Napleton House
Napleton Lane | Kempsey | Worcester | WR5 3PY
Enchanting
An elegant seven bedroom country home situated in enchanting gardens. Built in the early 1700s with the second floor being added in the Victorian era. Set in approximately 20 acres you can lose yourself in the lawned gardens, orchard, bluebell wood, wild flower meadow and paddocks. A separate Coach House provides three stables, a hay loft and a tack room. There is lapsed planning for further stabling in the paddock. Energy Efficiency Rating E
Historic
Step back in time to this beautiful piece of Old England, as you meander along the driveway of ancient Oaks aside lush green paddocks. Set within approximately 20 acres of picturesque parkland, Napleton House exudes nostalgia and Georgian elegance. The current family have called this stunning property home for the past 12 years.
The property was originally constructed in the 1700s and boasts the archetypical features of the Georgian era with substantial Victorian additions. As with many English pre-Georgian properties, large bay windows were installed by Victorian architects, transforming the beautifully symmetrical facades and bringing them up to date with the fashion of the mid to late 19th century. The Renaissance style portico (mentioned in Pevsner) and Grecian inspired Georgian porch tell of a prosperous history, where family after family have raised their children in this beautiful environment. “We fell in love with the house the first time we saw it. Napleton gave us everything we were looking for and much more. Whilst large it maintains a wonderful homely feel and retains many period features but lends itself perfectly to modern day living. We were looking for somewhere with plenty of space for visiting guests, as we have family over in New Hampshire,” explains Val, “We were drawn to the high ceilings and bright spacious rooms. Many of the rooms have original fireplaces, some of which had previously been covered over. One of the properties previous owners was a prominent antiques dealer, who brought with him the beautiful additions of a Jacobean fireplace and a Victorian Well Head, which has been converted into a quaint little summerhouse. My favourite feature however is the beautiful central staircase.” The cantilevered returning staircase rises from the sophisticated reception hall through two further floors comprising of generous bedrooms and extravagant bathrooms. “There is so much scope within the property,” describes Val, “The top floor is currently a guest wing but we have previously had a fantastic office here. We have arranged the property as its Georgian owners would have but there is plenty of flexibility within the floor plan.” There is also a vast basement/ cellar space, which covers the entire footprint of the house and opens onto the walled garden, giving the rear of the house four floors. The entire area has substantial ceiling heights and was most likely once used as servants’ quarters and ancillary rooms. It holds plenty of history, with access to a wartime shelter and the reminders of previous residents; burnt into the ceiling with a candle are the inscriptions, ‘WH FP 1892’, and ‘AH MEAR 1911’.
Ground Floor The front door to the property still retains the original Georgian lock and key, something very rare in properties of this age. To the right you enter the drawing room with a large bay window, and a citrus room off providing lovely views of the garden. To the left of the main door is a formal dining room with the other bay window. Further up the hall is a quaint snug with a small office tucked away behind an almost secret door. Just off this is a W.C, next to stairs leading down to a side entrance and the basement. The kitchen is spacious and modern, providing open plan living with double doors into a bright family room/orangery, perfect for entertaining. Just down from the kitchen is a surprisingly large utility room, very practical for family life.
First Floor This floor provides four bedrooms, three with en suites, one with a sink and urinal and an additional family bathroom. There is a dressing area before the family bathroom and the Master bedroom has a walk in wardrobe. The Master and other front bedroom provide spectacular views over the paddocks and the levelled lawn. Second Floor The Victorian addition of this floor provides three further bedrooms and one family bathroom which creates a great space for guests. The current owners have opted to extend the hallway into what used to be a small storage room, which could easily be recreated to provide extra space. Basement A wonderful space that spans the entire footprint of the house compiled of six separate chambers currently used as game areas and storage. The double garage is connected.
Outside The stunning privacy of this home is owed to the approach over a splendid long private driveway lined in part by an avenue of ancient Oaks and Sequoia. The driveway culminates in an ornate period wrought iron gate which has been adapted to provide audio-visual contact and remote opening. Beyond this it opens to a broad gravelled area. Accessed via it’s own drive, The Old Coach House, which, although has live planning permission to be converted to a four bed property in its own right, currently houses three stables, a tack room, a hay loft and two large coach houses. Behind the building there is a walled garden with a secret gate where the current owners keep chickens and grow fruit and vegetables. The grounds really must be personally explored to get a sense of how beautiful each area is in its own right. The walled garden to the right of the house provides a more formal layout with a pond and a few fruit trees. Percy the resident peacock can often be found sunbathing around here! A small woodland area referred to as the “Copse” gives a lovely timeline of spring in bloom, starting with Snowdrops, then Daffodils, then Bluebells. This runs next to the walled garden and back to the house. In front of the property is a level lawn which was the old grass tennis court, boarded by a low hedge and a Ha-ha which allows uninterrupted view over the grounds towards the woodland and wildlife pool with the Malvern Hills as a back drop. The rest of the land to the right of the drive is spanned by an ancient orchard, leading into Napleton Wildflower Meadow (SSSI) home to many types of wildlife including rare orchids. The paddocks span from just beyond the level lawn and wrap themselves around the property. Importantly there is lapsed planning for a stable block and ménage on this land.
Being positioned centrally within the plot, Napleton House benefits from panoramic vistas of its mature walled gardens and rolling countryside beyond from each and every room. “The grounds have provided endless hours of fun for our family,” recalls Val, “We have everything that you could want, from ornamental and kitchen gardens, to three separate woodlands with a wildlife pool, babbling brook and beautiful paddocks as well as a wildflower meadow.” Adorned with Quince trees and Mulberry bushes the orchard boasts plants aged as old as the house itself. The Victorians were great fans of specimen trees so it is not surprising to find four handsome Giant Redwoods within the grounds. “Being just over 20 acres there is plenty of space for animals; though there are many beautiful footpaths and bridleways in the area I find I hardly need to leave the grounds when I take our dog Neville out for a walk. We also keep chickens and of course what country house would be complete without a majestic peacock strutting around fanning his magnificent plumage for all to see!”
Magical
A house for all seasons, Napleton House has enjoyed many Easter Egg Hunts amongst its ancient Oaks and bluebell woods. In summer, it is time for family picnics, garden parties and barbecues. Whilst autumn brings firework displays huddled around a spectacular bonfire in the Orchard. “It has been a great house for entertaining and for play, with so much space for football, cricket, croquet, tennis and even the odd clay pigeon shoot,” continues Val, “Napleton is a children’s paradise with a bridge over the Ha-Ha, rope swings, a look out tree and dens; it’s just a magical place to grow up!” It is however at Christmas that this property really comes into its own, with Holly and Mistletoe covering the grounds, and friends and family gathering around an exquisitely decorated Tree outside, for Carols, Mince Pies and Mulled Wine, this really is what the traditional Yule Tide festivities are all about! “We have had some truly amazing, happy times here with family and friends around us we often find that we only leave to stock up on provisions!”
Location Kempsey dates back to Saxon times and now has a thriving community, it offers first class local facilities to include a store, post office, several village pubs, a doctors surgery, Kempsey primary school and nearby the sought after Hanley Castle High school, tennis, cricket and football clubs. Worcester is three miles, Upton-On-Severn and the Georgian town of Pershore (ten miles) are all within easy reach. There are good transport links to London from Pershore and Worcester with regular direct train services. Access to the motorway network and the M5 is four miles away with Birmingham airport within easy reach at 38 miles.
Directions Approaching Kempsey from the Worcester Road drive through the village and turn left on to Napleton Lane. Continue up the lane a few hundred metres and the driveway will be on your left, just before the national speed limit signs.
Napleton is such a hidden gem in a great location, it is private and secluded without being too remote and has all the benefits of the Worcestershire countryside, yet is within easy reach of the transport network. Val continues, “my husband works all over the world, so we needed to have good access to airports and motorway and rail networks, he often commutes to London so Napleton and Kempsey provide the perfect balance.” The hamlet of Napleton is most famed for its links to Sir Edward Elgar, the famous British Composer, who lived in one of the neighboring properties between 1923 and 1927. Standing in the reception rooms of Napleton House, you can almost imagine the glorious gatherings this house must have seen during this most glamorous of eras, the merry sounds of glasses clinking and one of Elgar’s overtures humming from a grammar phone. “It truly is a spectacular home,” concludes Val, “It has moved with the times and has all the modern conveniences you would wish for, yet it has managed to maintain its history and enchantment. I will miss gazing from the windows at the sun rising over the coach house and seeing the twinkling lights of Malvern as it sets behind the Hills. We have a saying that once here you are on Napleton Time and it always goes too quickly.”
20Acres
Services Mains electricity, private water, drainage, oil fired central heating (two oil tanks) and LPG for the second floor. Local Authority Malvern Hills District Council Viewing Arrangements Strictly via the vendors sole agents Fine & Country on 01926 455950. Website For more information visit www.leamingtonspa.fineandcountry.co.uk Opening Hours Monday to Friday Saturday Sunday
9.00 am - 5.30 pm 9.00 am - 4.30 pm 11.00 am - 3.00 pm
Agent Notes: All measurements are approximate and quoted in imperial with metric equivalents 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.