Fyfield Hall | Offers in excess of £1,250,000 | 6 bedroom Detached  

Reputed to be the oldest inhabited timber framed building in England, this grade I listed property offers a wealth of historical features. The original aisled hall is believed to have been constructed circa 1150. Now, the home offers six bedrooms, 4 principal reception rooms and grounds extending to approximately 3 acres. Further land available by separate negotiation. THE STORY Dining with friends by the flickering light of candles and a roaring fire, Willy White says it’s easy to imagine life at Fyfield Hall hundreds of years ago. A late 12th century aisled hall lies at the heart of this exceptional Grade I listed house. Over the centuries the property has passed through the hands of many owners and been extended to create the impressive six bedroom home it is today. This is a manor house so all the rooms have got high ceilings and are all of a decent size, Willy said. It’s a great family home with lots of beams, lots of space and half a dozen inglenook fireplaces. He added: It’s always lovely to be in front of a roaring fire. HEARTH AND HOME A treasure trove of period features hinting at a fascinating history, Fyfield Hall was briefly in the possession of Henry V and owned by the infamous Sir Richard Rich, who was Lord Chancellor during the reign of Edward VI. The manor house for the area, in medieval times there would have been an open hearth in the middle of the great hall. Smoke used to go up into the roof from fires on the floor and they would have had their animals in there with them. It must have been jolly cosy! he joked Willy. DREAM BEAMS Today the main hall is an impressive drawing room with fireplaces at both ends, and an abundance of exposed beams. The room can be divided into two at the touch of a button, thanks to a sliding wall – making it a highly versatile space. There are French windows to the terrace, with a view across the garden to the church of St Nicholas. And the high ceiling means it can accommodate a 20ft Christmas tree. In addition, there are three further reception rooms and a fantastic reception hall with a flagstone floor and a magnificent inglenook fireplace. The home’s versatile and generous space makes it ideal for families and modern lifestyles. This house is big enough for everyone to be able to do their own thing without interference, Willy added. There’s also an annex divided into three self-contained one bedroom studio flats. MEDIEVAL MAGIC Fyfield Hall provides a fabulous setting for entertaining on a lavish scale. There are two places to dine – three if you include the kitchen. There’s the main hall and we often have dining tables in the entrance hall, which is a lovely place to eat, with the wonderful inglenook fireplace, Willy explained. When he lights the candles in the chandelier, it is like stepping back in time. It’s very atmospheric, he observed. After all it was lit by candles for over 800 years. The medieval banquet thrown to celebrate his 30th birthday was a particularly memorable occasion. We seated 55 people in the hall and everyone dressed up for it, he added. A SLICE OF HISTORY The main kitchen is the hub of the house and the family love to gather there in front of the Aga. The house has a further ‘party kitchen’ with another Aga. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen in front of the Aga, he explained. I do like to cook and the kitchen is my favourite spot. He added: It’s a proper country kitchen where everybody congregates. Adjacent to the main kitchen is a dining area in what was once a dairy, with a Tudor herringbone brick floor. A SPECIAL PLACE All six bedrooms are on the first floor, which is reached by two staircases. The master is impressively large and its windows frame a delightful view. The master bedroom looks straight out across to the church, which is lovely, he said. Willy has lived at Fyfield Hall all his life and brought his children up here, its many rooms and nooks and crannies create a wonderful playground, he says. It’s most fun when it’s full of children, he said. It’s a great place for hide and seek. He added: It’s a fantastic and beautiful place to live. SETTING THE SCENE With extensive lawns stretching away from the house, the grounds of Fyfield Hall contain many mature trees and shrubs and two ponds. Fig trees grow beside the house and there are apple trees as well. French windows lead from the drawing room to a sunny terrace with a lovely old yew hedge next to it. The family love to set up the croquet hoops on the lawn and relax in the sunshine on the terrace. The house runs east to west and get lots of sunshine on that side – the terrace is very sunny, Willy said. It looks out across to the church, which makes it very special. There’s also around a further five acres of pony paddocks available by separate negotiation. WITHIN EASY REACH Fyfield Hall is on the edge of the charming Essex village of Fyfield. With the River Roding flowing through the parish, the village contains many historically interesting buildings and the surrounding countryside is a delight for walkers, riders and wildlife lovers. It is about two miles north of Chipping Ongar with Chelmsford, Epping and Brentwood all nearby. It also has excellent transport connections and London is within easy reach. We are about ten minutes from junction 7 of the M11 at Harlow, said Willy. Epping is 20 minutes away and you can jump on the tube and get to Liverpool Street. There are also main line stations at Chelmsford and Harlow. London Stansted Airport is about 30 minutes away. DIRECTIONS: From the M11 take junction 7 and proceed along the A414 towards Chelmsford. At the roundabout at Ongar, turn left towards Fyfield and continue along the B184, Fyfield Road, and continue into Ongar Road. As you enter Fyfield, turn right onto Queen Street and continue into Willingale Road where Fyfield Hall will be found on the left hand side. For those with satellite navigationthe postcode is CM5 0SA Fine is the seller’s agent for this property. Your conveyancer is legally responsible for ensuring any purchase agreement fully protects your position. We make detailed enquiries of the seller to ensure the information provided is as accurate as possible. Please inform us if you become aware of any information being inaccurate