Old Ford House, Blandford St Mary, Dorset

This elegant Grade II-listed eight-bedroom house sits in Blandford St Mary, just across the River Stour from the pretty market town of Blandford Forum, amid the rolling hills of Dorset. Spanning some 6,599 sq ft, it now extends over three storeys and includes a self-contained annexe. Approximately one acre of gardens surrounds the house, with the Dorset National Landscape and the golden beaches of Poole and Bournemouth also in easy reach. Despite its sense of remoteness, the area is well connected, with regular rail services from Poole to London Waterloo in around two and a quarter hours.

Setting the Scene

The historic market town of Blandford Forum is surrounded by gently undulating hills on the banks of the River Stour. The origins of the town can be traced back to the Saxon era, and its name is a reference to the ford that was used to cross the river.

In the 18th century, the town developed button-making and brewing industries. Although the button-making enterprises were relatively short-lived, the brewing industry prevailed. This remarkable house has its origins in the 18th century, when it was lived in by proprietors of the original brewery, next to the river. The building was acquired by Hall and Woodhouse in the 19th century - a local enterprise that built the adjacent brewery, still in operation today.

The east wing of the house was built in the early 18th century and is characterised by a tiled roof and wrought-iron casement windows with leaded lights. The west wing was added in the early 19th century and has a hipped slate roof and sash windows throughout. A series of brick chimneys sit atop the roof, creating an elegant coherence between the two parts of the building.

The Grand Tour

A private gravelled road forms the approach to the house, where a wooden gate opens onto a sweeping driveway. Its handsome façade is painted in a blush-pink tone and punctuated by a series of sash windows that form the front of the house, with an elegant pilastered entrance porch.

On entry, half-glazed double doors lead to a generous entrance hall with soaring ceilings. To the right of the hall is a comfortable sitting room with an original fireplace and ceiling cornices, found throughout the house. Here, two large sash windows with painted wooden shutters provide views of the garden beyond.

Opposite the front door is a voluminous drawing room with a bay window and window seat - the perfect spot for admiring the lush greenery outside. An intricately carved stone fireplace takes centre stage.

The dining room sits on the other side of the entrance hall, where a stone fireplace, a large sash window and walls washed in a pillar-box-red hue create a refined sense of grandeur. A bright kitchen and breakfast room lies adjacent, with an original inglenook fireplace, shuttered sash windows, timber panelling and wood-topped cabinetry. A two-oven gas Aga is found here, alongside space for storage and appliances. There is also a WC on this floor.

The ground floor of the self-contained annexe is also found in this part of the house and has a large, versatile sitting room and kitchen. The annexe can also be integrated with the primary plan, if desired.

From the entrance hall, an ornate sweeping staircase with a polished wood bannister rises to the first floor, where there are four bedrooms. In the principal bedroom, a sash window with a window seat provides treetop views of the greenery beyond. An en suite bathroom is attached, with a roll-top bathtub and exposed beams.

Three additional bedrooms sit on this floor, all with sash windows that let in an abundance of light. A bedroom washed in a deep red has an original fireplace, while the other bedrooms, including another with an en suite bathroom, are painted in a neutral colour palette. There is also a light, spacious family bathroom on this floor.

Two further annexe bedrooms are found on the first floor, one of which has an original fireplace. This wing of the house has its own bathroom with a bathtub, as well as private stair access to the ground floor and the second floor of the annexe, the latter of which is comprised of two attic rooms. The second floor of the main living space also has two loft rooms, plus additional eaves storage.

The Great Outdoors

The driveway sweeps around the house to the rear, where pretty climbing roses and flower beds decorate the rear entrance. The house is nestled in approximately an acre of land – a rarity for its central location within the town.

The mature gardens are home to a wonderful variety of established trees and shrubs, including eucalyptus trees and a beautiful weeping beech tree. The house has a large, carefully maintained garden lawn, which includes a dining terrace with pergola and pretty wisteria. On the grounds, there is also a triple carport, a greenhouse and a garden store.

Out and About

The market town of Blandford sits in the heart of Dorset, within easy driving distance of Dorchester, Poole and Bournemouth. The surrounding area is well-known for its rolling hills and breathtaking landscapes, with Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs National Landscape to the north, and the Dorset National Landscape to the west. The wonderful New Forest is also a short drive away, as is the spellbinding Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The house is perfectly positioned for access to the North Dorset Trailway, a picturesque walking, cycling and horse riding route that traces the path of the old Somerset and Dorset railway line. The beautiful Kingston Lacy House, an opulent family home built to resemble a Venetian palace, is just a 19-minute drive from the house, and Hardy’s Cottage - where Thomas Hardy was born and penned some of his early novels – is also close by in Dorchester.

The history of the house is intertwined with Blandford’s brewing history, and as such has a number of pubs within a few minutes’ walk. There are local pubs close to the house, along with the Crown Hotel.

For provisions, there is a Marks and Spencer Foodhall a seven-minute walk away, and a number of larger supermarkets in the area.

There are several well-regarded schools in the area, such as Bryanston and Canford; prep schools include Port Regis, Bryanston Prep, Sandroyd Prep, Claysmore Prep and Senior, Milton Abbey, to name a few.

For travel to London, Salisbury rail station, around 40 minutes from the house, offers direct services to London in around 75 minutes.

Council Tax Band Main House: F
Council Tax Band Annexe: D