Lingen Hall

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Lingen Hall occupies a village edge setting on the Shropshire / Herefordshire border. Renowned for its unspoilt, rolling, and scenic countryside, it is a true haven.

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The village of Lingen is situated between the former Radnorshire County town of Presteigne on the Herefordshire / Powys border (5 miles to the south-west), the market town of Knighton (9 miles to the north-west), the Herefordshire village of Wigmore (4 miles to the east) and the very popular town of Ludlow (10 miles north-east). Lingen itself offers a church, village hall and public house, and sits within the catchment for Wigmore’s primary and secondary state schools. The private sector is also well catered for within a comfortable distance. Further convenience facilities can be found in Ludlow, Presteigne and Knighton, with larger towns such as Hereford and Hay on Wye all a short drive away.

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Lingen Hall is a real hidden gem, yet very accessible from surrounding local and national communications. Home to a girls’ boarding school when they were evacuated during World War 2, it still has the girls’ name tags in place today in the airing cupboard. The Hall was originally part of the Lingen Estate that comprised 1600 acres, once owned by the Gisbourne family from Derbyshire, then by the Earl of Shrewsbury, who sold off most of the farms. In 1959, it was acquired by Sir Alfred Nicholas, whose family has enjoyed the rural retreat for over 60 years.

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Almost all rooms are oozing with ambience and character. Fine finishings, high ceilings, generous dimensions, and decorative fireplaces (some with woodburning stoves, others open fires) give the rooms elegance and a focal point. Large sash windows throughout provide abundant natural light, making the entire Hall feel light and airy. The grand staircase is a true delight, crafted by local carpenter George Mellins.

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To one side of the Hall, the Ballroom was added in the 1920s for a family wedding celebration. This extension is the reason the previously red-brick Hall is painted white today.

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Lingen Hall has very generous reception space on the ground floor, beginning with an Entrance Hall leading off the driveway, through to a Reception Hall with a cosy open fire and Store Room off. From the sweeping Hallway, doors lead into a formal Dining Room with a Clearview stove and French doors opening onto the terrace, a Breakfast Room with a door onto the terrace, and a beautiful, spacious Drawing Room with a large open fire and French doors opening on the terrace. The Ballroom (13.69m x 7.14m) is a real highlight, ideal for entertaining, with a woodburning stove at each end and more doors onto the terrace. A secondary Entrance Passage leads into a Twin Cloakroom.

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The Hall’s ‘T’ wing comprises several utility rooms including a Kitchen with fitted units, dresser and coal/wood burning Rayburn, a Butler’s Pantry with fitted units and Saferoom, a Freezer Room, walk-in Larder with cold stone, Drinks Cupboard, Cleaner’s Cupboard, Study, Utility, Store Room and Boot Room, and two further doors to outside.

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The grand oak staircase leads to the Landing, which in turn leads to the newer extension over the Ballroom providing a WC, Shower Room and two Double Bedrooms. Off the main Landing are a further four Double Bedrooms with the Master Suite with a Jack and Jill En-Suite, and a Family Bathroom with a rolltop bath.

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Along the ‘T’ Landing are another three Bedrooms with a WC, two Shower Rooms and a walk-in Airing Cupboard. From here fall steps leading down to what were originally the Servant’s Quarters, providing three unmodernised Bedrooms and a Store Room. On the second floor, there are three Attic Rooms, a Store Room and the walk-in Loft with the water header tanks with frost protection switch and Bell Tower. There are Greater Horseshoe Bats resident within this space and there are openings within the Bell Tower. It was this area that the girls’ school occupied, with lessons taking place on the ground floor.

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The Hall is approached via a charming driveway from the public road, which crosses a stone bridge over the Limebrook and sweeps up the hill to a large turning circle and parking in front of the property, before leading through to the garaging and the rear. The lamps along the driveway were previously located on Edinburgh’s Princes Street.

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The grounds are delightful, presenting a well landscaped, low maintenance design. An extensive paved terrace offers stunning views of the valley and surrounding woodland. Beyond the terrace is a beautiful croquet lawn encased within mature hedges and trees making a secret hideout. Further down along some steps is a Sunken Garden, a charming ground consisting of mature trees, shrubs and ornamental bushes together with conventional floral beds and a wildlife pond.

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Adjacent to the main house is a generous range of garages and outbuildings which boast a multitude of purposes as well as providing additional accommodation for personal or commercial benefit. Situated below the Hall is a seven-acre paddock with a useful timber framed field shelter.

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The Limebrook, a tributary of the River Lugg, meanders along the edge of the paddock. The estate comes with fishing rights one mile either side of the stone bridge. Directly behind the Hall is over 3 acres of predominantly coniferous woodland, through which there is a public right of way.