I’ll Take This: Stately House

It’s not that I don’t love my wee house, but it’s kind of quiet without Connor here. A month or so after my last dog died, I upped sticks and moved to England, but that’s not in the foreseeable future. But a girl can look, can’t she?

It’s actually not the whole house, just a five-bedroom flat in one wing! Luckily, the house maintains some of its original features, including this gorgeous wood-paneled room. And check out the ceiling. It’s great to see a light fixture that’s appropriate to the space, isn’t it?

Here’s another view, with a better look at the elevated sitting area.

I love this sitting area, too… especially with the diamond-pane leaded glass. We had windows like this at the house where we grew up and I adored the look.

Someone did a good job of incorporating a modern fitted kitchen into an old space.

The art work’s a little scary and the sconce is a touch high, but I like the size of the room!

Snug little guest room, or else the home for wayward chairs.

WOW! I could just live in half of the gatehouse!

Seriously, I’ve never seen a layout like this!

Here’s some background on the house:

At the time of the dissolution of the monasteries John Pakington persuaded King Henry VIII to sell him the Westwood estate of the Benedictine nuns for £22. Nunnery Farm and Nunnery Wood with their excellent shooting are still adjacent. Westwood was until the restoration of the monarchy used as a banqueting house and hunting lodge. The house was extended in Elizabethan times by Lusty Pakington a great favourite of Elizabeth I and modernised later with the present magnificent plaster ceilings donated by Charles II. The Elizabethan Suite occupies what was once the Banqueting Suite on the ground floor of the property, lit by large bay windows, overlooking the grounds.

The main entrance to the property leads you into the magnificent Great Hall which has a superb plaster work ceiling with all the original covings and wood panelling throughout. The large period open fireplace provides a vocal point to the room. The leaded windows with original stained glass bearing the family coat of arms from 1436 look out over the landscaped gardens, ancient parkland and a 50 acre lake.

For more information, click here.