An historic six-bedroom manor house near Wantage has monastic and royal connections stretching back to the time of William the Conqueror.
The land surrounding King’s Manor in East Hendred was recorded in the Domesday Book and changed hands only five times in the following 800 years.
After the Battle of Hastings, William granted the land to the Comte d’Evreux, whose grandson passed it to the Abbey of Noyon in 1140.
During the Hundred Years War, Henry V confiscated the land from the French monks and transferred it to the Carthusian Abbey at Sheen, whose monks built the gatehouse and a chapel.
At the time of the dissolution of the monasteries, Henry VIII seized the property and had the present Tudor house built. His daughter Queen Elizabeth granted it briefly to Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, and the crown appointed stewards of the manor for the next 300 years.
Finally, after the Napoleonic Wars, the house, land and outlying buildings were all sold off.
These days, King’s Manor includes the Tudor house, 15th-century gatehouse, an adjoining 17th century barn, all set in 1.2 acres.
The accommodation includes a drawing room, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, utility room, downstairs cloakroom, family bathroom and separate shower room.
The property has been home to the Clement family for the last 30 years. John Clement, who lives there with wife Penny, said: “Our three grown-up children all live abroad now and we are aiming to retire to Perpignan.
“King’s Manor is not a grand house but it has been a wonderful family home. We hope another enthusiastic family will take on the mantle of custodian of this fascinating place. We have a couple of paintings showing how it used to look and we’ll be leaving those for the new owners along with several historical documents.”
The property includes many character features such as leaded windows, open fireplaces, structural beams and an unusual red brick floor in the drawing room. One of the few of its kind in England, it is believed to date from 1632.
The Clements had the barn converted and it houses a library with a gallery and office space with a shower. Linked to the main house via a first-floor passageway, it includes a living room and two bedrooms.
Access to a kitchen in the gatehouse means it can be used as standalone accommodation or working space. There is also a separate entrance from the cobbled courtyard.
The landscaped gardens include an orchard, a kitchen garden, rose garden and a tennis court. There is also a double garage and cellar.
King’s Manor is on the market for a guide price of £1.8m. For more information, or to arrange a viewing, contact Savills 01865 339700 or visit savills.com
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article