Magnificent old manor house near river with air of romance

A MAGNIFICENT 16th century manor house which has been the romantic backdrop to family weddings and garden parties is on the market with Savills of Henley.

No 3 Yewden Manor in Mill End is ideal for boat lovers, being just a five-minute walk from Hambleden marina with access to the weir and the Thames Path.

Charlie Gordon’s parents moved into the Grade II listed house 38 years ago, attracted by its proximity to Henley and Marlow and the many footpaths through the Hambleden Valley.

He says: “It is listed in the Domesday Book and there are several priest holes around the property behind the wooden panels. The main one is on the top floor hidden in the walls.”

These holes were hiding places for priests built into many of the principal Catholic houses of England, Wales and Ireland in the 16th century when Catholics were persecuted by law.

Now they are used for more mundane purposes such as a wardrobe or to house a boiler.

Yewden Manor has many later additions and was divided into four dwellings but No 3 is a major part of the original house.

With 4,800 sq ft of accommodation, it is set over four floors. There are six bedrooms, four bathrooms and features such as open fireplaces and original high ceilings which mean the rooms feel light and airy.

Mr Gordon’s parents extended the kitchen and refurbished the manor about 10 years ago. The elegant drawing room has a lovely bay window, an open fireplace with marble surround and a door to the rear garden.

The dining room has a stone floor, open fireplace with brick surround and a large window overlooking the front and valley beyond.

A charming study area has steps down to the spacious kitchen/
breakfast room, which has a range of painted wall and floor units arranged around a central island with two ovens built under a large hob and extractor.

There is a separate family room which is dual aspect.

On the first floor is the magnificent principal bedroom with wood-panelled walls and a bay window overlooking the rear garden and surrounding countryside. The en suite bathroom has twin basins, shower and bath.

The guest bedroom has an en suite shower room and there are two other bedrooms, a shower room and bathroom on the first floor. On the second floor there are two interconnecting bedrooms which are accessed via separate stairs from the first floor.

Outside, an arched gateway in a high brick and flint wall opens on to a pretty courtyard area at the front of the house, leading to the main entrance and side access to the kitchen.

Accessed from the drawing room is a west-facing terrace providing the perfect entertaining area with views across the grounds.

At the end of the garden is a beautiful private yew tree walk. Mr Gordon had his Boho-themed engagement party in the shade of the yew tree walk last year and his sister was married in the grounds.

“It’s a fantastic place for garden parties and weddings,” he says.

“We have also used my father’s Fifties classic Bentley to add to the period atmosphere. It is kept in the garage and we are happy to sell it by private negotiation to the next owners.”

The garden is just under an acre and is laid mainly to lawn with a variety of mature shrubs and trees.

In summer the wisteria blooms and there is plenty of colour around the manor itself.

To the front of the property a private parking area is reached via a shared gravel drive and landscaped turning circle, which can accommodate about 10 vehicles.

The property also has a detached double garage.

The west-facing house gets the sun until late at night.

The views from it are across the yew tree walk and over the valley to the east, while the top floor bedrooms have views of the river sweeping to the west.

No 3 Yewden Manor is on the market with a guide price of £2,075,000 and is subject to a National Trust covenant. A two-bedroom cottage at number 4 is for sale by separate negotiation.

For more information or to arrange a viewing, call Savills on (01491) 843000.