Tarn Bank Manor House

Tarn Bank Manor House

John W Fletcher of the historic and influential Fletcher family built Tarn Bank in 1825 as a 6 bedroom Manor House extending in total to 643.3m2 (6924ft2). Interestingly, since then it has only changed hands three times the most recent time being in 1979 when it was bought by its current owner. This is an indicator of just how rare an opportunity is presented here. The house is stone built and rendered under slated hipped roofs with ashlar chimney stacks. The main house was divided to make it a four bedroomed, two-bathroom property with two large reception rooms, spacious kitchen, a capacious hall together with four cellar rooms. A lift has been installed for the use of the current living accommodation.
The remainder of the original property (coloured blue on the ground floor plans) with 5 ground floor rooms and 3 first floor rooms is completed to a first fix stage. These rooms were previously accessed from a hall where the lift is currently installed. A prospective purchaser may wish to restore the main house to its original configuration or develop into separate living accommodation, this could be achieved relatively simply.
Tarn Bank Cottage.
Tarn Bank Cottage extending to 107.4m2 (1156ft2) which is located separately to the manor house and is accessed from the courtyard. The cottage is an 'L' shaped and comprises a two-storey building with 2 ground floor rooms and 3 first floor rooms and an integral former coach house (currently used as a garage) with living accommodation above, there is an attractive cylindrical tower leading to single storey living quarters. Tarn Bank cottage is also partly renovated and completed to first fix stage.
Out-buildings at Tarn Bank
Tarn Bank has the benefit of a range of outbuildings from the impressive former stables to the small boiler room. The outbuildings are all well maintained and regularly used and are further described below;-
Traditional Stable block
Built in 1873 of solid stone construction over two storeys with a slated pitched roof and central clock tower with double timber doors. The ground floor is divided into 3 useful rooms currently used for workshop or storage space with mainly cobbled floors. Stairs to the first-floor lead to a further three rooms all currently providing
storage space. The stable sits adjacent to Tarn Bank cottage on the edge of the courtyard.
Machinery store
A modern single storey building constructed of block with concrete render under a single pitch slated roof with double timber doors and a single pedestrian door. Divided into two rooms with concrete floors. Located on the edge of the courtyard and maintained in good condition.
Smaller outbuildings
Including a small boiler room which houses the boiler, the groundsman's room, outside w.c. and rear store to the stable block

Gardens
Tarn Bank has immaculate grounds which have been meticulously tended by the devoted groundsman for decades. There are expansive of lawns to the front of the property edged with mature shrubs and trees. To the side are the attractive and fragrant rose beds and various raised beds and shrubs leading towards the wooded area at the bottom with its winding path along the top of the bank. The southerly side of the grounds has further well-kept lawns with a large vegetable patch and a greenhouse with its grapevine and view across the open countryside.
Observatory building
John W Fletcher had an observatory built for his budding astronomer son Isaac, in 1848 which was second only to the Greenwich Observatory at the time. By the time he was 30, Isaac Fletcher was held as an astronomer of national repute. Isaac's observatory has an 18ft tower and 14ft dome and is constructed from stone with rendered finish with decorative external masonry work. The dome section has four timber arch windows and four side windows. After his death in 1879 the actual telescope was bequeathed to the Greenwich Royal Observatory and eventually found its way to the Ward Observatory in Wanganui on New Zealand's North Island. The observatory was designated as a Grade II listed building in 1985. The building is now empty with floors under construction and walls stripped back to the stone in parts.

Agricultural Buildings
Known as 'Low Yard' and set south-east of the mansion house next to the beck are a collection of agricultural buildings belonging to Tarn Bank. These were built by the Musgrave's who were a local farming family who bought Tarn Bank in 1925 and decided to start a pedigree herd. The buildings briefly comprise:-
Stone open fronted barn with; four bays under a pitched slated roof, currently used as a wood store
Modern machinery shed; constructed from a combination of block and brick with double doors under a mono pitched roof clad with box profile sheeting.
'L' shaped former stock shed; constructed from a combination of red brick and concrete block with rough cast render and double doors.
Agricultural land & Woodland
As part of Lot 1 are three parcels of agricultural land extending to 5.59ha (13.81ac) and 1.44 ha (3.55ac) of mixed broadleaf woodland in a ring fence around Tarn Bank offering a well-proportioned estate. The woodland is divided into separate parcels. The parcel to the east of the mansion house is located on the edge of the gardens and stretches around to 'Low Yard' buildings following the bank and the beck. Paths have been cut and maintained through it for the amenity benefit of Tarn Bank's resident.

LOT 2 - NY0729 2853 1.65 hectares (4.08 acres) - GUIDE £40,000
Comprising a single parcel extending to 1.65ha (4.08ac) with roadside access and a mains water supply this good quality parcel offers plenty of options for prospective purchasers. The land has a generally westerly aspect and gentle slopes and undulations. Boundaries are a combination of hedgerows and post and wire netting fences which have been maintained in good order. The land is classified as 'Non-SDA by DEFRA/Rural Payments Agency or 'lowland' and is not part of an Environmental scheme.

LOT 3 - NY0729 6899 & NY0729 7079 15.66 hectares (38.70 acres) - GUIDE £310,000
This block of good quality agricultural land comprises two parcels, is located northeast of Tarn Bank and is separated from Lot 1 by the private Tendley Quarry road. The land has roadside access and a mains water supply. Boundaries are formed from a combination of post and wire netting fences, hedgerows with walls in parts. It has a generally westerly aspect and gentle slopes and undulations. The land has been managed in recent years by mowing and grazing. The land is classified as 'Non-SDA by DEFRA/Rural Payments Agency or 'lowland' and is not part of an Environmental scheme.
Lot 1 - Manor House, Gardens, and buildings set in 20.79 acres (8.41ha) Guide Price £1.35m
Lot 2 - 4.08 acres (1.65ha) a single field Guide Price £40,000
Lot 3 - 38.70 acres (15.66ha) Guide Price £310,000

Council Tax Band: E (Allerdale Council)
Tenure: Freehold

Marketed by: Mitchells Land & Property, Cockermouth