Library House Apley | Shropshire Library House | Apley | Shropshire | Wv15 5Ne

LIBRARY HOUSE APLEY | SHROPSHIRE LIBRARY HOUSE | APLEY | SHROPSHIRE | WV15 5NE

One of the five grand Mansion Houses in Apley Hall on this private Shropshire Estate with uninterrupted views across the River Severn and vineyard below the elevated garden. The southerly facing Gothic six bedroom home incorporates stunning principle reception rooms and a further 15 acres of communal grounds.

Bridgnorth - 7 miles, M54 - 11 miles, Wolverhampton - 13 miles, Ludlow - 23 miles, Shrewsbury - 25 miles, Birmingham - 35 miles, Birmingham Airport - 50 miles. (All distances are approximate) • Grand three principle reception rooms • Winter and summer kitchen • Utility, larder, guest cloakroom • Master bedroom suite • Four further bedrooms with en-suite • Sixth bedroom/studio • Large attic room • Cellars, boiler room • Garage, parking • Private formal garden and communal gardens

HISTORY

Apley Hall has a wealth of history. The house was the birthplace and adored childhood home of Gerald Lord Berners the immensely rich aesthete who dominated the artistic quarters of fashionable society between the wars. A home has existed on the site as early as the 13th Century. In 1551 Sir Thomas Lucy (Shakespeare's Magistrate) sold the Apley estate to the royalist Whitmore family with close links to Charles I. Indeed it is reported that Charles I said of Bridgnorth, "The finest view in all my kingdom". Apley Hall was commissioned by Thomas Whitmore in 1811 just after the Napoleonic Wars and was designed to emulate a romantic castle overlooking the River Severn.

In 1867 the Hall was sold to the heir and nephew of James Foster, a wealthy ironmaster who employed 7000 men making nails in Stourbridge.

In 1896 the parents of P.G. Wodehouse moved from Surrey to Shropshire and became regular visitors to Apley Hall and it is believed to have been the inspiration behind P.G. Wodehouse's famous novel, Blandings Castle. Locals surmise that the low walled enclosure to the western end of the stable courtyards at Apley was the fictional home of the Empress. The author died in 1975 aged 93 and wrote that his "happiest days as a boy were spent near Bridgnorth". After the Second World War, it became a boarding school and finally developed into the magnificent mansion houses in 2007 by the renowned Architect Graham Moss and developer Martin Ebelis.

The Apley Estate has been handed down through generations and is owned by the Trustees of the Estate of the 5th Lord Hamilton of Dalzell. The private Tarmacadam mile long drive leads through a glorious rolling parkland landscape to the River Severn and gives access to the Hall and Courtyard houses. Although feeling very rural, once into the village of Norton, there is easy access to the major road network with links to the M54 along with Apley Farm Shop offering a comprehensive range of amenities to include a local butcher, delicatessen and cafe. Day to day amenities can be found in the historic Market Town of Bridgnorth, or the newer shopping selections in Telford.

LIBRARY HOUSE APLEY ACCOMMODATION

The Library House is a principle portion of the great rooms of one of Shropshire's finest and most important country houses, the magnificent Grade II* listed mansion, Apley Hall. The accommodation is formed from the principle rooms of the southern side of the Mansion and is set over three floors with additional cellars and an expansive attic room.

Each room retains much of the original architectural detailing and craftsmanship which is absolutely stunning in my opinion. Of particular note are the LIBRARY, DRAWING ROOM and MASTER BEDROOM SUITE. The Library is referred to in detail by Pevsner with intricate plasterwork to the ceiling and a square vaulted bay window. The south hallway and dining room are my favourite; a former chapel, part oak panelled with a carved ceiling and a large mullioned window. The first floor drawing room, enjoys far reaching views of the gardens and across the river (also having a nearby further kitchen).

SERVICES Mains electricity and water are connected. Private communal drainage, oil central heating and Electric AGA.

TENURE The Freehold is owned by Apley Hall Management Company with home owners having a share. Lease of 199 years from 2007.

The current service charge is approximately £4000pa. This covers the upkeep of the communal grounds, parking areas, maintenance of the sewage treatment plant, external lighting and gates.

FIXTURES AND FITTINGS All fixtures and fittings and garden statuary not mentioned in these particulars is excluded from the sale.

COUNCIL TAX Shropshire County Council Band G (0345 6789000)

DIRECTIONS From the A442 entering the village of Norton, turn into Cheswardine Lane near the Hundred House Restaurant and PH. Proceed to the end of the lane and over the cattle grid into the Private Estate. Proceed for a further mile bearing left when the lane divides and continue straight ahead over a further cattle grid into the Apley Hall Courtyard. Park straight ahead and the entrance is through the left hand door into an enclosed courtyard. The Library House is the second door on the right.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Every care has been taken with the preparation of these Particulars but they are for general guidance only and complete accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Areas, measurements and distances are approximate and the text, photographs and plans are for guidance only. If there is any point which is of particular importance please contact us to discuss the matter and seek professional verification prior to exchange of contracts.

22/23 Whitburn Street, Bridgnorth, Shropshire, WV16 4QN Tel: 01746 766499 Email: [email protected]

13/15 High Street, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, WV6 8QS Tel: 01902 747744 Email: [email protected] High Street, Wombourne, Wolverhampton, WV5 9DP Tel: 01902 326366 Email: [email protected]