RH 4 - Taking Shape Qx_PI April SA4 09/12/2011 11:35 Page 1 REAL HOMES Counry Manor House TAKING SHAPE Andrew and Rachel Hopkins sunning period propery has evolved hroughou hisory, wih Medieval origins and Vicorian and Georgian addiions his remarkable counry house in he Coswolds is nesled wihin he beauiful Malvern Hills wih surrounding counryside for miles around. Sriking and inricae opiary animals pepper he sweeping drive on he approach o his saely rural idyll. The view as you pull up is specacular, says owner Andrew Hopkins. The opiary is 200 years old, and being an original feaure of The Parsonage i is almos a signaure of he propery. Handsome and elegan, his Grade-II lised building on he ouskirs of Ombersley provides luxurious relaxaion in abundance. T 40 periodideas.com The Parsonage sands surrounded by 15 acres of magical gardens complee wih mysical opiary, sweeping lawns, colour-filled borders, fruiful orchards, ponds and parkland wih arboreum. The house is 650m2 over he hree floors, says Andrew. The grounds are incredible, wih he mos gorgeous opiary rees which are individually heriage lised. The wide paved errace o he rear of he propery is perfec for al fresco dining, while he op meadow area makes a wonderful picnic spo wih is fabulous panoramic views of he Abberley Hills. Having lived in Ombersley for many years, he propery had been known o my wife Rachel and I, says Andrew.
RH 4 - Taking Shape Qx_PI April SA4 09/12/2011 11:35 Page 2 The opiary is 200 years old and being an original feaure i is almos a signaure of he propery We have admired and loved The Parsonage from a disance for as long as I can remember, and couldn believe our luck when i finally came on he marke in 2009. The disinc exerior ells of he marvellous addiions made o he propery hrough he ages, he original pars being Medieval wih Vicorian and Georgian wings. Local hisory From firs arrival a The Parsonage, he ineriors inspire and deligh, from he swahes of rich fabrics adorning souh-facing windows, o he beauiful, unique furnishings and sympaheic renovaions hroughou. I s a very imporan house in Ombersley, says Andrew. The original par of i daes back o around 1100, and is in fac in he Domesday Book. I is hough o be one of he oldes homes in Worcesershire. In hose days he lile house sood in 16,000 acres, and i s where he farmer lived wih his family. A laer addiion was buil on he fron a an unknown dae, and was home o he local clergy, hence he name Parsonage. Then in he early 1700s he righ-hand exension was added and he propery urned back ino a single dwelling. Whils sill in he same family, some ime around 200 periodideas.com 41
REAL HOMES Counry Manor House years ago, he lef-hand exension was buil. By his sage a lo of he land had been sold, bu The Parsonage reained all he surrounding barns as oubuildings, which are sill here oday. The impressive recepion rooms, large enrance hall and canilevered saircase hin a grandeur, ye he cosy ambience and rural seing ensures ha i remains a welcoming home. The classic Georgian syle has been infused wih an elemen of bouique chic, eviden especially in he bedrooms and bahrooms. There is a win room and hree large double bedrooms on he firs floor, as well as he aic room and maser bedroom on he op floor. There is a shared bahroom wih sandalone bah Ou & Abou The surrounding areas have a number of ineresing places o see nearby. Ombersley is characerised by is prey Tudor and Georgian coages, and i has a variey of high-qualiy shops and resaurans ha make i well worh a visi. Harvingon Hall is an Elizabehan moaed manor house wih rare wall painings and he larges series of priess hiding places in he counry. Barnfield Wine and Cider Mill produces local wines and ciders and also has a small museum and café while Wharon Park Golf Club is an allweaher golf course designed by Howard Swan. Se in 200 acres of woods and parkland, you can es your handicap on he 18 holes here while aking in he sunning surroundings. and unique cowhide rug. Each room is syled wih a selecion of faux-fur hrows, elegan furnishings and he fine linens. We bough The Parsonage in lae-2009 from a very old and long-reired docor and his wife, says Andrew. They had lived in he propery for many years and seemingly enjoyed he gardens immensely, bu negleced he house. We embarked on a full 42 periodideas.com
renovaion in February 2010, which ook 14 monhs o complee, engaging he services of an excellen inerior design eam. Mixed moods I was a very ineresing house o renovae and we waned o capure he feel of he periods in which i was buil, says Andrew. So we reained feaures such as he grand hallway and he cosy farmhouse kichen. The bespoke cabinery manages o combine he luxury and Georgian elegance of he res of he house wih he homely counry seing, which is embodied perfecly wih he cream deluxe Aga. The dining room, similarly, wih is grand fireplace provides a charming and comforable space o ea and socialise ino he small hours. The bedrooms show off a range of syles ha furher reflec he evoluion of he propery s hisory hroughou he various periods of ime. Perhaps he mos lavish of hese has sriking hree-one green sriped walls, French-syle bombe chess, ornae cornicing, fabulous mirror and picure frames and an array of beauiful lamps, wall lighs and pendans. Anoher bedroom also has sriped walls and he same sense of Regency-era charm, albei wih a more periodideas.com 43
REAL HOMES Counry Manor House naural, calming palee. Two ohers are decoraed wih a luxury bouique feel in silver and black, while he wo win rooms have a more counry and French feel respecively. Updaing and renovaing he op floor of he house has produced some grea resuls, says Andrew. The views from up here are absoluely amazing, so we waned he layou o benefi from his. There was an exensive replanning of he bedrooms, which included reoriening hem o enhance heir relaionship wih he sunning visas. We hen decoraed and refurnished o ensure ha he inside looked as good as he ouside. We discussed wih our designer how we waned he propery o look and feel, and how we waned he décor in each room o be individual in syle and characer. Smooh sailing For many, such a grand underaking migh have been a lile dauning, bu he couple are very experienced in his regard. There was nohing ha we did no enjoy abou he process, as we ve exensively renovaed many properies before, and are used o i by now, Andrew explains. We are forunae o have a grea eam of skilled conracors, who were a joy o work wih. We really didn encouner any issues a all. We did decide o have a freesanding bah in an open plan bahroom on he op floor, so he floor in his area had o be reinforced o allow for he addiional loading. Bu nohing more roublesome han ha. There is also one very unique feaure in he downsairs cloakroom ha Andrew was paricularly pleased wih. We had he original deeds phoocopied and used as wallpaper, he says. I looks good, and we ve no seen he idea used anywhere else before. I also makes quie a good read. Furher Informaion If you re ineresed in saying a The Parsonage i is available from Unique Home Says. I sleeps up o 12 guess and is bookable for a Monday o Friday week visi, hree-nigh weekend breaks or a full week s say. Prices sar from 1,420 for up o 6 guess, or from 1,905 for up o 12. These raes vary hroughou he year and depending on he lengh of your say. To check availabiliy and for more deails call 01637 881 942 or visi heparsonage.uniquehomesays.com. 44 periodideas.com
ge he Look Recreae Andrew and Rachel s elegan syle wih hese grea ideas On reflecion Ornae Monaco overmanle mirror wih radiional-syle gil frame, 299, AYERS & GRACES 01582 536 760, ayersandgraces.com By your side Feldman anique gold leaf wodrawer French syle bedside uni, 162.40, THE CHANDELIER & MIRROR COMPANY 01322 437 112, chandeliersandmirrors.co.uk Ray of ligh Foggia Ar Deco Veneian sunburs mirror, 536.26, THE CHANDELIER & MIRROR COMPANY 01322 437 112, chandeliersandmirrors.co.uk Shine on French gold wall ligh, 50, ALEXANDER & PEARL 020 8279 6251, alexanderandpearl.co.uk Low overheads Palazo black hooded porers chair, 735, SWEETPEA & WILLOW 0845 257 2627, sweepeaandwillow.com The Grea Gasby Gasby ches of drawers wih ceramic knobs and deailed carved floral swags, 340, FRENCH BEDROOM COMPANY 08456 448 022, frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk periodideas.com 47