Puddletown, Dorchester

An impressive Victorian country house of scale and character, set within generous grounds with a separate cottage and paddock, and offering exciting scope for improvement with additional land available by separate negotiation.

Introduction - Bardolf Manor is an impressive manor house, dating from 1895 and remaining in the same family ownership ever since. Constructed of Portland stone and set on the edge of Puddletown, the property enjoys convenient access to Dorchester and the surrounding area. The house is notable for its excellent ceiling heights and retains a number of charming period features, including fireplaces, wooden floors and wall panelling. It is understood that the original owner, Mr George Wood Homer, was a close friend of Thomas Hardy, who often visited the house.

The Property - The house is highly atmospheric and offers a strong sense of a bygone era, now requiring investment and modernisation. Bardolf Manor is substantial in scale and offers an excellent opportunity to re-model or reconfigure the accommodation to suit modern family living.

The accommodation currently comprises a reception hall, drawing room, dining room, kitchen, breakfast room, office and garden room. On the first floor there are six bedrooms and three bathrooms. The second floor remains largely untouched and provides five further bedrooms together with generous landing areas.

All of the rooms on the southern elevation benefit from exceptional and uninterrupted views across the adjoining farmland. These far-reaching rural aspects create a striking sense of openness and privacy, with the outlook changing beautifully through the seasons. The orientation ensures that these principal rooms are filled with natural light throughout the day, enhancing both the scale and character of the interiors and reinforcing the property’s strong connection to its surrounding countryside setting.

In addition to the main house, there is a separate cottage with attached store and integral garage. Bardolf Manor Cottage is of brick construction and is well presented, with accommodation comprising four bedrooms, sitting room, kitchen, utility room and bathroom. The cottage benefits from oil-fired central heating and a private garden.

Outside - Approached via a tarmac driveway lined with a variety of trees and shrubs, the property benefits from ample parking together with a further service road providing alternative access to Bardolf Manor Cottage and a range of outbuildings.

The formal walled garden lies adjacent to the house and is well stocked with a variety of fruit trees, together with a fruit cage. Predominantly laid to lawn, it also includes an indoor swimming pool which would benefit from some modernisation.

To the north of the house there is additional garden, again mainly laid to lawn, together with what was formerly a well-used tennis court.

Land - There is a paddock to the north-west of the cottage which forms part of the estate and extends to 2.57 acres, being enclosed by post and wire fencing and benefitting from a stable and water supply.

It is also noted that there is the possibility of additional land being available by separate negotiation. For further details, please contact the sole agents, Symonds & Sampson.

Situation - Bardolf Manor sits on the outskirts of Puddletown, on the road towards Milborne St Andrew. The village is well served by a range of local amenities including a village shop/post office, doctor’s surgery, veterinary practice, village hall, community library and The Blue Vinny public house. The village also benefits from both a primary and middle school, together with a recreation ground offering a cricket pitch, sports pavilion and children’s play area.

Puddletown lies in the heart of Dorset and enjoys attractive views over the surrounding countryside, with easy access to an extensive network of footpaths and bridleways, as well as Puddletown Forest to the west. The Jurassic Coast lies a short distance to the south, offering sandy beaches, outstanding coastal walks and a wide range of water sports.

The historic county town of Dorchester is located less than 5 miles away and provides a comprehensive range of shopping, dining and leisure facilities, together with mainline railway stations offering services to London Waterloo and Bristol Temple Meads. The A35 provides access to Dorchester, Weymouth, Poole and Bournemouth, while cross-channel ferry services are available from both Poole and Weymouth.

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Services - Mains electricity. Oil-fired central heating.
Privately owned wind turbine on neighbouring land, providing renewable electricity to the property, with any surplus energy exported back to the grid.
Private water supply currently supplied via a private borehole located approximately one mile away, with the installation of a new on-site borehole scheduled for August 2026.
Private drainage via a septic tank, with the installation of a new drainage system and soakaway scheduled for Summer 2026.

Broadband - Superfast speed available
Mobile - There is mobile coverage in the area, please refer to Ofcom’s website for more details. (

Council Tax Band - Dorset Council )
Bardolf Manor: Band H
Bardolf Manor Cottage: Band C

Material Information - A right of way will be granted over the track to the north, shaded brown on the plan, for the purposes of accessing, servicing, and maintaining the wind turbine, together with access to the service road leading to Bardolf Manor Cottage.

Photos were taken in February 2026.