Farming and lifestyle opportunities
Two similar-sized estates in the south of England with good farming, residential and equestrian appeal are being launched early this month.
Mappowder Court, west of Blandford Forum in Dorset, includes 683 acres and is run as an in-hand arable and grassland farm by the owners, who are moving further west.
It is for sale as a whole or in six lots. Given the obvious residential and equine appeal of the main house, a Grade II* listed five-bedroom property rebuilt in 1745, this has been parcelled with a traditional stone barn complex with 19 stables, suited to commercial or private use, plus 161 acres of farmland.
This land, which includes all-weather gallops and several coarse fishing lakes, consists mainly of Wickham 2 series clay loam soils, as do the rest of the fields. These are available in four further lots, including Skinners Farm, a block of 211 acres with modern farm buildings, including a modern 2500t on-floor grain store built in 2008, and a pair of three-bay cattle sheds.
A further 229 acres of land is available at Crocker’s. This has good road and track access and has been cropped with winter and spring cereals, maize and grass this season.
Under Rawlesbury is a 67-acre block of grass and arable, while 13-acre Back Field is down to permanent pasture.
A pair of newly built stone, three-bedroom cottages are also for sale.
“It is likely that the estate will be sold in lots,” said David Cross of Savills. “It has a fantastic residential and equine unit, and the rest is straight commercial farming land.
“However, 700 acres with a good-sized house and buildings in Dorset is also very attractive.” The whole is guided at £7.5m, and the bare land at £5500-6000/acre. (Savills 01722 426 810)
The Heads Farm Estate is a mix of arable, pasture and woodland extending to about 704 acres near Chaddleworth in Berkshire, and is available as a whole for £9.25m, or in up to 10 lots.
It is owned by racehorse trainer Charles Egerton, who is relocating closer to Lambourn.
Heads Farm consists of the main house, built in 1938, which has eight bedrooms, five bathrooms and a further three-bedroom annexe, together with stable yards with 43 loose boxes, outbuildings, paddocks, woodland and arable land running to about 157 acres. It is guided at £3.85m.
Most of the remaining chalk downland is split into four lots, predominantly arable land ranging from 88 acres to 223 acres, priced at about £6000/acre.
Other offerings include a former farmhouse divided into two cottages plus period barns and paddock, as well as a bungalow and two pairs of cottages which could be refurbished or redeveloped subject to planning.
Robert Fanshawe of Knight Frank reckons the farm will sell as a whole. “The house is very good, but people will definitely be attracted by the land.
“But if the house is sold separately, we will see a lot of interest from nearby farmers – it’s a very good piece of land.”
(Knight Frank 01488 682 726; Fisher German 01858 410 200)