Classic Country
A pastoral estate offers a glimpse inside England’s rich history.
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Sharephotos by: The Ad Works
February 1, 2006
The minute you take a seat in the dining room of Youlston Park, you become a part of its protracted history. The room was once a medieval dining hall, and ceiling beams from the 15th century are still visible. For over 600 years, people have broken bread precisely where you are seated.; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
The facade of Youlston Park was crafted from coarse-faced ashlar
stone. Wizened oak, copper beech and horse chestnut trees dot the parkland and
pleasure grounds on the 160-acre estate. (Click image to enlarge) Perhaps the best reason to rent out an English country home brimming with storybook history is to revel in the romantic feeling that you are visiting another era. Located in the countryside of North Devon, Youlston Park is entirely transporting. And it is no wonder. The earliest records for the estate date to 1066, and the home is listed as an architecturally significant structure, bearing the highest grade.
Owners Martin Bond Roberston and his wife bought the 10,000-square-foot property in 2001 with plans to eventually relocate there from London. Until that day arrives, the couple has chosen to rent out Youlston Park to private and corporate groups.
Before opening the doors of their country home—for £3,000 ($5,260) a day and up to £15,000 ($26,300) per week—the pair spent months restoring it to the state it was in following a renovation that took place ca. 1800.
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The bright Powderham Room, one of the estate’s guest
bedrooms. (Click image to enlarge)A continuum of British decor can be found within Youlston’s walls: Ceilings of the west wing (which was added on in 1670) are resplendent in baroque- style detailing; handpainted chinoiserie wallpaper from the 1760s hangs below coffered ceilings in the Chinese room; pine paneling, installed in 1800 with wood that was most likely gleaned from ships, lines rooms throughout; and the formal dining table, which seats 14, was made in the 1840s. "My eyes still water when I think about how expensive it was to renovate," Bond Robertson says with a sigh.
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The bathroom in the Sanford Room, another guest bedroom, features
modern fixtures from Fired Earth. (Click image to enlarge)The 160-acre estate accommodates groups of 10 to 16, with nine bedrooms that Bond Robertson describes as "a little bit quirky," due to their irregular sizes. Eight of the bedrooms have en suite bathrooms that have been updated with luxury fixtures, washbasins, tubs and showers. "The great thing about Youlston is it’s large enough to be impressive but small enough to be manageable," he says. "You don’t feel as if you are rattling around in some damp old English house."
Youlston Park
+44.1271.850.698
www.youlstonpark.com
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