The original River Cottage, made famous by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, is up for sale with the overall estate valued at £7 million. Those who followed the TV career of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall will be aware that he moved from London down to a Dorset property in 1998. The TV series charted the ups and downs of a smallholder living in the original River cottage, raising chickens, pigs and growing his own vegetables.
While Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall went on to buy his own farm and create his very own brand of restaurants, shops, books, cookery classes and a TV series, it seems that River Cottage has also gone on to bigger and better things.
Slape Manor Estate
Situated near Netherbury, Dorset the Slape Manor Estate consists of 80 acres of land, a grade II listed manor house, lodge house, three cottages and two staff flats. Set in the heart of Dorset the estate offers beautiful views over the countryside and the kind of privacy which many rich investors seek but rarely find.
Main property
When we tell you that the main house itself has eight bedrooms, seven bathrooms and five receptions, you will begin to get an idea of its size. The bedrooms are beautifully decorated in bright floral colours giving a classic feel with classic furniture and some even have a four poster bed. There are also fireplaces in each of the rooms which are a throwback to years gone by and in keeping with the character of the estate.
Large dining room
The large dining room is dominated by a classic wooden dining table with space to seat 10 people. There are also additional seating areas around the side of the room which is adorned by an array of classic artwork. The colours are bright, the design classic and the room is a lot larger than you think at first glance. This room is perfect for entertaining, family dinners or business meetings.
Classic living room
The living room is what you would expect from an old country manor with discreetly placed bookshelves, plenty of chairs/foot stools and a beautiful fireplace all wrapped up in a very homely and warm ambience. These are the kind of rooms you imagine to have a riproaring fire and being able to sit back and drift off after a hard day at work.
Classic reception areas
When you find out that the property has five reception rooms your mind begins to work overtime as to how these can all be used in a constructive manner. This huge estate is a business itself, with 80 acres of land, so quite where you would get the time to utilise all five reception rooms is a mystery. However, it is easy to forget the history of places such as Slape Manor Estate where even the library is said to have been designed by Thomas Hardy.
A slice of history
Even though a £7 million asking price may seem on the high side for the Slape Manor Estate, this 17th-century manor estate is a slice of history. While the River Cottage may was made famous by the TV show the 80 acres of land and the buildings on the estate speak for themselves.