Astwell Castle Helmdon, Brackley, Northamptonshire

Astwell Castle Helmdon, Brackley, Northamptonshire A fascinating stone built historic house and castellated tower in a lovely rural location with a range of buildings incorporating stables and two flats.

Astwell Castle, Grade II* listed house, and attached Gatehouse Tower, a Scheduled Ancient Monument requiring repair

Brackley and Towcester 6.5 miles, M40 (J11) 11 miles, Banbury 12.5 miles (Intercity trains to London Marylebone from 57 mins) M1 (J15A) 15 miles, Milton Keynes 20 miles (Intercity trains to London Euston from 35 mins), Oxford 24 miles, London 84 miles (All distances and times approximate)

Stratford-upon-Avon Bridgeway House, Bridgeway Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire CV37 6YX Tel: 01789 297735 [email protected] knightfrank.co.uk Situation Astwell Castle is in a lovely quiet rural location with unspoilt views situated off a no-through lane. Ready access to the rail and motorway network. Northampton, Oxford and Milton Keynes are all within convenient commuting distance. Helmdon has a visiting post office, public house, parish church and excellent primary school. The market towns of Brackley, Towcester and Banbury provide local shopping and recreational facilities. There is a range of schools in the area including the Carrdus School near Banbury, Ackeley Wood School and Winchester House and Beachborough Prep Schools, Bloxham, Stowe, Tudor Hall and Radley Public Schools. Racing is at Towcester, Warwick and Huntington, and golf courses in the area include Whittlebury Hall and Cherwell Edge. Motor racing at Silverstone. Sports complexes at Brackley and Towcester.

Description of property The property is of considerable antiquity. A Scheduled Ancient Monument, the tower is in need of repair and the attached store requires renovation and roofing. However the house, tower, extensive outbuildings and land offer a wonderful opportunity to acquire a unique rural home in lovely Northamptonshire countryside, readily accessible to London. The house has many fine architectural features including mullions with window seats and leaded lights, antique doors, wonderful fireplaces, oak staircase, cupboards with antique doors and alcoves, Parquet floors and cast iron rain water goods; the drawing room fireplace has a Scutchens medieval carved stone front with escutcheons with arms of Lovett & Shirley, fine timberwork and handsome elevations.

There is a fitted kitchen with Rayburn. The attic rooms and tower rooms offer scope for further residential accommodation; the tower has a 15th century stone spiral staircase leading to handsome tower rooms on the first and second floors with wonderful views and access to the castellated roof and archway timberwork with a carved date of 1638.

History The property is formed from the gate house belonging to a former fortified manor house, probably by Thomas Lovett in the late 15th century. The daughter of the last Thomas Lovett of Astwell married Francis Shirley and their son George Shirley demolished most of the medieval manor house and built a new house beside the gate house, completed in 1606. The property was sold to Earl Temple of Stowe in 1763. In 1958 the building was restored by Mrs Joan Wake. Approximate Gross Internal Floor Area Reception House: 448 sq m (4,822 sq ft) inc. attached buildings Attic storage/room: 86 sq m (926 sq ft) Bedroom This plan is for guidance only and must not be relied upon as a Bathroom statement of fact. Attention is drawn to the Important Notice on the last page of the text of the Particulars Kitchen/Utility Storage Outside

First Floor Second Floor

Ground Floor Outside Approached off a quiet no-though-lane past a range of farm outbuildings to the house and tower which stand in attractive gardens, with a former outdoor swimming pool, vegetable garden area, lawns and shrubs, wisteria, climbing roses, cedar, laburnum, flowering cherry and greenhouses. Equestrian facilities include an ample stable block, with flats above, associated wash room, tack and feed rooms and all weather manège, together with old pasture with parkland lime trees, with two footpaths giving access for walks over surrounding land. There is a secondary access available to the farm buildings. Approximate Gross Internal Floor Area Flat 1 &2: 123 sq m (1,325 sq ft) This plan is for guidance only and must not be relied upon as a statement of fact. Attention is drawn to the Important Notice on the last page of the text of the Particulars.

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AstwellHouse Astwell House Astwell Castle Farm

Note: “This plan is based upon the Ordnance Survey map with the sanction of the control of H.M. Stationery office. This plan is for convenience of purchasers only. Its AstwellCastleFarm accuracy is not guaranteed and it is expressly excluded from any contract. Licence Number. No. 100021721.”

N Date: DrawnBy: Scale: Plan Ref: Mapping Department 01:12:20 CW 1:1000 @A4 Knight Frank LLP Ramsbury House, 22 High Street Title Hungerford,Berkshire, RG17 0NF W E AstwellCastleFarm (t) 01488 688508 (e)[email protected] This Plan is publishedfor guidance only,and although it is believed to be correctits accuracy is notguaranteed, S norisitintended to form part of anycontract. ©Crown copyrightand database rights 2020 LicenceNo. 100021721

Outbuilding Services Directions (NN13 5QU) Terms 3 Phase mains electricity, private drainage, sub-metered From the M40 (J11) at Banbury, take the A422 towards Tenure: Freehold private water supply. The purchaser will be required to install Blackley. At the first roundabout fork left, onto the 4525. Local Authority: South Northamptonshire District Council. a new bore hole water supply. Oil fired central heating. After about 7 miles turn left signed Helmdon. Proceed Telephone: 01327 322322 Security system. High speed satellite Broadband via Tove through the village and leave on the Wappenham Road and Valley with a repeater station at the property. proceed towards Wappenham. Turn right signed Astwell Council tax bands: Astwell Castle Farmhouse: Band G; Castle Farm. Proceed past the farm cottages and turn right Flat 1: Band A; Flat 2: Band A Fixtures and fittings into the farm drive, past the farm buildings, to Astwell Castle. All those mentioned in these particulars, together with the Viewing fitted carpets and most light fittings, are included in the sale. By prior appointment only with the agents All others are excluded. Certain items may be available by separate negotiation. AstwellCastleFarm Pump House Issues Well

AstwellCastleFarm Pump House Issues Well

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Pit FB (dis) Totalarea= 30.45acres approx.

FB Broadmeadow Barn

Pit (dis) Totalarea= 30.45acres approx.

FB Broadmeadow Barn FB

Note: “This plan is based upon the Ordnance Survey map with the sanction of the control of H.M. Stationery office. ThisFB plan is for convenience of purchasers only. Its accuracy is not guaranteed and it is expressly excluded from any contract. Licence Number. No. 100021721.” Public footpath

Date: DrawnBy: Scale: Plan Ref: MappingDepartment N Land Use: CW/MM 1:2500 @A3 Pasture Orchard 01:12:20 Knight Frank LLP Arable Heathland RamsburyHouse, 22 High Street Game Cover Rocks /Boulders Title Hungerford, Berkshire, RG17 0NF W E Woodland Building (Residential) AstwellCastleFarm Scrub Building /Structure (Agricultural) (t) 01488 688508 Verge/Misc Gardens (e)[email protected] Water Road /Track This Plan is published forguidance only,and although it is believed to be correctits accuracy is not guaranteed, Public footpath norisitintended to form part of anycontract. ©Crown copyright and database rights 2020. LicenceNo. 100021721 S NB:Iffield &buildingtypeare unknown-assumedpasture &residential

Date: DrawnBy: Scale: Plan Ref: MappingDepartment N Land Use: CW/MM 1:2500 @A3 Pasture Orchard 01:12:20 Knight Frank LLP Arable Heathland Connecting people & property, perfectly. RamsburyHouse, 22 High Street Game Cover Rocks /Boulders Title Hungerford, Berkshire, RG17 0NF W E Woodland Building (Residential) AstwellCastleFarm Scrub Building /Structure (Agricultural) (t) 01488Fixtures688508 and fittings: A list of the fitted carpets, curtains, lightVerg fittingse/Misc and otherGardens items fixed to the property which are included in the sale (or may be available by separate negotiation) will be provided by the Seller’s Solicitors. (e)[email protected] Water Road /Track This Plan is published forguidance only,and although it is believed to be correctits accuracy is not guaranteed, Important Notice: 1. Particulars: These particularsS are not an offer or contract, nor part of one. You should not rely on statements by Knight Frank LLP in the particulars or by word of mouth or in writing (“information”) as being factuallynori accuratesitintended aboutto form parttheof property,anycontract. its©Crown conditioncopyri ghtor itsand value.database Neitherrights 2020. KnightLicenc FrankeNo. 100021721 LLP nor any joint agent has any authority to make any representationsNB:Iffield &bui ldinaboutgtypea there un property,known-assume anddpas accordinglyture &residential any information given is entirely without responsibility on the part of the agents, seller(s) or lessor(s). 2. Photos, Videos etc: The photographs, property videos and virtual viewings etc. show only certain parts of the property as they appeared at the time they were taken. Areas, measurements and distances given are approximate only. 3. Regulations etc: Any reference to alterations to, or use of, any part of the property does not mean that any necessary planning, building regulations or other consent has been obtained. A buyer or lessee must find out by inspection or in other ways that these matters have been properly dealt with and that all information is correct. 4. VAT: The VAT position relating to the property may change without notice. 5. To find out how we process Personal Data, please refer to our Group Privacy Statement and other notices at https://www.knightfrank.com/legals/privacy-statement. Particulars dated December 2020. Photographs dated June 2018. Knight Frank is the trading name of Knight Frank LLP. Knight Frank LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC305934. Our registered office is at 55 Baker Street, London W1U 8AN where you may look at a list of members’ names. If we use the term ‘partner’ when referring to one of our representatives, that person will either be a member, employee, worker or consultant of Knight Frank LLP and not a partner in a partnership. If you do not want us to contact you further about our services then please contact us by either calling 020 3544 0692, email to [email protected] or post to our UK Residential Marketing Manager at our registered office (above) providing your name and address. Brochure by wordperfectprint.com.