Duke of Wellington's Norfolk home is for sale for £2.65m

Hilborough Hall is set within 11 acres of Norfolk countryside, between Swaffham and Thetford, and enjoys fine views over the neighbouring parkland.

Nestled within the park and in direct view of the hall is Hilborough Church, which was presided over by the Nelson family for almost two hundred years, as rectors, with several members of the family buried in the churchyard.

The family left the area for Burnham Thorpe shortly before Horatio Nelson, who would later become one of history’s greatest naval commanders, was born.

Inside, the property is full of fine architectural detail and elegant living spaces (Image: Savills)

According to historical records, a house has existed on the same site as far back as the early 17th century, although the existing hall was built in 1779 for Ralph Caldwell, who was a former land agent to Holkham Hall.

The listing details say that Holkham “clearly provided some of the inspiration” for Hilborough Hall’s design, including the use of gault brick and much of its external detailing such as its balustraded windows.

In the mid 19th century, the property was the home of Arthur Wellesley, who served as an MP for Norwich and Aldeburgh and, upon the death of his father in 1856, became the second Duke of Wellington.

Later owners included the wealthy Mills family. Betty and Charlie Mills’ life at the hall was documented in Mary Strickland’s biography, The Lady at the Hall, and they are described in the blurb as being “glamorous, extravagant and arguably the most generous hosts in the land”.

The interiors boast fine Adamsesque interiors and elegant room sizes (Image: Savills)

The property requires some upgrading and refurbishment but could be restored to its former glory (Image: Savills)

It’s understood that, under their care, invitations to Hilborough Hall were highly coveted – including by royalty, the rich and famous and “simply the interesting”.

“While Betty was striking, witty, controversial and frequently shocking,” the blurb goes on to say, “Charlie was the perfect foil – handsome, charming, knowledgeable and a perfect gentleman.”

Today, the house stands tall and proud and offers huge potential for restoration and refurbishment. It's being jointly marketed with Savills and Sowerbys at a guide price of £2,650,000.

“This house has such presence and will be a complete masterpiece when restored to its former glory,” says Savills’ property agent, Ben Rivett.

It’s understood that extensive work may be required to fully restore some parts of the house, and interested parties are advised to contact Savills, prior to viewing, to discuss the scale and scope of the renovations.

The proportions of the rooms are impressive (Image: Savills)

The rooms are well-proportioned, with high ceilings and an extensive service wing (Image: Savills)

There is no denying, however, that it is an impressive home, offering around 16,000 sq ft of living space and exceptional architectural detail, including the Adamesque plasterwork inside – a neoclassical style popularised by William, Robert and James Adam.

It was reputedly completed by William Ivory, an 18th century architect who was involved in the remodelling of Blickling Hall.

The south and west-facing wings of Hilborough make up the bulk of the formal reception rooms and offer the layout a brilliant flow – something which has no doubt been enjoyed by generations of guests, from the Duke of Wellington right through to the Mills’.

READ MORE: Huge country house is for sale for £1.3m

Distinctive architectural details include the tall sash windows, which flood the spaces with natural light, and the impressive drawing room, which extends the entire width of the house, at around 12m by 5m, and features distinctive plasterwork on the ceiling and an open fireplace.

The layout also includes a large entrance hall with a fireplace, formal study, morning room and staircase hall, as well as a large dining room located towards the rear.

A large cellar sits beneath the Georgian wing of the house and could be used in a number of ways (Image: Savills)

The service wing includes kitchens, sculleries and store rooms, which could be incorporated into the main house (Image: Savills)

Beneath the Georgian wing is the original cellar which measures around 1,500 sq ft and offers great scope for further use.

The service wing of the house is linked by a selection of wide halls and hidden doors and openings and provides several areas of interest including several kitchens, sculleries and store rooms, which could be incorporated into the main house.

Fourteen bedrooms are spread over the first and second floors, together with a first-floor apartment which could be used by a housekeeper, nanny or relative. Alternatively, it could be incorporated into the main house and used as further bedroom space.

The master bedroom is particularly spacious and features an adjoining dressing room with fitted cupboards and an en suite bathroom.

The bedrooms are arranged on the first and second floors (Image: Savills)

All the bedrooms enjoy lovely views over the gardens and surrounding parkland (Image: Savills)

Many of the remaining double bedrooms also have feature fireplaces and all enjoy lovely views out over the gardens and parkland beyond.

To the front of the property there is a large parking and turning area, and there is a good-sized courtyard behind. This currently hosts a partially-built coach house, as well as a selection of both permanent and temporary storage buildings, which could be used and adapted in a variety of ways.

The gardens are predominantly laid to lawn and sit mainly to the west, south and east, with the latter stretching away from the house through an avenue of yew and leading to a woodland.

Today, a lot of the garden is overgrown, but not beyond taming, and much of the original framework still remains. Within the hall there are several photographs of the gardens in their prime, which could provide inspiration for how the 11 acres could be restored.

Both the house and gardens require TLC but offer huge potential (Image: Savills)

The property dates back to the 18th century and its design is thought to have been partly inspired by Holkham Hall (Image: Savills)

Areas of woodland, including impressive oak, beech, lime and fir trees, create an impressive backdrop to the hall.

At the entrance to the drive there is the remains of a lodge cottage. Planning consent was granted for the cottage to be extended to offer three bedrooms, a kitchen/dining room, sitting room and study, with footings and walls placed where work had begun.

For more information, contact Savills on 01603 229229 or Sowerbys on 01603 761441.

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