Midway Manor, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire

Situation

Midway Manor is situated in an area designated as - an area of outstanding natural beauty - . It lies to the south of the picturesque Saxon town of Bradford-on-Avon, close to the city of Bath which provides first class shopping, educational, cultural and leisure facilities. London is accessible via
the M4 motorway (Junction 16 Bath or Junction 17 Chippenham).There is an excellent train service to London from Bath Spa Station and from Chippenham Station. Midway Manor and its extensive grounds are bordered by farmland.The village of Westwood to the north west offers a public house and The National Trust administered Westwood Manor.To the south east is a village of Wingfield with its public house and primary school.
Originally an Elizabethan manor farm and flanked by two large stone barns, Midway Manor became the property of the Shrapnel family in circa 1723. Originally cloth merchants in Bradford-on-Avon, their son lieutenant general, Henry Shrapnel (died 1842), famously invented the Shrapnel shell.
Henry Shrapnel resided at Midway Manor for much of his life and the entrance gate piers (listed Grade II) are each surmounted by canon balls.A stone carving wearing the Shrapnel family motto - ratio ultima regum - is immediately outside the entrance gates. On the back of the gate columns, the names of various battles in which the Shrapnel shell has been used are engraved. In 1892 ownership of the estate passed to Henry Bainton who significantly remodelled the earlier mansion house and necessitated almost completely rebuilding in the Elizabethan revival architectural style which was popular towards the end of the 19th century.The present owners acquired the property in 1988 and have improved the house and its setting enormously.This has included redecoration and restoration as required throughout the house and the creation of a relaxed family living area
following on from the kitchen/breakfast room and a leisure complex with indoor swimming pool and gymnasium.They have created the parkland, one of the property's greatest attributes, as well as a first class equestrian establishment. A huge programme of landscaping of both formal and informal areas of garden has been undertaken with good access provided by estate tracks.

Description

A fine pair of stone gate pillars with scalloped flanking walls offer automated iron gates opening onto a long drive, flanked by a double avenue of Horse Chestnuts and Hornbeam trees. Parkland borders the drive which forms a forecourt in front of the main façade.The handsome elocution offers a pair of double ashlar bays with mullioned windows and balustrading above.There is a triple gabled roofline with the elevations offering stone quoins and mullion windows.The Elizabethan revival
architectural style continues with the grand carved stone pediment above broad oak doors at the entrance to the house.A beautiful pasture garden enclosed by stone balustrading lies immediately in front of the house. A secondary estate road runs from a northern entrance next to the village
of Westwood. This provides access through the estate and serves theextensive range of estate buildings and Midway Manor's excellent equestrian facilities. On entering the Manor, marble steps lead up through the porch and into a large reception hall with its double height leaded light stone mullion windows.The principal reception rooms are accessed from here, each with a bay window overlooking the parkland grounds and enjoying an eastern or southerly aspect. A family area revolves well around the large kitchen/breakfast room which is flanked by a conservatory and a large living room. Both rooms have French doors opening onto and enjoying wonderful vistas across the formal gardens to the west of the house.There are useful domestic offices on the ground floor including a boot room, larder, utility room, temperature controlled wine store, carriage house andextensive cellars running beneath the reception hall.The first floor offers two well appointed principal bedroom suites both with en-suite bathrooms.There are two further bedrooms and a bathroom on the first floor.The second floor has five further bedrooms and a bathroom. A leisure complex offering swimming pool, large orangery, gym and shower room with sauna is beyond the living room. Forming a northern wing, it boasts of the same aspect and access over the formal gardens as the formal reception and informal living areas of the mansion.

Equestrian
Whist the property is primarily a fabulous country house it also offers huge potential with its equestrian facilities.This includes a purpose built stable yard consisting of 20 loose boxes with further boxes located in the surrounding outbuildings.The main yard benefits from tack room, feed
rooms together with numerous other storage and hay boxes. Two large agricultural barns house agricultural machinery as well as hay. At the top end of the formal gardens, far enough yet convenient to the house and main stable yard are two - schools - .The first is outdoors and the
second is an Olympic size indoor school with an specific artificial surface. The building was designed for dressage and is surrounded by mirrors together with a music system. The majority of the grounds is old pasture and surrounded by post and railed paddock.These are all supplied with water and are specifically designed for horses. An additional feature is a grass landing strip to the north of the house which is licensed for light aircraft.

Sporting
There are many sporting opportunities available locally; rugby at Bath, Bristol and Gloucester, horse racing at Bath, Salisbury, Wincanton and Chepstow, fishing on the River Avon, west Wiltshire equestrian centre and to the north Bradford-on-Avon and Babington House private members
club which offers a variety of sporting and leisure activities.

Gardens and Grounds
Formal Gardens A flagstone terrace borders the rear elevation with stone steps coming from the reception hall. A Rose covered pergola with classical columns runs along a southern wall with an ornamental pond at one end. A large lawn is at the centre of the garden. An Edwardian swimming pool with columns forming a screen is next to the house. Beside the pool stands a magnificent Wellingtonia with an ornamental pond and fountain at its base.The eye is drawn to a wonderful vista of Cyprus Firs forming an avenue, underplanted with Lavender.A Wisteria covered pergola at the end forms the entrance to an exceptional laburnum tunnel. High clipped hedges conceal the tennis court with its pavilion and two garden rooms; the first being a formal Rose garden and the second, an Italianate garden with a central carp pond. High stone walls and planting provide a great feeling of privacy and broad gravel walks enable full enjoyment of the splendid planting. A hidden garden of tall Roses underplanted by Irises and enclosed by Yew hedging borders the formal garden.

The Cottages
There are two cottages adjacent to the gardens. Each offers kitchen, sitting room, bedroom and bathroom.

The Stores
A large workshop and a series of garden and implement stores run along the northern side of the garden wall.This area offers gravel parking and a polly tunnel.

Home Stables & Greenhouse
An enclosure with hard standing and offering a stone and timber stable building with seven boxes. Large aluminium framed greenhouse on a block work base.

Arboritosa
To the south of the formal garden and separated from the park by a post and rail fence is the circular hedge.There are established avenues of Limes to one side and specimen trees planted throughout.

Estate Buildings
A yard to the west offers two timber buildings providing storage.Two Dero tanks and a horal.A yard to the north of the property offers a large open fronted barn.

Garages
To the north of the house, constructed of stone elevations under a single gable and slate roof.Three automated wooden up and over doors providing garaging for three cars. Parking area to front with central Oak tree. Fir tree bed to one side.

Plant
Lean to stone buildings housing a boiler and pump for indoor swimming pool. Oil storage tank.
Office Provides open workspaces with glazed doors opening into a private garden.There is a kitchen and toilet.The rear of the office has a wire enclosure for chickens with a number of hen houses.

Pasture Land and Airstrip
A large field to the north of the property is arranged as permanent pasture and has a licensed grass airstrip.

Accommodation

Porch, reception hall, drawing room, sitting room, dining room, cloakroom, hall, morning room, kitchen/breakfast room, conservatory, living room, boot room. Leisure complex with indoor swimming pool, orangery, gym and shower room with sauna. Galleried landing, principal bedroom with en-suite bathroom, guest bedroom with en-suite bathroom, bedrooms 3 & 4, bathroom, shower room. Large landing, 5 further bedrooms, bathroom. Utility room, larder, wine cellar, cellar, carriage house. Formal gardens, parkland, 2 cottages, office, stores, estate buildings, barn, paddocks, pasture land and woodland Garages and airstrip. Extensive equestrian facilities including stables, tack room, stores, large indoor school and outdoor school. In all about 109 acres.

Directions

Leave London on the M4 and exit at Junction 17.Take the A429 to Chippenham. On entering Chippenham turn right following the signs to Bath (A4). Just beyond Pickwick, fork left for Bradford-on-Avon, on the B3109. Pass through Bradford-on-Avon on this road towards Frome and
the gates to Midway Manor will be seen on the left hand side 1.5 miles outside Bradford-on-Avon.