Wolsingham home with 17th-century paintings on the market

In a most unexpected way.

Dating back to the 1600s, this stone-built home incorporates a wealth of original period features, including boulder plinths, ashlar dressings and timber windows dressed with oak lintels, as well as chamfered oak beams, Georgian panelling and flagstone floors.

Not many houses have those, you might say, but what you’ll find adorning the walls of the upper chambers is something rarer still...

17th-century wall paintings, authenticated by the Coulthard Institute for Art in London, which give a unique and valuable insight into the historic character present in this home.

In fact, so unusual a find is this that the former owners commissioned a full heritage architectural report covering the house and a report by a conservator at the Coulthard Institute.

And so to the rest of the house and its extensive grounds...

The entrance hall, which links the front of the home directly to a secluded rear courtyard, perfect for outdoor entertaining, also divides the ground floor accommodation in two.

On one side is a charming farmhouse kitchen and dining area fitted with cream Shaker units with oak and ash worktops, a Belfast sink, integrated electric oven, Neff induction hob, traditional pantry, a matching dresser and an electric AGA set into a traditional stone inglenook.

On the other side of the hall, an exquisite oak plank door opens into an open-plan space divided into two distinct areas – a living room ideal for formal entertaining and a more relaxed sitting room.

The living room showcases a traditional cast iron antique range stove, an exquisite 18th-century dresser and glass-panelled cupboard with intricate detailing and large window boxes with built-in seating, while the adjoining sitting room features beautiful oak beams, stone flag floors and a large wood-burning stove set within a stone inglenook fireplace.

A well-equipped utility room and bathroom, which is home to a fully restored high-level cistern WC, a freestanding roll-top bath and a classic pedestal basin set beside a stone hearth, complete the ground floor accommodation.

An original 17th-century wooden close string staircase leads to the upper floor, where there is a large contemporary family bathroom boasting Georgian period wide plank oak flooring, a feature fireplace and a freestanding slipper bath, plus four spacious and beautifully styled double bedrooms – which is where the artwork can be found.

The master bedroom features wooden flooring, a decorative fireplace and sash windows with decorative panelling and built-in seating areas.

A second bedroom offers similar features, while the remaining rooms include exposed beams, stone mullion windows and views over the front garden.

Wiserley Hall, as previously mentioned, is located just outside the village of Wolsingham, which is, itself, on the edge of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The house is accessed via a private country lane and sits within gardens and grounds that extend to around 4.34 acres.

These include a landscaped walled garden at the front of the property which features a mix of gravel and lawn, ideal for outdoor gatherings; a private courtyard to the rear with hardwood swan-neck gates which open into a meadow of approximately four acres, offering uninterrupted views over the Wear Valley; a wildlife pond and a mature orchard with a collection of heritage apple trees that add to the rural appeal – all surrounded by picturesque countryside.

The array of outbuildings, including a traditional byre and arched stone barns, present opportunities for potential conversion into additional living space or holiday accommodation, subject to obtaining the relevant permissions, making the property perfect for those seeking a lifestyle change or income opportunity.

Property facts:

Wiserley Hall, Wolsingham

Guide price: £850,000

Bradley Hall

0191 3839999

www.bradleyhall.co.uk