Bruton, SomersetSold

Redlynch House

Designer: Clarence & Graves

Pleasure grounds, walled gardens and bluebell woods are all set within incredible parkland

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This exceptional apartment is situated in the Grade II-listed Redlynch House on the outskirts of the charming village of Bruton, Somerset. Unfolding over two floors and almost 4,500 sq ft of living space, the four-bedroom apartment is positioned as an elevated piano nobile with breathtaking views of the valley extending all the way to a local landmark, The Newt. The apartment has been meticulously restored by the current owners and esteemed interior designers Clarence & Graves, who had a vision to revive the home to its former Georgian grandeur. As a testament to the remarkable renovation the home was recently featured in Architectural Digest and Homes & Gardens. The design duo reinstated the original proportions and created a captivating vista stretching from the boot room through the kitchen and study to the drawing room beyond. Nestled in 25 acres of verdant grounds, including designs by Edwin Lutyens, the apartment has use of a swimming pool, tennis court and a combination of private plots, sprawling communal gardens and woodland — complete with gardeners on hand. Redlynch House is a true oasis away from the village centre, yet only a short walk from Hauser & Wirth gallery and Bruton’s train station.

We’ve written about life here in more depth.

Setting the Scene

Redlynch House, a majestic country residence with ancient origins, is set in the esteemed Redlynch Estate and park. Originally designed in the 18th century, the formal gardens now feature early 20th-century elements envisioned by the renowned Edwin Lutyens, the English architect acclaimed for his creative adaptation of traditional architectural styles. The estate has magnificent woodland, wonderful pleasure grounds, and enchanting walled gardens, all enveloped by breathtaking parkland. Enclosed in the early 17th century and skillfully landscaped in the mid-18th century, the parkland is a rural idyll where cows and lambs wander across rolling green pastures.

The current owners have transformed the interiors through a conservation-led remodel that has both enhanced and revealed period details. Stud walls were removed, new full-height, period-appropriate doors have been carefully crafted by a local carpenter and reclaimed Georgian floorboards laid in the kitchen. The entire property was re-wired and re-plumbed to provide exceptional services and a modern day level of comfort in a historic building.

Spanning the entire length of the south-facing apartment, the black-framed windows have deep sills and frame mesmerising views across the valley that have remained largely unchanged since the establishment of Redlynch House. For further historical insights, please refer to the History section. For more information, please see the History section.

The Grand Tour

The entrance to Redlynch’s substantial private driveway is marked by 19th-century stone quadrant walls surmounted with elegant metal railings. Flanking a pair of cylindrical stone piers crowned with domed caps, these walls lead to a set of exquisite wrought-iron gates. The driveway gracefully winds its way to a carriage turning circle, unveiling the entrance to Redlynch House itself. An imposing front door opens to the grand oak-panelled hall shared by all the apartments. From here, a sweeping staircase ascends to the first floor and to the apartment’s entrance.

Upon entry, a wide hallway leads to a boot room, complete with cupboards for coats and shoes and a spacious Lefroy Brooks sink set in coral-painted DeVOL cabinetry. At the heart of the home is the warm and inviting kitchen. Painted in the captivating hue of ‘Muga’ by Paint and Paper Library, the room has bespoke cabinetry designed by Clarence & Graves in collaboration with DeVOL, cleverly designed to feel like a unified dresser, bookended with a double pantry cupboard and double Fisher & Paykel fridge freezer. Above the honed marble countertops, striking striped wallpaper by Ralph Lauren acts as a bold splashback. A dark green Aga stove takes centre stage, complemented by two wall sconces that hold candles, creating a wonderful glow in the evenings. Lassco-sourced reclaimed Georgian floorboards run underfoot, while Spanish tiles salvaged from a farmhouse elegantly frame the Aga.

At the opposite end of the plan lies an expansive drawing room, where walls are painted in the soothing shade of ‘Blue Gray’ by Farrow & Ball, perfectly complementing a wood-framed working fireplace. The building’s original safe is set into one of the walls, which at one stage would likely have been the Duchess’s bedroom.

The dining room is home to an elegant fireplace with a raised hearth inspired by the open fires found in traditional Italian kitchens. Beyond the dining room is a further drawing room, equipped with bespoke library shelving centred around a large screen. The room has an intimate, private air, painted in the rich hue of ‘Green Smoke’ by Farrow & Ball and with a Clarence & Graves fireplace made from local stone, lined with reclaimed checkerboard tiles. These subtle touches create a cosy space perfect for film nights. Smart new column radiators have been installed throughout the apartment.

In the middle of the floor plan is a smaller study room, its walls elegantly lined with wallpaper from House of Hackney and incredible pastel-coloured checkerboard tiles sourced from a hacienda in Seville. From here, a staircase leads to the top floor, where the bedrooms are situated. The dual-aspect principal bedroom is a generous space with tactile sisal carpeting underfoot. The principal bathroom has another fireplace, accompanied by the same reclaimed checkerboard tiles. The jewel in the crown is the deep antique French château bathtub, discovered by the owners in Bordeaux, now updated with nickel taps by Aston Mathews. It is set against Cole & Son’s Orange Blossom wallpaper, transforming the bathroom into a sunny orangery. Three further bedrooms, one ensuite bathroom and a beautiful shower room are all connected by a wide hallway complete this floor.

The Great Outdoors

Redlynch House is enveloped by 25 idyllic acres of well-kept estate land, with numerous beautiful walks on the doorstep. The estate has a tennis court with breathtaking views across rolling fields and a heated swimming pool bordered by historic roses, perfect for watching the sunset. Additionally, a listed games house, manicured gardens, walled gardens and enchanting woodlands filled with bluebells, snowdrops and wild garlic complete the captivating surroundings.

This apartment includes four private garages and three sizable private sections of the garden situated within the sheltered walled gardens. Two sections are currently made up of a lawn with cherry trees, while another has been transformed into a vibrant flower bed. A set of stairs in the Japanese garden lead to an elaborate wrought-iron gate nestled within a rusticated stone arch. This magnificent gateway, attributed to the creative genius of Lutyens, formed an integral part of his comprehensive vision for remodelling the house and gardens in 1913.

Out and About

Bruton’s excellent dining options include the Michelin-starred Osip, The Old Pharmacy, At the Chapel, The Newt and Roth Bar and Grill at the must-visit Hauser and Wirth gallery. For the home chefs, be sure to pick up fresh ingredients at Durslade Farm Shop. All can be reached in around five minutes by car or half an hour by foot from Redlynch. In nearby Batcombe, Margot Henderson’s recently opened The Three Horseshoes adds to the excellent dining options in the area.

The town of Frome is also close by – around a 30-minute drive away. Frome’s growing community of independent shops, creative businesses and eateries include Rye Bakery, Projects Frome, Moo and Two, Frome Hardware, Eight Stony Street, and Frome Reclamation Yard. The Frome Independent, a monthly market showcasing local artisans and food producers, has also helped put Frome on the map, attracting over 80,000 visitors annually.

Surrounded by rolling fields and open countryside, the area is renowned for walking and cycling opportunities. Visit the breathtaking 18th-century landscaped gardens and Palladian mansion at Stourhead, a National Trust estate with a café, shop and gallery — all just a 15-minute journey by car. While offering the peace of the countryside, Redlynch is also well-placed to access some of north Somerset’s most popular cultural highlights.

North Somerset is well-renowned for its wealth of local produce, independent food producers and growers. Westcombe Dairy is easily reached for award-winning cheese and charcuterie. Landrace Bakery’s new outpost is now conveniently on-site, offering a daily dose of sourdough bread made from stoneground UK grains milled at the new Landrace Mill. There is a good selection of farm shops for organic produce, including The Slow Farming Company, a local distillery, and for field-grown flowers and herbs, Re-Rooting is also nearby.

The sought-after villages of Mells and Nunney also lie around 25 minutes north. Nunney is characterised by its historic centre and, most notably, its picturesque moated medieval castle built in the 1370s by a local knight, Sir John de la Mare. The village has a popular local pub, The George Inn. A popular spot for Sunday lunch is The Talbot Inn in Mells or wood-fired pizza from The Walled Garden opposite. Shaftesbury is easily accessed in around 25 minutes by car, and the fantastic coastline around Lyme Regis is around an hour’s drive away.

There is a selection of excellent schools in the area, including Sherborne School, Sherborne School for Girls, King’s Bruton, The Gryphon School, John Taylor High School and Abbot Beyne School. There is also a good primary school in nearby Zeals, Whitesheet Church of England Academy.

With easy access to the A303 and M3, London is reachable in under three hours. Rail connections are also very good, with Castle Cary approximately 15 minutes away by car, offering direct rail services to London Paddington in an hour and a half. Bruton station has trains to Bath Spa and Bristol in approximately an hour, which in turn have trains to Paddington in an hour and 20 minutes.

Council Tax Band: G
Tenure: Share of Freehold
Underlying Lease Length for the apartment’s three leases: 117 years, to be extended to 999 years
Service Charge: Approx. £6,000 pa for the house, and £11,400 pa for the grounds

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. Inigo has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.

History

Redlynch was established as a private estate in the 11th century and recorded in 1066 as one of the four estates of the ancient parish of Bruton. The area’s history dates back to Saxon when settlements emerged around a pre-existing priory. Over the centuries, Redlynch changed hands multiple times until it was conveyed to Sir Stephen Fox, a statesman and founder of Chelsea Hospital, in 1672 as a settlement for a debt. Starting in 1688, Sir Stephen initiated repairs and, in 1708/09, commissioned architect Thomas Fort to construct a new house adjacent to the old one.

However, Sir Stephen passed away in 1716 before the new house was completed. The estate and its extensive repair works were then inherited by his son, who gained the titles Lord Ilchester in 1741 through marriage – and became the Earl of Ilchester in 1756. As Lord Ilchester, he undertook significant improvements to the mansion house and the surrounding landscape, including creating impressive formal gardens that still exist today.

Garden wall construction began in 1729, followed by the development of a park based on a later plan. The park featured a shrubbery with mature trees and evergreen shrubs, as well as a series of walks to the north, a formal lake to the south, and a serpentine walk through wooded areas to the southeast. Between 1740 and 1762, the park reached its maximum size of 750 acres, and the enclosing wall was completed. Ornamental elements, such as waterfalls, a large pond, wild wooded areas, a deer park, a temple, a Chinese Seat, and Aviaries (now Grade II-listed), were also added. This extravagant estate served as a venue for Lord Ilchester’s entertainment of George III during the King’s visits to Weymouth.

Upon the death of Lord Ilchester, the estate was inherited by his son, the second Earl Ilchester, in 1776. The Earl proposed converting the park back to agricultural use, resulting in the abandonment of the mansion house for much of the 19th century. In 1901, the fifth Earl enlisted the renowned British architect Edwin Lutyens, known for his work on New Delhi, to restore the formal gardens and transform the estate’s service block (including stables, a coach house, and a servants’ wing) into a new house.

However, in 1912, the sixth Earl sold the estate, changing hands multiple times. Notably, local suffragettes are said to have set fire to some of the converted residential buildings around 1913/14 as part of a national protest against private collections of nude female paintings. During this time, the original mansion house was also demolished. From 1971 to 1982, the estate served as a school. In 1985, the house and stables were converted into apartments surrounded by communal gardens, while the Orangery was sold for residential use. The park continued to be used for agricultural purposes. Notable residents of Redlynch include American author John Steinbeck and his wife, who resided there while researching his retelling of the Arthurian legend, The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights.

Prominent surviving elements of the original estate include The Towers, an imposing Gothic-style gateway with twin circular turrets, listed as Grade II*. It is believed that Lord Ilchester constructed this structure to impress King George III, who frequently visited Weymouth. The Church of St. Peter, also Grade-II* listed, dates back to 1750 and remains in its original location at the edge of the estate.