To Let (unfurnished)
Belle Grange Ambleside, Cumbria LA22 0JH
Offers invited in region of £2,000 per calendar month
Belle Grange provides a unique and stunning opportunity to live in a National Trust property situated in a secluded location on the western shores of Lake Windermere, with views across the lake. It provides a detached 4/ 5 bedroom period house, set in its own extensive grounds including garage, workshop, stables, surrounding gardens, two drives to the front and rear, ample car parking space and a separate 1 bedroom cottage. There is also a wet boathouse and jetty onto Lake Windermere.
Savills, 64 Warwick Road, Carlisle CA1 1DR – T: 01228 527586
President: HRH The Prince of Wales www.savills.co.uk Chair: Tim Parker Director-General: Hilary McGrady www.nationaltrust.org.uk/tenants Registered office: Heelis, Kemble Drive, Swindon Wiltshire SN2 2NA Registered charity number 205846
The Location Belle Grange is situated on the western shored of Lake Windermere. It can be reached by taking the B5286 from Ambleside to Hawkshead, turning left towards Wray (Wray Castle) after approximately 2 miles. Follow this minor road to High Wray for approximately 1.5 miles, taking the left turn, sign posted to the ferry, just before leaving the hamlet. Follow this road and lakeside track for about 1 mile. Belle Grange is located on the right.
The National Trust The National Trust is Europe’s leading conservation charity, and is committed to preserving special places for ever, for everyone. The Trust depends on the income it generates from its rental properties, and could not deliver its core objectives without the support of its thousands of tenants and volunteers.
Property History
Belle Grange (also known as Bella Grange) is steeped with history and occupies the site of an earlier holding known as Sandbeds. It has been interpreted to be a purpose-built rear range to a lakeside belvedere built by John Christian Curwen in the 1780s shortly after his acquisition of Belle Isle. Belle Grange appears to have been occupied as a place of resort for the Curwens and their guests while staying at Belle Isle. The central room on the first floor, fronting the lake, was likely to have been converted to the formal drawing room or “prospect” room by the Curwen family in 1820.
M W Thompson (Wordsworth’s Hawkshead) proposed that it was after attending a dance at Belle Grange that Wordsworth dedicated himself to writing poetry. Sir Henry Segrave, who made a successful bid for the world water-speed record on Windermere, also reportedly visited Belle Grange in 1930.
In the early 19th century Belle Grange began to be occupied as a small villa in its own right and the house was altered and extended in 1897. The property then came to the National Trust in 1962 by gift from the Curwen family.
Belle Grange House:
The main accommodation comprises the following (approximate dimensions):
Ground Floor
Entrance Hall and Large inglenook fireplace with built in multi-fuel stove on a slate Lobby (5.1m x 7.1m): hearth. Understairs cupboard, telephone point and picture rail.
Back kitchen (3.5m x Range of fitted base units, sink, plumbing for washer and dryer, 2.8m) back door to garages.
Bathroom (2.1m x Bath with shower over – through to: 2.9m (max)
WC (2.1m x 2.4m) Belfast sink, door to: WC, wash hand basin and towel rail.
Drawing Room (5.3m Open fireplace with cast iron grate, timber panelling, picture rail, bay x 7.3m max) window, telephone point.
Dining Room (5.3m x Cast iron fireplace with marble surround, picture rail, inbuilt 6.1m) cupboard, French doors opening onto garden terrace with views to the Lake.
Inner Hall Tiled floor. Leading to:
Breakfast Room Open beams, cast iron range, built in cupboard, tiled floor. (3.8m x 5.5m)
Main Kitchen (3.4m x New range of fitted wall and base units with solid oak worktop, sink 5.2m) and drainer, tiled walls, cooker extractor hood, space for range cooker, space for dishwasher, space for fridge freezer, and back door to rear courtyard area.
Utility Room (2.1m x Plumbing for washing machine, slate flag floor, door leading to: 1.7m)
Pantry (3.4m x 2.3m) Slate sconces and tile floor.
Bedroom 5 / Office Cast iron fireplace, telephone point, 1 radiator. (3.5m x 4.1m)
WC and Shower Standalone built in shower unit, WC and wash hand basin. Room
First Floor
Bedroom 1 (5.3m x Formerly a first floor drawing or “Prospect Room” with views over the 6.1m) lake. Double with open fireplace, window seat, built in cupboard.
Bedroom 2 (5.3m x Double with wash hand basin, telephone point, cast iron fireplace 5.2m) with glazed tile surround.
Bedroom 3 (5.1m x Double with open beam and vault ceiling, cast iron fireplace, wash 4.2m) hand basin, walk in wardrobe, built in airing cupboard, shelved out and housing hot water cylinder, TV aerial point.
Landing & Corridor Skylight and two way glazed door leading to:
Bedroom 4 (3.8m x Double with corner cast iron fireplace, window seat. 5.5m)
WC WC, shaver point, 1 radiator.
Laundry Room (2.4m Hot water cylinder, shelved cupboard, stainless steel sink with x 2.0m) drainer and base cupboard unit.
Bathroom Oak floorboards, cast iron fireplace, new shower cubicle, free standing cast iron enamelled bath, wash hand basin, WC and heated towel rail.
Outside: External access through courtyard to:
Washhouse/ boiler Housing new oil-fired central heating boiler and water treatment room (3.4m x 4.5m) plant.
Coal bunker Access from courtyard.
Outbuildings:
Garage (4.9m x Oil tank, loft storage over with ladder access from stables. 6.2m)
Workshop (8.1m x Strip lighting and workbench. 4.0m)
Stables 2 traditional loose boxes (3.6m x 2.6m and 4.1m x 6.2m) both with anti-weave grilles on the doors. Protective timber clad walls, wall mounted feed mangers and hay racks, 1 stall with wall mounted feed manger and hay rack. Now providing storage space. Fixed ladder to hay loft (4.7m x 6.2m).
Belle Grange This is a two storey one bedroom cottage that has the potential to be Cottage: run by the Tenant as accommodation for B&B/ Air BNB. To be agreed by the National Trust.
Ground Floor
Kitchen / Dining Cast iron fireplace, fitted wall and base units, electric cooker, 1 Room (3.5m x 3.1m) electric wall mounted radiator, tiled floor.
First Floor
Bedroom / Sitting Door to rear garden, 1 electric wall mounted radiator. Room (3.7m x 6.2m)
Shower Room Built in shower unit, heated towel rail, WC and wash hand basin.
Belle Grange Cottage
Garden: Large mature gardens surrounding the house extending to about 0.6 hectares (1.5 acres) including lawn, mature shrubs, woodland areas, greenhouse and gravelled parking area. The maintenance of the garden is the responsibility of the Tenant, with the exception of trees, which are reserved to the Landlord.
Drives: The property is served by two gated drives both gravelled.
Seating Area Lawn Area
Former herb garden Greenhouse
Boathouse: The property includes a timber framed and clad wet boathouse on the western shore of Windermere. The boathouse can be excluded from the letting by negotiation.
Boathouse and Jetty onto Lake Windermere
Services The main house has mains electricity, a private water supply, private drainage via septic tank and oil-fired central heating.
The cottage has mains electricity, a private water supply, private drainage via septic tank and electric storage heaters.
Outgoings and The tenant is to pay Council Tax, and all other outgoings relating to Council Tax the property. The property is in Band H for Council Tax and the standard charge for 2018 / 19 payable to South Lakeland District Council was £3,209.
Energy An Energy Performance Certificate is available for the house and Performance cottage in accordance with the Energy Performance of Buildings Certificate Regulations.
The Tenancy
Term The property is available to let under an Assured Shorthold Tenancy for an initial term of 2 years.
Rent The prospective tenant is asked to tender a rent with offers in the region of £2,000 per calendar month (£24,000 per annum). The rent is to be payable by Direct Debit monthly in advance with the first payment being made before the commencement of the tenancy.
The National Trust reserves the right of not having to accept any offer received for this property
Rent reviews The National Trust carries out rent reviews of the property every two years to open market value.
Insurance The National Trust will be responsible for insuring the building but the Tenant will be responsible for insuring the contents.
Repairing The Trust will be responsible for repairs to the structure, exterior of Responsibilities the building, installations for the supply of services, external (Summary) decoration and repair and maintenance of the water filtration system.
The Tenant will be responsible for internal repairs and decoration, maintenance and repair of the garden, fences, drives, and the cost of servicing appliances. The tenant will be responsible for ensuring that the septic tank is emptied as necessary.
Sub Letting The property shall be occupied as a single private residence only - with the exception of utilising Belle Grange Cottage as accommodation for B&B/ Air BNB (to be agreed by the Trust). There will be no right to assign, sub-let or part with possession for the whole or any part of the premises.
Pets Tenants must seek the landlord’s permission for any animals or birds to be kept at the property.
Viewings and Further Information
Viewings Viewings strictly by appointment only.
Contact Judith Chambers or Jennifer Dixon at Savills, 64 Warwick Road, Carlisle, Cumbria CA1 1DR – T: 01228 527586
Legal/Admin Fee The successful applicant (s) will be required to pay £150 inc VAT to cover the costs of gaining the required references and preparation of the Tenancy Agreement.
Application forms for the tenancy will be provided at or after Applications viewings and are to be received on or before the application deadline, the date of which to be confirmed. Selection will be by interview at the National Trust’s Regional office - The Hollens, Grasmere, Ambleside, Cumbria LA22 9QZ. All applications should include a full statement about personal circumstances, family, pets, employment and your plans for the property if looking to carry out B&B/ Air BNB in the Cottage.
For further information about being a National Trust tenant, visit:
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/tenants www.nationaltrust.org.uk/documents/see-our-house-letting-policy.pdf N Note
These particulars are issued for guidance purposes only. They are prepared and issued in good faith and are intended to give a fair summary of the property.
Any description or information given should not be relied upon as a statement or representation of fact.
Photographs show only certain parts of the property at the time they were taken. Any areas, measurements or distances given are only approximate.
Prospective applicants must satisfy themselves by inspection as to these and other relevant details.
The National Trust reserves the right of not having to accept any offer received for this property.
Floor Plans
Ground Floor:
First Floor:
The above Floor Plans are not to scale and are for indicative purposes only.
Property Plan
Location Plan
Belle Grange is circled red in its local context.