Rossley Manor, located near the picturesque town of Cheltenham, is a stunning example of an English country house. This magnificent manor house, with its rich history and beautiful architecture, has been standing for centuries.
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the sales details (2023) written by the selling agents Knight Frank and delve into the fascinating history of Rossley Manor. We’ll explore its stunning architecture and beautiful gardens, and discover what makes this hidden gem such a special English Country House.
A Brief History of Rossley Manor
The history of Rossley Manor dates back to the 17th century when it was built as a grand family home for the wealthy landowner, Sir John Dutton. Over the years, the manor passed through several different owners and underwent numerous renovations and extensions, with the most notable being carried out in the mid-19th century by the renowned architect, Samuel Daukes.
During World War II, Rossley Manor was requisitioned by the military and used as a base for the Polish Air Force. After the war, the manor was sold to a private owner who carried out further renovations and restored the house to its former glory.
Today, Rossley Manor is a private residence and is not open to the public.
Architecture and Design
One of the most striking features of Rossley Manor is its beautiful architecture. The manor house is built in the Queen Anne style and features elegant brickwork, ornate chimneys, and a stunning grand entrance hall with a sweeping staircase.
The interior of the house is just as impressive, with grand reception rooms, high ceilings, and intricate plasterwork. Visitors can also admire the beautiful period furniture, paintings, and tapestries that adorn the walls of the house.
The Gardens at Rossley Manor
The gardens at Rossley Manor are just as impressive as any English country house. Visitors can stroll through the beautifully landscaped gardens, which feature manicured lawns, ornamental ponds, and a variety of exotic plants and flowers.
One of the highlights of the gardens is the stunning walled garden, which is home to a variety of fruit trees and vegetables. There is also a beautiful herb garden, which features a wide range of aromatic herbs and plants, ideal for the gardens of an English country house.
Sales details
Selling agents Knight Frank’s sales details are written as follows:
Constructed of Cotswold stone and finished to a high standard, Rossley Manor is set in an elevated position with far reaching views beyond the garden towards the paddocks and surrounding countryside. The grand approach to Rossley Manor sets the scene for an immaculate house with beautifully maintained gardens, newly fenced paddocks and impressive woodland. The private driveway leads to the front of the house or forks off to the cottage, carport and courtyard where there are 6 loose boxes. The current owners purchased the Estate in 1993 and it has been enjoyed as a family Estate ever since. The Grade II listed Manor House, which dates back to the mid 16th century, used to be a country club and the current owners are only the second owners since it was built and undertook a major refurbishment 15 years ago. Rossley Manor now offers a good mix of both formal reception rooms and comfortable family living.
At the heart of the house is a large family kitchen which leads into the breakfast room and dual access onto the terrace. The ground floor also benefits from formal reception rooms, a dining room, study, library and television room. The well designed utility and boot room offers a hugely practical area providing a large amount of storage and access to the courtyard. To the rear of the house which forms part of the courtyard, there is a newly converted garage/gym, indoor swimming pool and changing room facilities.
This leads up to an impressive cinema room overlooking the swimming pool, and an ensuite bedroom. The upstairs flows with the downstairs with 4 different sets of staircases throughout the house. On the first floor, there are 8 bedrooms, 2 dressing rooms and a playroom which could also be used as the 9th bedroom.
The grounds around Rossley Manor offer a wonderful setting for family living and entertaining with a large terrace at the back of the house providing a nice flow of indoor/outdoor living. The gardens are all laid to lawn and there is a tennis court, beautiful vegetable garden with impressive greenhouse. Set behind the house down some steps is a water feature with formal gardens surrounding and a peaceful seating area. The outdoor swimming pool offers a great setting for entertaining with a pool house featuring a fitted barbeque and fridge.
There is a 3 bedroom cottage which is currently occupied by staff. This forms part of the courtyard and offers privacy on the far side, away from the main house, with views over the land. There is also a large new garage, set into the hill, which offers space for up to 8 cars. Beneath this, there is additional space which is currently used as storage and further entertaining space but has the potential to be converted to further accommodation, subject to planning permission. There is also a large and impressive wine cellar with an island bar for wine tasting. Set away from the house near the tennis court is a squash court with changing room facilities and a balcony.
The Estate extends to approximately 140 acres of which 100 acres is grassland. The paddocks are all fenced with post and rail. The woodland has been beautifully maintained and offers a mix of mature woodland. There is also a stream that runs along the bottom of the garden and woodland. The current owners run a successful shoot on the Estate. The grassland is let on a grazing licence to a neighbouring farmer.
Rossley Manor is ideally located just outside the Regency spa town of Cheltenham, with far reaching views across the Dowdeswell Valley to the rolling Malvern Hills beyond. Positioned adjacent to Lower Dowdeswell village, mentioned in the Doomsday Book of 1086. The Manor is set in the heart of the Cotswolds, located within the triangle between Cheltenham, Stow-on-the-Wold and Cirencester. Recreational facilities are extensive with theatres in Cheltenham, Stratford and Tewkesbury; The Cotswold Team Chase, Cotswold Hunt, kennels and point to point course just over a mile away; National Hunt Racing at Cheltenham; Polo at Longdole Polo Club, Cirencester Park and Edgeworth; Sailing and water sports at the Cotswold Water Park. There are plenty of fine walks and riding opportunities in the area. Open to local residents and guests alike, nearby Ellenborough Park is a renowned luxury hotel and spa. Local gastro pubs include The Wheatsheaf at Northleach and The Frogmill at Andoversford. Cheltenham enjoys a varied selection of eateries and wine bars. There are a number of good local schools including Cheltenham College and Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Rendcomb College, Dean Close, Westonbirt School, Hatherop Castle, Kitebrook and all those in Oxford are within easy reach. Communications are very good in the area with the A40 and M40 providing east/west access to London, Cheltenham and the M5. The nearby Fosse Way gives excellent north/ south access to Birmingham and the M4. Heathrow airport is approximately 82 miles away. Cheltenham Spa station (5 miles) offers direct, First Great Western services to London Paddington (2 hours 15 minutes) or from Kingham station (15 miles away) a fast route to London Paddington takes approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.
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