This Historic English Country House Used to be a School. Now It Can Be Your Home for $5.6 Million
There’s always something charming about a home conversion, and this former schoolhouse in the English countryside is no exception.
The Ryes, presiding over 16 undulating acres in the bucolic hamlet of Little Henny, about 60 miles northeast of central London, was originally designed in 1809 by Robert Lugar for aristocrat Nathaniel Barnardiston. That same year, Lugar, a contemporary of Buckingham Palace architect John Nash, displayed drawings of the property at the Royal Academy of Arts in London.
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In 1884, the Barnadiston family commissioned a different architect, E.F. Bishopp, to make further additions to the home. The property was sold sometime during the late 20th century and the house used as a school up until 2011. Since then, it’s been converted back into a private residence by its current owners and can now be yours for a cool £4.5 million, or roughly $5.6 million.
“It is no wonder why that when it was initially designed, The Ryes was proudly exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts showcasing the very best home design of the day,” says Tim Phillips of Savills Country Department, in a press statement. “And now, thanks to a comprehensive renovation, all of the architectural elements that make Georgian homes so popular with our buyers are showcased at The Ryes.”
Amply proportioned at 12,156 square feet, the comfortably appointed villa has been reimagined for contemporary living, combining period details such as lovely sash windows and stately marble fireplaces with bright, fresh interiors.
Upon entering, a foyer and a grand hallway with herringbone-pattern parquet flooring and original cornicing lead to several reception rooms, a dining room, the kitchen with its walk-in pantry, a breakfast room, and a gym. Elsewhere are a study, an office and a huge boot room for stashing raincoats and muddy shoes. All seven bedrooms, each of which has an en suite bath, are on the second floor; the primary suite is decked out with a separate sitting room, a huge bathroom, and two dressing rooms.
In addition to the main house, The Ryes has a one-bedroom, one-bath bell tower apartment that includes a kitchen, study, and lawned private gardens. There’s also a pool house with a bathroom and kitchenette, and a two-bedroom garden cottage that is currently under renovation and will need to be completed by the next owners.
Click here to see all the photos of The Ryes.
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