Chelvey Road, Backwell, BS48

Beyond an avenue of 46 mature lime trees, the stone gables and tall chimneys of Chelvey Court rise from approximately 5.53 acres of beautiful gardens and grounds. Dating from the early 1600s, this remarkable Grade II* listed Jacobean manor house has a history, atmosphere and character that can be felt throughout.

A HOUSE WITH A RICH HISTORY

Chelvey Court has been in the care of its present owners, two families, for around 40 years. When they acquired the property, both the house and grounds required considerable restoration. This work has since been undertaken with great care, following the principles of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings and preserving the original fabric and character of the house.

TWO HOMES, EXCEPTIONAL POSSIBILITIES

Offering more than 9000 sq ft of accommodation, the property is currently arranged as two independent family homes, with appropriate fire and sound separation. Each has its own kitchen, reception rooms, bedrooms and private garden areas, allowing two households to live independently while remaining connected.

The accommodation includes 11 bedrooms, five reception rooms, studies and workshops. It could continue to suit two families, provide an exceptional setting for multigenerational living or potentially be returned to one substantial country home, subject to the necessary consents. The studios, workshops and additional rooms also create possibilities for working or operating a business from home.

THE ACCOMMODATION

Arranged over three floors, Chelvey Court provides an extraordinary amount of flexible space.

The ground floor has direct access from the walled garden and includes a kitchen, several reception rooms, two bedrooms and a workshop. Pennant stone flooring runs through much of this level.

The rear sitting room is particularly impressive, with a substantial fireplace and access to the sunken garden. Its limestone floor is believed to predate the present Jacobean house and may have Tudor origins. The adjoining dining room provides an equally memorable setting for family occasions and larger gatherings.

The principal floor is approached through a magnificent historic entrance, creating an immediate sense of the scale and importance of Chelvey Court. It opens directly into the kitchen, from where the accommodation continues into a dining room, sitting room and bedrooms. The living spaces can be enjoyed separately or opened to one another for entertaining. Painted panelling, decorative plasterwork, carved fireplaces and tall windows give the rooms their individual character.

The upper floor provides further bedrooms and a spacious balcony with views towards the Church of St Bridget, where you can sit and enjoy a drink. The attic is another notable space, with a dramatic vaulted ceiling and an adjoining study.

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

At the centre of the house is a magnificent oak Jacobean staircase. Approximately six feet wide, it rises around a square stairwell beneath an elaborate seventeenth century plaster pendant. The stair hall has also become a natural gathering place, hosting Christmas carols and informal performances attended by friends and family, sometimes accompanied by a brass band.

Original features remain throughout the property, including stone mullioned windows, carved stone fireplaces, painted panelling, historic shutters, window seats, internal stone arches and sections of original oak flooring. Within the former main kitchen, an early 17th-century spit rack survives above the fireplace, with the ironwork of a kitchen crane within it, alongside a twenty-foot timber meat preparation slab thought to date from the 15th century. Several fireplaces are fitted with wood burning stoves.

GARDENS, GROUNDS AND WOODLAND

The gardens and grounds combine formal planting, productive areas, open space and established woodland.

Close to the house, separate walled gardens currently serve each of the two homes. Mature topiary, clipped hedging, a box parterre and a rill provide structure, with the neighbouring church creating an exceptional backdrop. A summerhouse and light filled studio offer peaceful spaces for working, relaxing or pursuing creative interests.

A secluded sunken garden can be reached directly from the house and through a passage beneath the entrance bridge. Elsewhere, lawns and old stone walls surround an orchard planted with apples, pears, medlar and quince. Raised beds and a greenhouse provide an established area for growing fruit, vegetables and herbs.

Beyond the formal gardens, the grounds continue through landscaped terraces, rising land and woodland planted with almost 1,000 trees. Paths wind through the trees, while a grassy amphitheatre adds another unexpected dimension to the landscape.

The high quality horticultural soil, orchard, greenhouse and productive gardens provide excellent potential for anyone interested in growing their own produce or pursuing a more self sufficient lifestyle.

Chelvey Court occupies a slightly elevated position with far reaching views towards Tyntesfield and Belmont Hill, as well as across its own gardens, woodland and parkland. The neighbouring Grade I listed Church of St Bridget provides an exceptional backdrop to this remarkable historic home.

Chelvey Court: In the Owners’ Words

Chelvey is an almost entirely Jacobean house, Listed Grade II*, virtually unscathed by Georgian, Victorian and 20th-century stylistic alterations.

In January 1985, the current owners moved into what was a semi-derelict pile and set about a long and careful repair of the place, starting with stabilising the whole of the East side, tying back the East walls where they had moved perhaps hundreds of years ago. Then came repairs to the ancient roof structure, adopting the tenets of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB).

SPAB principles have guided all the repairs which have followed in the last forty years. Walls are decorated with limewash in colours which the current owners mixed with traditional dyes, or distemper obtained from specialist suppliers.

“Chelvey never ceases to amaze us,” the current owners all agree. “The place is saturated with antiquity. What an adventure it has been these forty years!”

∗ A detailed condition report prepared by Morwenna Slade MRICS is available on request. ∗

Parking - Driveway

Parking - Double garage

Parking - Car port