Country house conversion to apartments
Encyclopedia
Country house conversion to apartments is the process whereby a large country houses
, which was originally built to accommodate one wealthy family, is subdivided into separate apartments (i.e. flats or condos) to allow multiple residential occupancy by a number of unrelated families.
The objective of the conversion is to maximise the retention of the house's original architectural features and decorations, while minimising structural changes. In the UK, planning permission for the conversion of listed buildings will often be granted with enabling development near the house (i.e. the construction of new housing), to help fund the project.
In the UK, vertical conversions can sometimes be sold with freehold title, but horizontal conversions (or a mixture) must be sold as leasehold
, with apartment lessees holding shares in a company that owns the building and land's freehold.
properties).
1970s -
1980s -
1990s -
2000s -
2010s -
In progress:
In progress:
English country house
The English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a London house. This allowed to them to spend time in the country and in the city—hence, for these people, the term distinguished between town and country...
, which was originally built to accommodate one wealthy family, is subdivided into separate apartments (i.e. flats or condos) to allow multiple residential occupancy by a number of unrelated families.
History
Large country houses were built on an estate in the 18th and 19th centuries to reflect a family's wealth and power, and to accommodate their extended family and a large number of servants required to maintain the house and family's lifestyle. However, with the diminishing income from farming, the increasing wages of staff and their movement to cities, and the invention of electricity, plumbing and domestic appliances, large houses with many staff became impractical to maintain. From about the mid 20th century many country houses, in order to avoid their demolition or use by an institution, especially those further away from larger cities (and hence not a practical weekend country retreat for the wealthy), have been converted into apartments.Techniques
Subdivision can be vertical (i.e. a whole wing), horizontal (i.e. a whole or part of one floor), or a combination of both. Vertical conversions have the advantage of giving each apartment a range of different sized rooms, from large public reception rooms on the ground or first floor to smaller rooms on the lower-ground and upper floors for bedrooms. The disadvantage is that space is taken up by the artificial insertion of staircases for each apartment (unless service staircases already existed), and the residents are required to constantly walk up and down staircase to move throughout the home. The advantage of horizontal conversion is single level living, with the disadvantage that on the original public reception rooms level, larger rooms need to be partitioned or a mezzanine level added to maximise the space and provide smaller types of rooms.The objective of the conversion is to maximise the retention of the house's original architectural features and decorations, while minimising structural changes. In the UK, planning permission for the conversion of listed buildings will often be granted with enabling development near the house (i.e. the construction of new housing), to help fund the project.
In the UK, vertical conversions can sometimes be sold with freehold title, but horizontal conversions (or a mixture) must be sold as leasehold
Leasehold estate
A leasehold estate is an ownership of a temporary right to land or property in which a lessee or a tenant holds rights of real property by some form of title from a lessor or landlord....
, with apartment lessees holding shares in a company that owns the building and land's freehold.
Houses
List of country houses converted into apartments, by country, in chronological order by conversion dates. This excludes conversions into retirement homes, where the apartments are hotel-style, with communal dining and living rooms (e.g. the original Country Houses AssociationCountry Houses Association
The Country Houses Association was a British charity that converted country houses into retirement flats and maintained them from 1955 until its liquidation in 2004.- History :...
properties).
England
- Fishers Hill House, Hook Heath, Surrey - 1947 into 4 homes, more a villa than a country house, built in 1900-1 for the 2nd Earl of BalfourGerald Balfour, 2nd Earl of BalfourGerald William Balfour, 2nd Earl of Balfour PC , known as Gerald Balfour until 1930, was a British nobleman and Conservative politician.-Background and education:...
(brother of PM) by brother-in-law Sir Edwin LutyensEdwin LutyensSir Edwin Landseer Lutyens, OM, KCIE, PRA, FRIBA was a British architect who is known for imaginatively adapting traditional architectural styles to the requirements of his era...
with gardens by Gertrude JekyllGertrude JekyllGertrude Jekyll was an influential British garden designer, writer, and artist. She created over 400 gardens in the UK, Europe and the USA and contributed over 1,000 articles to Country Life, The Garden and other magazines.-Early life:...
.
1970s -
- Stedham Hall, StedhamStedhamStedham is a village in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England. It lies within the civil parish of Stedham with Iping, on the A272 road 1.5 miles west of Midhurst....
, West Sussex, England - 1973, into apartments (unlisted house, enlarged from 1910). - Charlton Park, WiltshireCharlton Park, WiltshireCharlton Park is an estate in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England. It has been owned by the Earls of Suffolk since the Reformation. It was formerly the land on which Malmesbury Abbey was built. The house was finished in 1607, having been built for Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk and his wife...
- 1975, into 19 apartments. - Great Hyde Hall, SawbridgeworthSawbridgeworthSawbridgeworth is a small, mainly residential, town and also a civil parish in Hertfordshire, England.- Location :Sawbridgeworth is four miles south of Bishop's Stortford, twelve miles east of Hertford and nine miles north of Epping. It lies on the A1184 and has a railway station that links to...
, Hertfordshire - 1978, into about 13 apartments, with around 9 in the stables, plus 5 semi-detached houses. - Umberslade HallUmberslade HallUmberslade Hall is a 17th century mansion converted into residential apartments situated near Tanworth in Arden, Warwickshire. It is a Grade II* listed building....
, Tanworth in Arden, Warwickshire - 1978, into 12 apartments and 2 mews cottages.
1980s -
- Gunton Hall, Norfolk - 1980 by Kit MartinKit MartinKit Martin is an English architect and country house property developer.-Career:Martin is the son of Sir Leslie Martin, Professor of Architecture at the University of Cambridge. Since the 1970s Martin has specialised in the saving and restoration of country houses, by dividing them into smaller...
, estate into 20 dwellings. - Hazells Hall, Bedfordshire - 1981-2 by Kit MartinKit MartinKit Martin is an English architect and country house property developer.-Career:Martin is the son of Sir Leslie Martin, Professor of Architecture at the University of Cambridge. Since the 1970s Martin has specialised in the saving and restoration of country houses, by dividing them into smaller...
, into 8 houses and 4 apartments. - Dingley Hall, Northamptonshire - early 1980s by Kit MartinKit MartinKit Martin is an English architect and country house property developer.-Career:Martin is the son of Sir Leslie Martin, Professor of Architecture at the University of Cambridge. Since the 1970s Martin has specialised in the saving and restoration of country houses, by dividing them into smaller...
, into 7 houses and 3 apartments. - Oxton House, Oxton, Devon - 1980s into at least 8 apartments.
- Callaly CastleCallaly CastleCallaly Castle is a Grade I listed building and a substantial country house to the north of the village of Callaly, which is some to the west of Alnwick, Northumberland, England.It is situated near the site of a 12th century motte castle...
, Northumberland - 1986-7 by Kit MartinKit MartinKit Martin is an English architect and country house property developer.-Career:Martin is the son of Sir Leslie Martin, Professor of Architecture at the University of Cambridge. Since the 1970s Martin has specialised in the saving and restoration of country houses, by dividing them into smaller...
. - Ecton Hall, EctonEctonEcton is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, England. The village is just east of Northampton, just off the A4500 road. It was one of the first villages in Northamptonshire to be given conservation status...
, Northamptonshire - 1986-9 by Period Property Investments Plc (previously derelict), house into 12 apartments; stables, coach house, game larder, laundry and dairy into 7 homes; and 9 newly built 2-storey stone houses in two terraces. - Sheffield Park HouseSheffield Park GardenSheffield Park Garden is an informal landscape garden five miles east of Haywards Heath, in East Sussex, England. It was originally laid out in the 18th century by Capability Brown, and further developed in the early years of the 20th century by its owner, Arthur G. Soames. It is now owned by the...
, Haywards Heath, East Sussex - c1988-early1990s by Period Homes (Arundel Estate Sussex Ltd built a housing court in the grounds), 12 apartments in the house, with 30 acres.
1990s -
- Alkrington Hall, AlkringtonAlkringtonAlkrington Garden Village, more commonly known as Alkrington, is a suburb of Middleton, in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England....
, Greater Manchester - early 1990s into 4 freehold homes (main house into 2 semi-detached homes, with 2 wings into separate homes), and large urban development in the rear grounds. - New Wardour CastleNew Wardour CastleNew Wardour Castle is an English country house at Wardour, near Tisbury in Wiltshire, built for the Arundell family. The house is of a Palladian style, designed by the architect James Paine with additional pieces from Giacomo Quarenghi, who was a principal architect of the Imperial Russian capital...
, Tisbury, Wiltshire - 1992 by Nigel Tuersley. - Burley On The HillBurley, RutlandBurley, or Burley-on-the-Hill, is a village and civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is located two miles north-east of Oakham....
, Rutland - 1993-8 by Kit MartinKit MartinKit Martin is an English architect and country house property developer.-Career:Martin is the son of Sir Leslie Martin, Professor of Architecture at the University of Cambridge. Since the 1970s Martin has specialised in the saving and restoration of country houses, by dividing them into smaller...
, into 6 apartments, estate into 22 dwellings. - Chelwood Vachery, Millbrook Hill, Nutley, East SussexNutley, East SussexNutley is a village in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. It lies about north-east of Uckfield, the main road being on the A22. Nutley, Fairwarp and Maresfield together form the Maresfield civil parish....
- 1996, into at least 4 freehold homes, with the Stable Courtyard into at least 6 homes. - Stoneleigh AbbeyStoneleigh AbbeyStoneleigh Abbey is a large country mansion situated to the southwest of the village of Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, England. It is a Grade I listed building.The Abbey was founded by the Cistercians in 1154...
, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire - 1996-2000 by Kit MartinKit MartinKit Martin is an English architect and country house property developer.-Career:Martin is the son of Sir Leslie Martin, Professor of Architecture at the University of Cambridge. Since the 1970s Martin has specialised in the saving and restoration of country houses, by dividing them into smaller...
, into 53 dwellings. - Maristow HouseMaristow HouseMaristow House is located in Devon, England, just north of Plymouth, on the River Tavy. It was built circa 1560 and rebuilt in the mid-18th century and further remodelled in the early 20th century. It was the residence of the Lopes family: they had links with the Great Western Railway...
, Devon - 1996-2000 by Kit MartinKit MartinKit Martin is an English architect and country house property developer.-Career:Martin is the son of Sir Leslie Martin, Professor of Architecture at the University of Cambridge. Since the 1970s Martin has specialised in the saving and restoration of country houses, by dividing them into smaller...
. - Bostock HallFrance-Hayhurst familyThe France-Hayhurst family lived in Bostock Hall near to Middlewich in Cheshire, England from 1775, until the house was sold to the local council in the 1950s...
, Bostock, West Cheshire - 1996-7 by P J Livesey, into 7 apartments, within a total development of 68 apartments and homes, with the 17th century timber-framed Platt Hall moved and rebuilt in the grounds. - Brasted PlaceBrastedBrasted is a village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, England. The parish is located to the west of Sevenoaks town. The parish includes the settlements of Brasted Chart and Toys Hill, and had a population of 1321 persons . The single slightly winding street of the village has a...
, Kent - 1996-7 by Hillgrove Homes and Michael J Wilson & Associates, into 7 apartments, in 8.5 acres. - Shenley Manor (formerly Porters Park), Shenley, Hertfordshire - 1996-8 (Shenley Mental Hospital 1924-1998), into about 7 terraced houses, plus stables home, surrounded by a newly-built housing estate.
- Nashdom Abbey, Burnham, Buckinghamshire - from 1997, into apartments, with a new wing built.
- Goldings Hall, Hertford, Hertfordshire - from 1997.
- Gilston Park House, Gilston, Harlow, Essex - c1997-2001 by City and Country Group, into 31 apartments and newly-built homes in the grounds.
- Hill Hall, Theydon Mount, Essex - 1998-2001 by P J Livesey (purchased from English Heritage in 1998), into 20 apartments and cottages.
- The Hermitage, Chester-le-StreetChester-le-StreetChester-le-Street is a town in County Durham, England. It has a history going back to Roman times when it was called Concangis. The town is located south of Newcastle upon Tyne and west of Sunderland on the River Wear...
, Durham - 1998-2001 by Bryant Homes and McCarrick Construction (formerly an NHS hospital and rehabilitation centre), into 15 apartments, with conversion of the nursery, stables and coach house, plus 30 newly built houses in the grounds. - Rufford New HallRufford New HallRufford New Hall is a former country house which belonged to the Heskeths who were lords of the manor and replaced Rufford Old Hall as their residence in Rufford, Lancashire, England. It has been designated a Grade II Listed building since 1986.-History:...
, Rufford, Lancashire - c1999-c2001 by P J Livesey (formerly a convalescent hospital), 9 apartments and mews homes in the Hall, 12 mews cottages in the stables courtyard, and 16 mews homes in the newly built North Wing by Wainhomes. - WyfoldRobert Hermon-Hodge, 1st Baron WyfoldRobert Trotter Hermon-Hodge, 1st Baron Wyfold was a British Conservative politician.Born as Robert Trotter Hodge, he was the son of G W Hodge of Newcastle upon Tyne. He was educated at Clifton College and Worcester College, Oxford...
Court, Kingwood, Oxfordshire - 1999-2000 by P J Livesey Rural Heritage (formerly Borocourt Hospital), into 11 apartments, with over 20 newly built houses on the estate by Bellway Homes. - Ingress Abbey, GreenhitheGreenhitheGreenhithe is a town in Dartford District of Kent, England. It forms part of the civil parish of Swanscombe and Greenhithe.Greenhithe, as it is spelled today, is located where it was possible to build wharves for transshipping corn, wood and other commodities; its largest cargoes were of chalk and...
, Kent - 1999-c2002 by P J Livesey Rural Heritage Ltd, into apartments, as part of a 950 new houses and apartments development in Ingress Park by Crest Homes. - Besford Court, Besford, Worcestershire - completed 2000, house into 8 apartments.
2000s -
- Whitehayes (Sunnyhayes), Burton, Dorset - 2000-2 (probably a villa, rather than a country house), into 5 apartments in the main house and 4 apartments in the adjoining wing.
- Allerton PrioryAllerton PrioryAllerton Priory, Liverpool, England, is a Grade II* listed building designed by Alfred Waterhouse.It has been a home for the elderly, nuns once ran it as a refuge for Irish girls. It was temporary certified 18 May 1916 for 15 girls, re-certified 1917 as a mixed school as Allerton Priory Special...
, Allerton, Merseyside - 2002 by P J Livesey (formerly a school), into 14 apartments and houses, with newly built houses and flats nearby in Ye Priory Court. - Herringswell Manor, HerringswellHerringswellHerringswell is a village and civil parish in the Forest Heath district of Suffolk in eastern England. In 2005 it had a population of 190.-External links:** Suffolk Churches...
, Suffolk - c2002-7 by City and Country Group. - Dunston HillDunston, Tyne and WearDunston was originally an independent village on the south bank of the River Tyne. It has now been absorbed into the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in the English county of Tyne and Wear...
Mansion House, Whickham, Gateshead, Tyne And Wear - 2003-6 by McCarrick Construction (formerly a hospital), into 11 apartments, stables into 2 homes, plus newly built 10 flats and 24 dwellings. - Compton House, Over Compton Dorset - 2003-5 by Clublight Developments, 4 apartments in the house and 4 in the stables.
- Holme Eden Hall, Cumbria - 2003-4 by Cumbrian Homes.
- Purley Park (Purley Magna), Berkshire - 2003-6 by T A Fisher of Mortimer.
- Balls ParkBalls ParkBalls Park is a cricket ground in Hertford, Hertfordshire. The ground is located in the grounds of the Balls Park estate. The first recorded match on the ground was in 1865 between Hertford and a United South of England Eleven. In 1901, the ground hosted its first Minor Counties Championship...
, Hertford, Hertfordshire - 2003-8 by City and Country Group, into 40 apartments. - Wall Hall, Aldenham, Hertfordshire - 2004-8 by Octagon Development (formerly University of Hertfordshire campus), into 25 homes and 76 newly-built houses and apartments.
- Apley HallApley HallApley Hall is an English Gothic Revival house located in Stockton, Shropshire. The building was completed in 1811 with adjoining property of of private parkland beside the river Severn. It was once home to the Whitmore , Foster and Avery families...
, Stockton, Shropshire - 2004-7 by Earlstone (owned by Martin Ebelis). - Albury ParkAlbury ParkAlbury Park is a country park and Grade II* listed historic country house in Surrey, England. It covers over ; within this area is the old village of Albury, which consists of three or four houses and a church. The River Tillingbourne runs through the grounds.-Pre-1890:The Saxon Old St Peter and...
, Albury, Surrey - 2004-future by Jennifer & Nigel Whalley (private owners), 37 apartments being slowly enlarged and sold. - Swaylands House, PenshurstPenshurstPenshurst is a village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks district of Kent, England. The parish is located on the northern slopes of the Weald, west of Tonbridge. Within the parish boundaries are the two villages of Penshurst and Fordcombe, with a combined population of some 1,479 persons. The...
, Kent - 2005-8 by Oakdene Homes plc (school 1950s-1994), 28 apartments, plus 20 apartments in 2 new buildings (Drummond Hall and Woodgate Manor). - Dropmore HouseDropmore ParkDropmore Park together with Dropmore House are located along Dropmore Road, north of Burnham, Buckinghamshire, England, and is about in size. The park with its buildings have Grade I listed building status. It is one of the most important buildings in south Bucks.-Location:It is located in the...
, Burnham, Buckinghamshire - 2005-10. - Temple Grove House, Buxted, East Sussex - 2005-11 by Stonehurst Estates, 14 apartments.
- Summers Place, West Sussex - 2007-9 by The Berkeley Group (formerly Sotheby’s southern counties headquarters 1984-2007).
- Essendon Hall (Essendon Place), Essendon, Hertfordshire - 2007-10 by P J Livesey (formerly Eastern Electricity Staff Training College), into 10 flats and 7 mews houses.
2010s -
- t.b.a.
In progress:
- Melton Constable HallMelton ConstableMelton Constable is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 518 in 225 households as of the 2001 census.For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of North Norfolk...
, Melton Constable, Norfolk - owned since 1986 by property developer Roger Gawn, wings being subdivided into apartments and slowly sold off, but main Hall may remain as one home. - St Osyth Priory, St Osyth, Essex - owned and lived in by the Sergeant family of the City and Country Group since 1999, seeking planning permission since 2009.
- Cromford Court, Matlock BathMatlock BathMatlock Bath is a village south of Matlock in Derbyshire, England. Built along the River Derwent, it developed, in the 19th century, as a spa town and still thrives on tourism.-History:In 1698 warm springs were discovered and a Bath House was built...
, Derbyshire - owned by developers Derbyshire Investments, currently 11 unrenovated apartments, but could become a hotel or nursing home. - RAF Bentley PrioryRAF Bentley PrioryRAF Bentley Priory was a non-flying Royal Air Force station near Stanmore in the London Borough of Harrow. It was famous as the headquarters of Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain and the Second World War. The RAF Bentley Priory site includes a Grade II* listed Officers' Mess and Italian...
, Harrow, London - owned since 2010 by City & Country Group, converting the Priory buildings into homes and a museum, with Barratt Homes building new homes on the estate.
Wales
- Talygarn Manor, PontyclunPontyclunPontyclun is a village in the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is served by the South Wales Main Line and has its own local rugby union club...
, Glamorganshire - c2000 by Cowbridge Developments Ltd, including 55 newly built houses and apartments, and 6 converted cottages.
In progress:
- Kinmel HallKinmel HallKinmel Hall is a mansion near the village of St. George, close to the coastal town of Abergele, in Conwy county borough, Wales.The present chateau style house, the third on the site, was designed by W. E. Nesfield in the 1870s, and the adjoining Venetian Gardens were designed by his father, W. A....
, St. George, Conwy - owned by developers Derbyshire Investments since 2006, may become apartments, hotel or offices.
Northern Ireland
- Gosford CastleGosford CastleGosford Castle is situated in Gosford, a townland of Markethill, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, close to the border with County Down. Construction of the castle began in 1819 and finished in the 1850s. It was commissioned by Archibald Acheson, 2nd Earl of Gosford and the architect was Thomas...
, Gosford, County Armagh - 2006-8 by Gosford Castle Developments, into 23 flats.
External links
- England conversions - The DiCamillo Companion
- Scotland conversions - The DiCamillo Companion
- Wales conversions - The DiCamillo Companion
- Ireland conversions - The DiCamillo Companion
- Top British and Irish apartments currently for sale - Stately Homes WordPress blog (in Recent Posts menu, click on most recent 'Flats for sale' post)
- The Country Seat WordPress blog article