Location

Charlton Park is situated within open parkland close to the village of Charlton. Malmesbury, England's oldest borough and with a stunning 12th Century Abbey, is about two miles away and provides a good range of everyday shopping facilities including a Waitrose. Other local centres include Tetbury and Cirencester. The major regional centres such as Bath, Bristol and Cheltenham, are all within easy reach and are excellent for specialist shopping as well as cultural amenities.

Recreational and sporting facilities in the area include racing at Cheltenham, Bath and Chepstow, polo at Cirencester Park and Westonbirt, eventing at Badminton and Gatcombe, golf at Castle Coombe, Bowood and Minchinhampton, motor racing at Castle Combe and water sports at the Cotswold Water Park. In addition nearby places of interest include Malmesbury Abbey, Westbonbirt Arboretum, The National Trust Properties at Laycock and Dyrham Park, Bowood House and the historic village of Castle Coombe.

The property is also well placed for the commuter being accessible to both junction 16 and 17 of the M4 which provides fast access to the east and west. There are regular mainline services from Swindon, Kemble and Chippenham to London Paddington taking just over 60 minutes.

Description

Charlton Park House dates from early 17th Century and was built for the Countess of Suffolk and the first Earl of Suffolk. Their son Thomas, who was the first Earl of Berkshire and his descendants, lived at Charlton until the union of the Suffolk and Berkshire families in the mid-18th Century.

The south west front entrance dates from 1607 and has striking Jacobean style towers joined by a long open fronted loggia. Further alterations were made to the house between 1772 and 1776 by Matthew Brettingham. Brettingham was one of the country's best known architects of his generation and supervised the construction of Holkam Hall, Keddleston Hall and many others. In 1975 the property was converted into 18 apartments by Christopher Buxton, a property developer who pioneered the subdivision of English country homes into smaller units that enabled their owners to continue to live in part of their former home.

The house is approached through double oak entrance doors from the logia. A panelled outer hall leads into the great hall which is galleried and has a fantastic glazed oval dome over the centre. Off the great hall is the communal drawing room which has outstanding plasterwork attributed to James White. Both rooms are available to residents and their guests for entertaining purposes and general use.

The Apartment
5b is approached either by a lift or stone staircase. It is arranged over two floors with the front door being on the first floor and on the western side of the building. On entering there is an entrance hall, cloakroom and a delightful reception room. Indeed it is a particularly light and airy sitting room having windows to two elevations as well as a corner fireplace The kitchen forms part of this room and could be made open plan thus providing a more convivial living space. On the first floor there is a good sized main bedroom with plenty of storage space as well as exposed timbers. There is also a second bedroom and the bathroom. In recent years the apartment has only been occupied sporadically and a degree of upgrading is now required.

A short walk from the house is the garage block, the apartment benefitting from a single garage.

The apartment makes for an easily managed home within a magnificent and historic building. Alternatively it could be used as an ideal pied a terre being within a secure environment and at the heart of a peaceful country estate.

Communal Grounds
The house is approached by a three quarter mile tree lined drive with shared use of the surrounding grounds and arboretum. To the front and rear of the house, the large expansive gravel provides ample car parking for both residents and visitors.

Directions

From Malmesbury take the A429 towards Cirencester. After about a mile and a half the pillared entrance and driveway to Charlton Park House will be seen on the right. Follow the long driveway bearing right through an avenue of trees to the courtyard in front of the mansion house.