Wortham Manor

Reviews:

(Provided by Julian Spicer) - Stunning house - very robust mixture of stone and wood that feels very old indeed. Nothing prissy here, and very liveable. The little sitting room shown on the handbook plan is fully oak panelled with a fab carved ceiling - totally unexpected. I mention some disadvantages, but not with the idea of putting you off. Many of the walls are panelled and the ceiling are boards on beams, which means that you have to allocate bedrooms very carefully to avoid shocking Great Aunt Ada with the antics from next door! The garden hedge is not secure, so sheep can pass one way and misbehaving dogs the other. The water is pumped from the orchard, and can be brown with silt that didn't harm anyone. Views from the house are nice (sheep in fields) but the farmer does not welcome wanderers (even on the tracks) which means getting in the car for a walk. That said, the A30 is close (but not too close) which means that you can whiz across Devon and Cornwall remarkably quickly. Downstairs, the house is rather dark, although the bedrooms are lighter. I do wish they would plant something pretty in the garden, which is sheltered by the house and sunny. Do go!

(Provided by Sexton Blake) - A real classic. The photos make the manor look a bit bleak from the outside, which is unfair because it is very cosy inside. The kitchen is huge with a table you can eat around if you wish; the dining hall is as fantastic as it looks in the book, big and great for a party. Ditto the comments on soundproofing (but I guess this is an almost universal problem in old places - privacy had a very different meaning in them days) and the empty garden. The panelled library room is a gem although it is dark and has a smokey fire. There is a living room with comfy sofas etc - seems strangely modern but does the job. A couple of the bedrooms are absolutely amazing, others perfectly OK. The farmer is friendly and we had a lovely hour checking out the new lambs in his shed (we went in January). Heating is fine but the real joy is lighting a fire or two - the caretaker will have wood delivered for £50 or so which sounds a lot but you will get through it in the winter. I think this is a great winter landmark, because the house is such fun. Great for kids. Take lots of candles and an axe. Hot water ran out occassionally, but nothing to get too upset about. Nice local town with good butchers, pubs etc and some charity shops that should be able to sort you out with fancy dress if you need it. Some rubbish in the book about about a secret cellar - the caretaker says he hasn't seen one in 40 years so don't waste time looking. There is plenty of room for a couple extra over night if they miss the last bus... House 9/10, location 7/10 but fine if you drive everywhere.

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