Knighton House
Knighton Lane | Canford Magna | Wimborne | Dorset | BH21 3AS
KNIGHTON HOUSE
‘An extraordinary country home’
This beautiful, unlisted Farmhouse is believed to date back to the 1600s and has undergone multiple reconfigurations in both the 19th and 20th centuries. The current owners bought the property in 2015 and have carried out an extensive but sympathetic transformation with the help of renowned interior designer firm SimsHilditch.
The property sits on an incredible plot of over 12 acres, boasting beautifully landscaped gardens, a self-contained cottage, equestrian facilities and its own lake with fishing rights along the Stour River.
This outstanding home boasts over 7000 sq ft of luxury accommodation spread over three floors. The extensive renovation programme undertaken by the current owners has included, but is not limited to, rewiring, replumbing, replastering and new floors, plus a two-storey extension to the kitchen, creating an extra guest bedroom.
The outbuildings have also undergone transformations of their own, with the creation of a home gym, pub, plus a self-contained one-bedroom guest cottage.
Knighton House is accessed via electric gates, with a sweeping carriage driveway which leads to the front of the house. A beautiful formal lawn is bordered by an attractive red brick wall which separates the house from the public Stour Valley footpath.
The oversized front door opens from under a large, covered porch, into the gorgeous dual aspect entrance hall which doubles as a library, with the delightful drawing room off to the right. The views from the bay window in this triple aspect room, are of the surrounding countryside and really provide a rural feel to this stunning room. A open fireplace with stone surround provides a lovely focal point to the room. A sophisticated dining room located on the other side of the library offers views over the front lawns, and allows direct access to the kitchen, which is extremely useful when entertaining.
The kitchen/breakfast room is a truly stunning space, which has been meticulously designed by Neptune, with hand-painted cabinetry, under white Quartz worktops. The space is perfect for any chef, with a Siemens fan oven and gas hob, as well as a 4 oven Aga, integrated fridge/freezers and integrated dishwasher. A walk-in pantry provides useful storage. An adjoining boot room/utility room provides fantastic storage as well as space and plumbing for washing machine and tumble dryer plus a fully equipped dog shower. Timber framed glazed bi-folding doors open onto the rear courtyard. A study is cleverly hidden away behind a set of double doors in the kitchen and affords dual access via its own external door.
The TV room/snug which can be accessed via the kitchen or the entrance hall, provides a cosy family space, with wood-burning stove and patio doors out onto the terrace.
A cloakroom located off of the entrance hall completes the ground floor accommodation.
The original staircase has been elegantly restored and leads to the first-floor landing where a further cloakroom is located. There are two large double bedrooms, both with en-suite shower rooms. A further large double bedroom benefits from an en-suite bathroom and also connects to another goodsized double bedroom, which could be utilised as a dressing room or a fifth bedroom in its own right, given the room also has access to the landing.
In addition, the first floor hosts the magnificent principal suite, offering the same wonderful aspect as the drawing room over the adjacent countryside, and boasting a large walk-in wardrobe which flows through into a stylish en-suite shower room.
The third floor benefits from three further bedrooms and a shower room, making for the perfect guest accommodation.
Seller Insight
Knighton House appealed to us for its superb setting,” say the current owners. “A private oasis, it feels like being in the countryside while remaining close to Bournemouth and Wimborne for restaurants and schools, with the airport also easily accessible. We fell in love with the house itself as soon as we saw it, especially the view from the master bedroom and drawing rooms. We liked the sense of history too, as part of the house dates back to the 1600s. The house has so much character and my husband immediately recognised its potential as a renovation project. As we live through the passing seasons here, we have found ourselves falling in love with this house all the more.”
Since purchasing Knighton House, the owners have greatly enhanced the property to create an “extraordinary country home” which went on to be featured in Homes & Gardens magazine. “As well as repairing and restoring the fabric of the old farmhouse, we have sympathetically redecorated and extended the building to create an elegant family home in m odern English country house style,” they say. “From reroofing, rewiring and replumbing to replacing the iron guttering and downpipes and installing new wooden windows and doors, a lot of work was needed. Plans were drawn up for a two-storey oak frame extension at the back of the house to create a spacious family kitchen on the ground floor, plus two additional bedrooms, one bathroom and three shower rooms on the first floor, as well as a spacious loft space for storage. In addition, we rebuilt a section of the outbuildings to create two new oak-framed double garages, a gym and a plant room. With regard to the interior of the house, we hired interior design firm Sims Hilditch, and requ ested an elegant, modern country look that would be in keeping with the house’s origins. Our previous projects had been in a more industrial style and nowhere near as old as this house, so we wanted help to make sure we got it right. We love muted tones, neutrals and light blues for understated elegance, as well as some touches of bolder colour and print. We were inspired by the creations of Kit Kemp and the Firmdale hotels, o ur favourite being the Hamyard in London. Another strong influence from which to take colour choices was the Lewis & Wood Adam’s Eden wallpaper (suggested by Sims Hilditch) in the main entrance hall/library and up the stairs. It has blues, light aubergines and an intricate pattern which had to be cut fastidiously to match the shape of the walls. In later years, we built a brand new stable complex and renovated the original st able turning it into our pub room and self-sufficient one-bedroom cottage, which was completed in 2022.”
Now, this is the ideal home for everyday life and entertaining alike. “The k itchen is the hub of the home,” say the owners. “It is a huge space which can easily accommodate my husband and I, five grown children and t heir other halves, as well as our three large dogs. The kitchen is open plan with two large islands, so I can prep and cook while the whole family is relaxing, talking, catching up and laughing. We have made countless wonderful memories in this room, and indeed in the whole house, where we have hosted many special events and parties. One of our most recent was a New Year’s Eve party, for which we set up a buffet style dinner for 40 in our kitchen and dining room. As the evening progressed, we moved the party into our our pub/games room for cocktails and danc ing. It was so much fun that our friends and family are still talking about what a memorable party it was. As the main house has eight bedrooms, there was plenty of space for family and friends to stay the night. The house really comes into its own during the festive season: we have cherished our family Christmas mornings in the drawing room, with Christmas music playing, a fragrant tree lit up in the corner and a fire roaring. Day to day, one of the things I will miss the most about living here is coffee in bed in the master bedroom, looking out at the early morning sunrises through the bay window. Outside, the inner courtyard is a lovely spot for early morning sun, while the pool area is great for al fresco dining throughout the day and into the evening.”
The location of Knighton House has many benefits. “The property sits on an incredible plot of over 12 acres, boasting beautifully landscaped gardens, a self-contained cottage, equestrian facilities and its own lake wi th fishing rights along the Stour River,” say the owners. “Living here feels like having your own mini estate, in a private enclave. We are within walking distance of a beautiful dog walking park next to the Stour River (Canford SANG), and a short drive from Wimborne Minster for its coffee shops, restaurants and clothing boutiques. Bournemouth town centre, Castlepoint shopping centre and Westbourne are also within easy reach, and we are close to Kingston Lacey, a National Trust stately home.”* *
Ancillary accommodation:
The original stable block has been converted into an oak-framed self-contained cottage with a kitchen/ sitting room, double bedroom and en-suite shower room, as well as a cinema/games room, pub, and a large, fully functional gymnasium/studio, alongside a double garage with electric roller doors, and a separate plant room.
Further outbuildings:
A newly built oak-framed detached double garage with electric roller doors is situated in the rear courtyard alongside a listed granary store which is sat on its original saddle stones.
Equestrian facilities:
A new solid oak framed stable block is located to the west of the main house, and benefits from three loose boxes, a tack room and machinery store whilst a 57m x 20m manege sits adjacent.
Access rights:
The neighbouring property, Henry’s Cottage, affords access rights over the secondary driveway which leads past the stables.
Grounds:
The property sits on a magnificent plot of over 12 acres, which includes ornamental landscaped gardens, above-ground swimming pool, covered outdoor kitchen and patio terrace where this is plenty of space to dine al fresco. A path leads to a garden kitchen with raised beds, fruit cages and a greenhouse. To the southern boundary, the gardens are bordered by box hedges, whilst the majority of the rest of the land is laid to pasture, with the north boundary bordering the River Stour, with a small private lake which benefits from fishing rights.
Outside of the main gates, there are two further small parcels of land located on Knighton Lane which provide a buffer to Knighton House and are mainly woodland.
Situation:
Knighton House is located in a semi-rural position between Bournemouth, Poole and Wimborne, and is conveniently located for several well-respected preparatory and secondary schools, including Canford, Dumpton, Castle Court, Talbot Heath, BCS, Bryanston, and both the Bournemouth and Poole Grammer Schools.
There are a wealth of beauty spots to explore and enjoy nearby including Sandbanks, Studland Bay, the Jurassic Coast, Lymington sailing resort, Corfe Castle and the New Forest National Park, to name but a few.
London can be reached in approximately 2 hours, either by car or a frequent, direct train service to London Waterloo from Bournemouth Train Station which is just 7 miles away, whilst Bournemouth International airport is within 6 miles. Ferries run daily from Poole Ferry Terminal (8 miles distant) to France and the E.U. beyond.
Agents notes: All measurements are approximate and for general guidance only and whilst every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy, they must not be relied on. The fixtures, fittings and appliances referred to have not been tested and therefore no guarantee can be given that they are in working order. Internal photographs are reproduced for general information and it must not be inferred that any item shown is included with the property. For a free valuation, contact the numbers listed on the brochure. Printed 06.09.2024
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