Gilbertson House & Cottage, Wheldrake, York

Renovated country house near York with superb cottage, traditional barn/stables, garaging and land.

This handsome house with a slate roof was formerly a gentleman’s farmhouse and is believed to date from the 1880s. Comprehensively renovated in recent years, it is accompanied by a cottage, refurbished to the same exacting standard as the house and currently generating substantial income as a holiday let. The property also includes a range of traditional outbuildings and ample garaging.

Set well back from the country road with only one nearby neighbour, it enjoys a peaceful pastoral setting in a tranquil stretch between Wheldrake and Escrick, while remaining conveniently close to York.

House: entrance and reception hall, kitchen/dining room, conservatory, sitting room, study, cloakroom, utility room, boot room, store room. Principal bedroom suite with dressing room and bathroom, 2/3 further bedrooms, house bathroom, part boarded loft with window

Cottage: staircase hall, 2 reception rooms, kitchen/dining room, utility room, wc, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

Double garage, store room, office/laundry room above
Barn with 3 stables, 3-bay garage, store
Parkland paddock, gardens, long drive and ample parking

In all 2.4 acres

Find Out A Little More .... - Gilbertson House was comprehensively updated in 2024, with new electrical, heating, and plumbing systems, alongside a complete high spec, high tech internal renovation. Features include ambient cove lighting and recessed spotlights throughout, porcelain tiles extending across the ground floor, column radiators and louvre shutters on nearly all of the windows. The bespoke staircase features a Crucial Trading runner, complemented by Crucial Trading carpets on the first floor. The interiors are elegantly decorated in a Farrow & Ball colour palette, reflecting the property’s period character. Boasting high ceilings and generously proportioned rooms, the house is filled with natural light, the tall windows framing glorious rural views to the south.

The reception hall extends north to south, flooded with light from both sides. Double doors lead into the impressive 29 ft sitting room, a double aspect space with four tall 20 pane sash windows and French doors opening westward onto the garden. The floor is laid with solid oak, punctuated with discreet floor sockets, and the room features a striking media wall with an illuminated surround and a contemporary electric fire.

The kitchen/dining room opens seamlessly into a hardwood conservatory enjoying all day sunshine, and features a wood burning stove and tall windows with French doors that open south onto the gardens. The kitchen is a bespoke space, fitted with an island unit with a wine cooler, an induction hob with a downdraft extractor and a Quooker tap, complemented by porcelain worktops. It includes integrated Siemens appliances, featuring three ovens and an integrated coffee machine. Behind, on the northern elevation, lies the functional heart of the house, comprising a utility room, cloakroom/wc, and a boot room with an adjacent store/comms room.

The principal bedroom suite occupies the eastern wing and is entirely self contained from the other bedrooms. A tall 20 pane sash window frames far-reaching views south across the garden to the surrounding countryside. The en suite bathroom is designed with elegance and drama, featuring ambient integrated LED lighting, a freestanding handcrafted stone bath by Lusso, a premium Elisa smart shower, and a double vanity unit with heated, illuminated mirrors. The fitted dressing room - converted from a bedroom - offers wall to wall bespoke wardrobes. Separated from the landing by a stud wall, this space could readily be reinstated as a fourth bedroom.

The bedrooms are filled with natural light, and feature two charming bedroom fireplaces. Both bathrooms have underfloor heating beneath elegant porcelain tiles and incorporate light sensors for added convenience. The spacious house bathroom is a highlight, featuring an oversized walk in shower with a rainfall shower head and integrated strip lighting, a floating vanity unit, and a tall column radiator.

The loft, accessed via a drop down ladder, is partially boarded and features fireplaces, natural light through a side window. With further development, it offers potential to be transformed into a second floor.

Outside - The long drive sweeps in front of the house, cottage and outbuildings, providing ample space for parking.

Gates on either side of the house enclose a private space at the rear, and lead to a broad gravelled terrace abutting the house, beyond which lies a large expanse of lawn edged with perimeter trees. The garden is very private, bordering open farmland on two sides and with distant woodland views. On the eastern boundary lies a secluded walled garden, landscaped with lawns intersected by gravel pathways and equipped with two outdoor sockets offering the potential to add a couple of hot tubs.

Outbuildings - The traditional barn is brick built under a slate roof and dates from the same period as the house; it incorporates stables, a store room, and garaging and is fitted with electric lighting and windows. Secure sliding doors open to three stables which all retain original stone troughs - as well as a coal bunker and store.

The double garage with electric up-and-over doors is fitted with an EV charger, and electrics are in place for an additional unit. A staircase leads to a room above, featuring a vaulted ceiling with exposed roof trusses and flooded with light from two Velux skylights and windows giving a distant view of York Minster. Fully renovated, the space includes a TV point and separate wc, making it ideal as a home office. It is currently used as a laundry room to serve the holiday let cottage business.

Gilbertson Cottage - The detached cottage was built in 1998 on the site of the original building and is a significant house in its own right. It offers family sized accommodation extending to nearly 2,000 sq ft and is very well appointed. Positioned unobtrusively facing the drive, the cottage enjoys a westward outlook across the parkland paddock and has a sheltered patio area that captures all-day sunshine.

The interior has in-built character with exposed timber beams and two wood-burning stoves, one in the sitting room. There are high spec kitchens and bathrooms, underfloor heating to the kitchen/dining room/family room and both bathrooms, and substantial fitted wardrobes in the bedrooms. This property currently generates significant and regular income through being holiday let. Figures can be provided upon request.

Gilbertson Cottage is an award winning holiday let having won Customers' Choice Gold awards

Environs - Wheldrake 1½ miles, Escrick 2 miles, York 8 miles, A1(M) 19 mile, Leeds 29 miles

Gilbertson House is located to the east of the A19, offering excellent access to York, the ring road, the A1(M), and the business centres of West Yorkshire and beyond.

Local amenities in Wheldrake include a Costcutter, a primary school, a pub, a church, and a regular bus service to York. Nearby Escrick features a primary school, the Parsonage Hotel, a popular Thai restaurant, and a fine dining pub. Just three miles away, Pool Bridge Farm provides wild swimming lakes and lakeside saunas.

York city centre is a short drive away, with the Designer Outlet less than 10 minutes’ drive and the shopping outlets at Vangarde and Monks Cross around 20 minutes away.

The property falls within the catchment area of Fulford School, rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, and also offers easy access to York’s leading independent schools, as well as Pocklington School.

Important Information - Tenure: Freehold
EPC Rating: House D, Cottage C
Council Tax Band: House H, Cottage F
Services & Systems: Mains water, electricity. House: gas central heating (underground tank). Cottage: oil-fired central heating. 20 UV solar panels installed 10.2011 with 25 year guarantee. Private drainage. Fast broadband – fibre to the property.
Fixtures & Fittings: Only those mentioned in these sales particulars are included in the sale. All others, such as fitted carpets, curtains, light fittings, garden ornaments etc., are specifically excluded but may be made available by separate negotiation.
Local Authority: North Yorkshire Council
Money Laundering Regulations: Prior to a sale being agreed, prospective purchasers are required to produce identification documents in order to comply with Money Laundering regulations. Your co-operation with this is appreciated and will assist with the smooth progression of the sale.

Directions: Heading south on the A19, take the left hand turn to Wheldrake at Crockey Hill and follow the road for approximately two miles. Just before entering the village, take a right hand turn continuing along Wheldrake Road. Follow the road for 1.4 miles and, on a curve in the road, you will see the drive to Gilbertson House on your left hand side, as identified by the house sign.
What3words: immediate.bench.split

Viewing: Strictly by appointment

Photographs, property spec and video highlights: September 2025
NB: Google map images may neither be current nor a true representation.