Wheatbrigs House, Studley Park, Ripon

Outstanding small country estate with over 30 acres, discreetly situated within Studley Royal Deer Park.

Wheatbrigs House is a small country estate and arguably one of the finest positioned properties in North Yorkshire. The property enjoys a secluded setting within Studley Royal Deer Park. The property is approached along a half mile private drive with its own parkland on either side and enjoys the mature landscape setting from the original layout by John Aislabie of Studley Royal Estate. Although the property is in a secluded rural setting it remains within easy reach of Ripon, Harrogate, Leeds and York.

Alongside the principal house is a charming cottage in need of renovation together with a substantial number of traditional outbuildings, grassland paddocks, parkland, mature shelterbelts and oak woodland.

Wheatbrigs House has remained in the same ownership for 36 years, and its sale represents a truly rare, once-in-a-generation opportunity.

House: Porch, 3 reception rooms, conservatory, inner hall, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, prep kitchen, study, cloakroom, workshop, log store, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, adjoining double garage
Cottage: Porch, kitchen/dining room, sitting room, cloakroom/wc, bathroom, 3 bedrooms
Outbuildings: former agricultural and dairy barns, store, garage
Walled gardens, parkland, paddocks and mature woodland.
In all 31.5 acres

Find Out A Little More .... - Wheatbrigs House was built around 1750 for the Aislabie family as part of the Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Estate. John Aislabie, a former Chancellor of the Exchequer, retired to his estate and was instrumental in creating the celebrated landscaped park at Studley Royal. Following the break-up of the estate in the 1960s, it became a private residence.

The architecture of Wheatbrigs House portrays a larger country house. It previously served as the Head Gardener’s residence and later for the Agent of Studley Royal Estate. The privacy of the property is enhanced by the estate wall bordering the north and east.

Built of brick beneath a Westmorland slate hipped roof, the striking front elevation features round-arched ten-pane sash windows, a canted bay, a circular ‘oculus’ window and a stone parapet with pineapple finials. All principal rooms enjoy a southerly aspect with views across the parkland.

The kitchen/breakfast room - complemented by a utility room - is fully fitted with cabinets and granite worktops and bathed in natural light through tall windows that provide a lovely outlook over the garden and parkland beyond. A study, situated on the tranquil eastern corner of the house, enjoys panoramic views from three aspects.

There are three elegant reception rooms. The drawing room is beautifully proportioned, with windows to both north and south elevations, including a pair of arched sash windows and French doors opening onto the garden. A marble-inset open fireplace with a carved wooden surround provides a focal point.

The dining room contains some of the finest internal features including panelled walls, a dentil cornice and an ornate carved frieze above the fireplace incorporating motifs inspired by the surrounding estate, together with a window seat beneath a tall sash window. An additional sitting room features a deep bay window and a wood-burning stove set within a brick surround.

A traditional conservatory - with underfloor heating beneath a quarry-tiled floor - offers an appealing, light-filled living space with windows spanning its 30 ft length and French doors opening onto the terrace. To the rear is a log store with an external door leading to a workshop with storage above.

The principal bedroom with en suite bathroom, two further double bedrooms and a house bathroom lie on the first floor. Built-in wardrobes and eaves cupboard space provide useful storage.

The cottage is situated just behind the main house and, following a programme of renovation, could make a delightful residence with a front and rear garden, parking area and garage. It is detached, constructed of brick and pantile and dates from a similar period to the house.

Outside - The property is approached via a tarmac driveway leading to a parking, turning area and double garage to the side of the house.

To the front lies a delightful south-facing walled garden, laid mainly to lawn with rose beds and herbaceous borders planted with a variety of colourful perennials. In front of the conservatory is a paved seating area with alpine planting, a small pond with water feature and a venerable, productive apple tree. Stone steps rise to a raised sun terrace with a vantage viewpoint. An ornate wrought iron gate provides direct access from the garden into the surrounding parkland, where herds of red, roe and fallow deer roam freely.

The land is laid out as parkland and the current owners have planted additional parkland trees. Mature woodland provides shelterbelts along with a delightful woodland – known as Wheatbrigs Plantation – which lies to the north east and is predominantly mature oak, carpeted with bluebells in spring.

The grassland extends to approximately 26 acres, comprising productive grazing land, well-fenced and supplied with water, suitable for a variety of livestock.

Outbuildings - To the rear, the outbuildings extend in total to nearly 7000 sq ft and are arranged within approximately 0.6 acres. The outbuildings include:-

Substantial, double-pitched, former agricultural brick-built barns extending to over 5000 sq ft with internal former stable, enclosed store and pen. It has south-facing windows, roof lights, twin sliding barn doors and is equipped with power, light and water.
Former dairy constructed of brick and pantile with front and rear access and two windows.
General brick-built store with doors on the south and west elevations.
Garage of block construction with corrugated plastic roofing

Environs - Ripon 2 miles, Harrogate 10 miles, York 27 miles, Leeds 30 miles

With Studley Royal Park to the south, there are walks directly from the garden of Wheatbrigs House across the parkland to Fountains Abbey.

The position is superb. The property lies in an area steeped in monastic history, between the Vale of York and the Yorkshire Dales, in one of the most beautiful areas of rural North Yorkshire. Tranquil yet accessible, it sits just west of the city of Ripon - one of England’s oldest cities - with a cathedral and a fine rural hinterland. It is home to Ripon Grammar one of the top-performing selective state schools in the North of England. A range of excellent independent schooling lies within easy reach, including Aysgarth, Cundall Manor and Queen Mary’s School in Topcliffe.

Communications are excellent with the A1(M) lying eight miles to the east, Thirsk mainline railway station 12 miles and Leeds Bradford Airport within a 45-minute drive.

Important Information - Tenure: Freehold. The land is currently let on a grazing licence which terminates 31 October 2026.
EPC Rating: Exempt as Grade II listed
Council Tax Band: Cottage C, House G
Services & Systems: Mains electricity. 2 boilers. Oil central heating. Private water supply from the Studley Royal Estate. There is a meter and the owner is charged at commercial rates. Private drainage.
Fixtures & Fittings: All items in the written text of these particulars are included in the sale. All others are expressly excluded regardless of inclusion in any photographs. Purchasers must satisfy themselves that any equipment included in the sale of the property is in satisfactory order.
Local Authority: North Yorkshire Council
Money Laundering Regulations: Prior to a sale being agreed, prospective purchasers are required to produce identification documents in order to comply with Money Laundering regulations. Your co-operation with this is appreciated and will assist with the smooth progression of the sale.

Directions: From Ripon take the B6265 signposted Fountains Abbey and continue past the sign for Studley Roger following the park wall on the left hand side and, before Studley Royal Garden Centre, is a a gateway in the wall on the left hand side with a sign to Wheatbrigs House.
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Viewing: Strictly by appointment

Photographs, property spec and property highlights video: May 2026
NB: Google map images may neither be current nor a true representation.