bright days.

An enchanting moat surrounds the house; ducks (and, in spring, ducklings) can be spotted in and around the water. Other wildlife known to have paid a visit to Great Ellingham Hall in recent years include pheasants, muntjacs and squirrels. The fenced paddock of just over and acre and a half has been home to horses and grazing sheep.

The grounds are also the setting for a spacious set of outbuildings currently used as a recreational barn (with an adjoining kitchenette and WCs) and as a workshop. Subject to relevant permissions, these spaces could be reimagined and transformed for alternative uses.

There is plenty of space to park cars, in both the garage and along the long meandering driveway.

Out and About

Great Ellingham Hall is located in a wonderful position on the edge of Great Ellingham. A small village in the heart of rural Norfolk, it has a lovely homely pub, The Crown, which is a terrific spot for ale and good food.

The local market town of Wymondham, eight miles east, hosts weekly markets and a particularly popular farmers' market each month. The town is handy for everyday needs and is brilliant for a browse around a string of independent shops. Norwich, around 20 minutes' drive away, is a thriving small city with diverse cultural, dining and shopping opportunities. The Lanes, a series of medieval streets in the city centre, was a winner at the Great British High Street of the Year Award. Acclaimed chef Richard Bainbridge runs Benedicts, and steakhouse Brix and Bones has an eclectic seasonal menu.

The nearby market towns of Diss and Attleborough have a wide range of independent shops. Bury St Edmunds is also close by; here, the Ickworth Estate and Theatre Royal - the only surviving Regency playhouse in Britain - are well worth the visit. Slightly further afield are the Wyken Vineyards with its Leaping Hare restaurant and excellent farmers’ market. The Norfolk and Suffolk coastlines are easily accessible within an hour and the historic city of Cambridge lies 50 miles to the south-west.

There is a state-run primary school in Great Ellingham, with secondary options - including Wymondham, a state-run boarding school - in neighbouring towns and villages. There are private options in Norwich.

Diss station, around a 34-minute drive away, runs train services to London Liverpool Street in around 90 minutes. Wymondham station is a 13-minute drive away and runs services to Norwich in under 15 minutes. The A11 is within easy reach for the M11 towards London.

Council Tax Band: C