Country House Maldon

Details

Beeleigh Abbey, Beeleigh Turning, Beeleigh, Maldon, Essex CM9 6LL

Situation

The Beeleigh Abbey Estate is situated in the quiet hamlet of Beeleigh off of Beeleigh Turning. The market town of Maldon is 1 mile away and offers a range of facilities, and the city of Chelmsford is 8 miles away and offers a wide range of schooling, facilities and a high speed rail link to London Liverpool Street Station with a journey time of about 30 minutes.  

Post Code: CM9 6LL

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History

Beeleigh Abbey is believed to have been founded in about 1170 by Robert Mantell, Lord of the Manor of Little Maldon. In 1189 Richard 1st granted the Abbey a charter which was confirmed in 1364 by Edward III, with income derived from its landed estate within many parishes around Maldon as well as in south and west Essex. The importance of the Abbey and its estate grew over the following two centuries and by the mid 1500’s the Abbey was within the patronage of Henry Bouchier second Earl of Essex. The Abbey comprised a comprehensive settlement around the present Abbey including a magnificent church, Chapter House, dormitory, refectory and vestry.

Upon the orders of Henry VIII in his dissolution of the monasteries, many of the buildings were pulled down and the Abbey was granted to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. During the 1700’s the Abbey was used as a public house and by the late 1800’s the Abbey was in a poor state, but in 1912 restoration was started by a Captain Grantham and thence a Richard Thomas. Subsequently the Abbey was acquired in 1943 by William Foyle, owner of Foyles bookshop in London after he had happened upon it on a days boating on the River Chelmer. Immediately captivated by the Abbey and the setting, he made a private acquisition and enjoyed a spirited life at Beeleigh. In 1976, The Abbey was inherited by his daughter Christina and in 2000 the Abbey was acquired by a further family member Christopher Foyle, who, with his wife Catherine embarked on a full restoration of the Abbey and its gardens and grounds. Today, Beeleigh Abbey is in wonderful condition but nevertheless remains true to its majestic history.

Restoration

The restoration commenced in 2000 and included a complete renovation of the Abbey. A specialist team of builders, craftsmen, joiners and engineers embarked on a four-year programme of sensitive repairs to all aspects of the structure of the Abbey and also to the gardens and grounds. The project won the Maldon District Council Building Conservation Award in 2007, followed by the RICS East of England Award in 2008 as well as the coveted RICS National Award for the best restored and conserved historical building in the whole of the United Kingdom. Such was the attention to detail that materials were sourced from far and wide including overseas. Aged limestone flags were sourced from a French chateau and were laid throughout the majority of the ground floor and correct broad width oak flooring was laid on the first and second floors. Modern heating and electrical systems were installed as were a new Aga kitchen and period correct bathrooms. The gardens were rejuvenated with the addition of a large heated Alitex aluminium greenhouse and plentiful planting of trees, shrubs and borders which give a wonderful backdrop. Beeleigh Abbey is now a fully functioning country house of outstanding character. 

Lot 1: Beeleigh Abbey, Gardens and Grounds 35.38 acres (14.34 ha) - Guide Price - £2,500,000

Beeleigh Abbey is Listed Grade I and is one of the most important properties in Essex, dating back to 1170. The magnificent Abbey boasts centuries of history, having been established as a monastery then passing through several owners, latterly owned by the same family for over eighty years. Following a recent full restoration which won a nationally important award, the Abbey is now in fine condition and offers wonderful family accommodation. The principal reception rooms are extremely rare in their character and these are balanced by an element of new build (albeit in traditional form) to the western elevation where there is a sizeable family kitchen/breakfast room. The bedrooms are well appointed with sufficient bathrooms and the large attic offers an extensive play/hobby room. 

The Abbey

From the drive, a front door opens to a vestibule which leads into the magnificent Calefactory used as a drawing room. With fan vaulted ceiling, stone columns and a large fireplace with stone surround, there are superb views over the garden. To one side there is a study with double doors to a secret terrace and garden beyond as well as a lobby with stairs to the first floor and a door to a cloakroom. At the opposite end of the Calefactory there is an opening to the Inner Parlour used as a dining room with a fine barrel vaulted ceiling. The Chapter House is a further room offering spacious accommodation with its’ fan faulted ceiling and stone columns, to one end of which there are double doors to the outside. The recent addition to the Abbey comprises a double height hall with stairs to the first floor and an opening to the kitchen/breakfast room with electric Aga, a full range of units and island with larder and store beyond.

The first floor is reached by two staircases. The staircase from the lobby reaches a landing with two bedrooms and two bathrooms as well as to the superb library offering an exceptional extra reception room. Also from this landing there is a staircase to the second floor with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The staircase from the hall near the kitchen leads to three bedrooms and two bathrooms (as well as a second access to the library) and also to a staircase to the large second floor playroom/hobby room.

The Cottage

Listed Grade II and offering secondary accommodation featuring:

• Utility Room
• Galley Kitchen
• Dining Room
• Cloakroom
• Two Reception Rooms
• Three Bedrooms
• Bathroom

Barn and Outbuildings

The timber barn has a first floor and is attached to a series of former stables and stores now offering a tank store, log shed, garage and garden machinery shed with two WC’s. The range are Listed Grade II. There are three further modern timber buildings which have been used as a tearoom, a visitor reception and a store room.

Gardens and Grounds

The grounds extend to 35.38 acres and are a mix of gardens, grazing, woodland and wetland adjoining the River Chelmer. Standing in a commanding position well above the river, Beeleigh Abbey’s gardens are secured by a double timber gate from which there is a gravel sweep adjacent to the outbuildings. A gravel path leads on to a bench overlooking the river and to the north of the Abbey is a pond and a walkway to the main garden which has a large lawn with extensive flower beds, paths and shrubs. Flanking the garden there are brick walls and high hedges giving privacy and to the farm eastern end there is a wooded area which falls to the river. Two grass fields provide about 14 acres of grazing. 

Lot 2: Land at Great Beeleigh Farm 318.97 acres (129.10 ha) - Guide Price - £2,600,000

Situated immediately to the west of Beeleigh Abbey with frontage to two minor roads from which there is access. Predominately for arable cropping, but with an area of permanent grass and woodland to the north adjoining the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation Canal. The soils are Grade 2 to the far south and Grade 3 elsewhere, with the majority being a clay loam over gravel apart from where they front the canal which are river terrace gravels.

Arable cropping:    235.84 acres (95.44 ha)

Grassland:              55.13 acres (22.31 ha)

Woodland:              25.43 acres (10.29 ha)

Water & misc:         2.57 acres (1.04 ha)

Lot 3: Buildings at Great Beeleigh Farm 1.76 acres (0.71 ha) - Guide Price - £200,000

A set of buildings with an area of 1.76 acres of land situated at the head of a track:

• Grainstore: (18.50m x 18.50m) a portal frame with corrugated cladding
• Open fronted barn: (18.50m x 10m) a four bay timber frame building
• Open fronted barn: (18.50m x 10m) a three bay steel portal frame
• Stables/stores: (circa 385 sqm) a U shape range of timber buildings
• Subject to Overage (Details below)

Lot 4: Building and Land at Great Beeleigh Farm - Guide Price - £150,000

• 10.24 acres (4.15 ha) comprising 7.50 ac of arable land and 2.74 ac of woodland and grassland accessed via private track from London Road. (The private track is within the ownership of an adjoining property).
• Former poultry building: (54m x 10.50m) - timber framed and timber clad.
• Subject to Overage (Details below).