A former pub, miller’s shop and country club with links to a group of 1950s motor car racers has come up for sale in Rickinghall, near the Norfolk Suffolk border.
This impressive Grade II* listed property in Rickinghall, near Diss, was once a pub and country club – and there’s no denying that, even today, its spacious rooms and distinctive layout still echo its sense of grandeur.
Known as Hamblyn House, it is currently for sale with Fine & Country for offers in excess of £700,000 and features around 5,000 sq ft of living space, including eight bedrooms, three bathrooms, two reception rooms, a study, cellar and a kitchen/breakfast room.
The earliest part of the house dates from the Tudor period and is believed to have operated as an inn as early as 1508. According to Historic England, the property was partly rebuilt and extended in 1720 before being further altered in the 19th century, when it had a mill building attached to its left end and was used by the mill owner as a house and shop.
Historical records suggest that in April 1934, local archaeologist Basil Brown excavated a two-foot site in the garden of the property, discovering a selection of artefacts from the 14th-15th centuries. Mr Brown later went on to discover, and excavate, the Anglo-Saxon ship burial at Sutton Hoo in Woodbridge.
In the 1950s, the property was a country club managed by Oliver Sear, friend of Aston Martin racing car driver ‘Jock’ Horsfall, who lived nearby. It became the unofficial meeting spot for members of the Eastern Counties Motor Club, several of whom helped to found an early version of the motor racing circuit at nearby Snetterton.
Later, the property returned to use as a pub, before last orders were called in the late 1990s.
According to Fine & Country, the property remained in this state until its current owners discovered it over 20 years ago. It had stood empty for around four years but the new owners could see its potential and set about transforming it, retaining its charming historical character and configuring it into the prominent family home it is today.
Timber-framed and with a distinctive red brick gable, the house still offers a superb number of architectural details, including panelled doors, unique windows and a number of beams and timbers that cross both its ceilings and doors.
The rooms are both spacious and flexible and the current owners have, in the past, utilised the third floor as a self-contained living area for their teenage son. This offers huge potential for new owners, including for those who need to make available space for relatives or extended family.
The ground floor kitchen/breakfast room is an exceptionally welcoming space and very much the hub of the home, featuring an often-used range cooker, traditional country-style cabinets and plenty of dining space.
Other highlights include the sitting room, which is very spacious and features two separate seating areas plus large, light-filled windows, and the characterful dining room which includes exposed beams, a wood burner and enough room for a large table and chairs.
The rear garden at Hamblyn House is secluded with a large paved patio that is ideal for al fresco dining. There is also a kitchen garden and a mini orchard.
PROPERTY FACTS
The Street, Rickinghall
OIEO £700,000
Fine & Country, 01379 646020, www.fineandcountry.com
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