High Wych Road, Sawbridgeworth
- Land size
- 1.3 acres
- Bedrooms
- 6
- Bathrooms
- 3
Key Features
- Striking period features throughout
- Large double garage with electric door
- Underfloor heating
- Ideal for multi-generation living
- Prestigous location with a short walk to the town and train station
- 1.3 acres of historic grounds
- Planning approved for further enhancements
Description
Set in the heart of Sawbridgeworth House is more than a residence; it is a living chapter of English history. Once home to Thomas Rivers, the pioneering horticulturist whose work reshaped fruit cultivation and brought him into correspondence with Charles Darwin, this distinguished Georgian house is steeped in over 300 years of botanical legacy.
Set within 1.3 acres of beautifully established heritage gardens, the main house offers four elegant bedrooms alongside a self-contained two-bedroom annex. presenting rare flexibility for multi-generational living or future investment. From refined reception rooms every space is designed to inspire and impress.
For those seeking a home with depth, character, and exceptional potential, Bonks Hill House represents a truly rare opportunity.
A refined Georgian home enriched with a contemporary artistic edge
The main house has four bright, beautifully proportioned bedrooms
Generous reception rooms with open fireplaces
Sleek, high-specification kitchen-diner overlooking the gardens with underfloor heating
A considered blend of period floors and fireplaces with elegant modern finishes
Adjoining annex with private living, kitchen & 2 bedrooms
Scope for multi-generational living or guest retreat
Sprawling 1.3-acre estate-style garden once part of the famed Rivers Nursery
Mature trees, historic plantings & open lawns
Large Double Garage with electric door
Shingle driveway with ample parking
Large Outbuilding/storage/office.
*All measurements are approximate and for guidance only. They should not be relied upon as statements of fact and buyers are advised to check measurements themselves.
House & garage: 4140 sq ft
Cellar: 90 sq ft
Barn: 1476 sq ft
4140 + 90 + 1476 = 5706 sq ft
🕰 Historical Legacy:
Home to the Rivers family, founders of Rivers Nursery (est. 1725)
Thomas Rivers pioneered new rose & fruit varieties—like the Early Rivers plum
His son, Thomas Francis Rivers, introduced the Conference pear
The family maintained a 400-acre nursery empire and published horticultural works still in use today
Direct ties to Charles Darwin through botanical collaboration
WWII: Requisitioned by the army; the house has stood through pivotal moments in British history
Now part of the Rivers Heritage Orchard movement
📍 Local Area:
Located in the picturesque Sawbridgeworth, steeped in agricultural and cultural heritage
Minutes to Sawbridgeworth train station with London Liverpool Street access
Excellent local schools, charming pubs, and independent shops
Walking distance to Rivers Heritage Orchard & community events
Quick access to Stansted Airport, M11, Bishop’s Stortford & Harlow
Map Location
Property details
- Tenure
- Freehold
- Council Tax Band
- H
- Date Posted
- 2026-05-02
Market Value Analysis
Compared with 1,131 Homes with Land listings in East Anglia (1+ acres).
Energy Performance Certificate
Energy Efficiency Rating
Based on UK Energy Performance Certificate standards (EU Directive 2002/91/EC)
Running costs are one side. Planning activity, flood history and ground risks for this location are in the full report.
Utilities & Restrictions
Utilities
- Electricity
- Ask Agent
- Water
- Ask Agent
- Heating
- Ask Agent
- Broadband
- Ask Agent
- Sewerage
- Ask Agent
Rights & Restrictions
- Public Rights of Way
- Ask Agent
- Private Rights of Way
- Ask Agent
- Listed Property
- Yes
- Restrictions
- Ask Agent
Listed status, conservation areas and planning constraints for this location are in the full report.
Property Features
- Accessibility
- Ask Agent
- Parking
- Garage, Driveway, Off-Street Parking
- Garden
- Patio, Private Garden
Beyond the particulars: planning activity, flood history, heritage and ground risks, checked for this exact spot.
Connectivity
Broadband
Fastest speed available at this postcode
1.8 Gbps
Gigabit full fibre
Suitable for
- 4K streaming on every screen
- Full-time home working
- Online gaming & big downloads
Mobile signal
Outdoor predictions; indoor signal depends on building materials.
Ofcom Connected Nations postcode-level predictions. Speeds and signal are modelled, not measured, and vary between addresses and providers.
Signal is the easy part. Planning activity, flood history and protected designations here are in the full report.
Nearest Schools
Primary
- Fawbert and Barnard Infants' School902 metresOfsted: Outstanding
- Ages
- 3 to 7
- Pupils
- 211
- Type
- Community school
- Mandeville Primary School0.6 milesOfsted: Good
- Ages
- 3 to 11
- Pupils
- 318
- Type
- Community school
- Reedings Junior School0.7 milesNo Ofsted rating
- Ages
- 7 to 11
- Pupils
- 243
- Type
- Community school
- High Wych Church of England Primary School0.9 milesNo Ofsted rating
- Ages
- 3 to 11
- Pupils
- 224
- Type
- Voluntary controlled school
- Faith
- Church of England
- Harlowbury Primary School1.6 milesOfsted report card · Jun 2026
- Ages
- 4 to 11
- Pupils
- 184
- Type
- Academy converter
Secondary
- Leventhorpe0.9 milesOfsted: Good
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Pupils
- 1,463
- Type
- Academy converter
- Mark Hall Academy2.1 milesOfsted: Requires improvement *
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Pupils
- 867
- Type
- Academy sponsor led
- Burnt Mill Academy2.6 milesOfsted: Good
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Pupils
- 959
- Type
- Academy converter
- The Bishop's Stortford High School2.9 milesNo Ofsted rating
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Pupils
- 1,279
- Type
- Foundation school
- Gender
- Boys
- Bmat Stem Academy3.3 milesOfsted: Good
- Ages
- 14 to 19
- Pupils
- 240
- Type
- University technical college
* Latest graded judgement covers quality of education only; no overall grade was issued under the 2024-25 inspection framework.
Distances are straight-line from the advertised location. Source: the national school registers (DfE, Welsh Government, Scottish Government) and Ofsted.
Schools are just the start: sold prices nearby, planning activity and any flood history are in the full report.
Amenities
Supermarket
GP surgery
Pharmacy
Hospital
Green space
Straight-line distances from the advertised location. Sources: NHS records, Geolytix supermarket locations, OS Open Greenspace and the national trails registers.
The area stacks up? Now check the location itself: planning nearby, protected designations and past flooding.
Getting Around
Nearest station
Nearest bus stop
Typical drive times
Straight-line distances from the advertised location; drive times are typical free-flow times over OpenStreetMap road data, so allow more at peak. Public transport locations from DfT NaPTAN.
Easy to reach matters. So do planning activity, flood history and ground risks: all in the full report.
Flood Risk
From Environment Agency flood map open data, checked around the advertised map pin and allowing for the listed acreage where known. This summary comes from LandSale, the advertising platform, not from the listing agent, and is not part of the agent's particulars. Risk can vary across a single holding, so verify anything critical through your own searches before committing.
Rivers and the sea
Surface water
The detail behind these bandings
The full report pinpoints where this location sits on the flood maps, and runs the deeper checks that usually only surface after an offer.
- Exact flood zones & annual chances (included in the full report)
- Any recorded past flooding (included in the full report)
- Planning activity nearby (included in the full report)
- Heritage & conservation (included in the full report)
- Protected nature designations (included in the full report)
- Ground risks (included in the full report)
- Sold prices nearby (included in the full report)
£14.99 · one-off purchase
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© LandSale | Version 1.2 - January 2026
Listing agent
Fisher Estates, Colchester
27 Mile End Road, Mile End, Colchester, CO4 5BU









