Bath Road, Worcester

K1, Worcester

K2, Worcester

Commercial Property

9th December 2004

Potentially Worcestershire’s finest mansion, which has not been in private ownership since the 1930’s is now being sold as a purposely restored project for half its projected end value of £3million.

Steeped in history and offering an extraordinary 17,500 sq ft of living, entertaining, staff and recreational accommodation, the sale of the landmark Hadzor Hall is being declared as a once in a lifetime opportunity by its vendor and restorer Neil Grinnall Homes.

Occupying a commanding, elevated position just east of Droitwich Spa, the Hall stands within about 42 acres of mature parkland, approached by a suitably impressive sweeping tree-lined drive. The widely sought-after, classical white Georgian pillared exterior has been preserved in all its glory, whilst a charming, private church dating back to the 14^th century lies in the Hall’s shadow.  

Neil Grinnall, Chairman of Neil Grinnall Homes comments: “Now that we’ve reached the end of the build programme for the phenomenally successful courtyard housing scheme at Hadzor, we are in a perfect position to divert attention to the Hall itself. Concealed from the new houses and accessed off a long, private drive, the future occupants of this outstanding stately home will be the envy of Worcestershire.

“However, having acquired Hadzor Hall in a sorry state of dereliction three years ago, we have painstakingly restored the fabric of the building, emphasising its wealth of original features, whilst accommodating modern lifestyle preferences for multi-media wiring such as Bang & Olufsen technology. We have also obtained planning permission to create a 60 ft long indoor swimming pool and spa within the Hall, whilst also creating an integral garage at the rear of the house for four large cars.

“But, we know that whoever the future owner turns out to be, they will want to have considerable input into the style and finish of the interior of the Hall. We have therefore taken the decision to sell the house largely restored, but in shell form. Although we expect the end value to be in excess of £3million, the £1.5million price tag we have attributed to the Hall in its purposely restored condition will enable the purchaser to not only dedicate a substantial amount towards fitting out the interior, but it is also likely to be a lucrative financial investment, given the potential differential between what the property and its fit-out will cost compared to the end value.”

Now Grade II listed for its historical and architectural importance, the original Hadzor House was built for the Amphlett family in the reign of Queen Anne by the architect of nearby Hanbury Hall. The original construction was believed to be around 1702 but the main mansion is Georgian and dates from around 1779 with significant extensions around 1827.

Bought by John Galton, a member of a family of Dorset squires of the 17^th century in 1821, it remained in the Galton family until about 1930, when a college was established at Hadzor. The mansion was latterly used as a corporate headquarters and throughout its life the vast majority of the fine features have been carefully retained.   

Knight Frank’s Birmingham, Worcester and London Country House teams have been tasked with matching the house with a buyer, and regional industry expert Stuart Flint is confident the search will not take long.

Knight Frank Partner Stuart Flint comments: “To find a Georgian stately home of this quality is a rare occurrence in the Midlands market, meanwhile demand for such properties has never been higher. Possibly Hadzor Hall’s greatest asset is the practical, seamless layout of the accommodation, which as it stands in shell form could even be altered further to suit the future buyer.”

For sale freehold, the handsome frontage awaits visitors who are presented with a stunning façade with beautiful fenestration and a magnificent pillared portico. Built to dramatic proportions, the imposing entrance leads through to the reception hall and then further to a double-height grand staircase. To the right hand side of the Hall, the ground floor accommodation consists an expansive study, library, drawing room and stunning ballroom as well as providing potential access to a proposed indoor swimming pool. To the left of the central staircase, a guest cloakroom suite and dedicated boot room are accessed directly off the hallway, along with an elaborate formal dining room and a vast kitchen, family and informal dining area. Located off the kitchen is an integral four-birth garage – a rarity, even in internally modernised mansion houses such as this. 

Located off the first floor landing area are three useful storage cupboards, a guest cloakroom plus a large laundry/utility room. The palatial master bedroom has a self-contained en-suite and dressing area, which runs the whole width of the room and would house an extensive clothing collection. A further five bedrooms and four bathrooms are also located off the first floor and there are numerous access points to a grand balcony overlooking the manicured front gardens.

The focal point of the top floor of Hadzor Hall is a 64 ft long recreation room, which leads onto a large balcony. Two bedrooms, a bathroom, a store cupboard and an additional balcony are also located off the top floor, whilst a large self-contained flat with two bedrooms is located on both this floor and an upper first floor mezzanine level. A basement offering much potential additional storage space runs beneath virtually the whole footprint of the 17,500 sq ft house.

Mr Flint continued: “I expect the buyer of Hadzor Hall to be a newcomer to the country house market, but they may already reside in the Midlands. This property will suit anyone who doesn’t want to compromise on modern living whilst aspiring to a historic, grand Georgian property such as this. Hadzor Hall not only boasts a superb location with easy links to Birmingham and the motorway network, it also offers the acreage desired by those looking to spend a multi-million pound sum on a private house.

“Knight Frank’s database for parties who have registered an interest in a restoration project of this scale and budget is very extensive and due to the growing appetite for country estates in the Midlands, it is unlikely that an opportunity such as this will remain on the market for long.”

Hadzor Hall’s picturesque location is within easy reach of Droitwich Spa town centre, Worcester and Birmingham, being less than five minutes from junction 5 of the M5 and eight miles along the A38 to Worcester city centre.