Historic Norfolk manor house with 10 bedrooms and a swimming pool goes up for sale for £2.75m

Wiveton House on the north Norfolk coast is entwined with history thanks to its links to the Romans and a 16th century merchant – and now it could be yours as it goes up for sale for the first time in 45 years.

As the name suggests, it’s nestled in the village of Wiveton, an area of the north Norfolk coast largely unspoiled by development and where there are neither street names nor lamp-posts. There’s even a dark skies policy – both out of respect for the ample wildlife you can find here, and to allow neighbours to make the most of Norfolk’s famous big skies.

It’s currently on the market with Sowerbys for £2,750,000 but it’s believed that people have been living on the site for at least 2,000 years. Many traces of Roman occupation have been found over the years, including a rare Octavian coin.

The foundations of a substantial 14th century building have also been discovered in the wood and a dig conducted by archaeologists from Cambridge suggest that the 16th century part of the current house probably once belonged to a wealthy merchant.

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In 1909, the whole house was revamped by Smith & Brewer, a well-known architect firm of the Arts and Crafts movement, which also completed work on the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff and made additions to the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. The architect’s original drawings for alterations to Wiveton House are currently held in archives at the University of Texas Library.

During the Second World War, the house was requisitioned by the transport corps before becoming a beloved family home. The current owners bought it in 1976.

Highlights include three large reception rooms on the ground floor, as well as a kitchen, snug, utility area and play room. There are six bedrooms, three bathrooms and a music room on the first floor, while the second floor, split into an east and west wing, offers an additional four bedrooms.

The house stands in mature walled gardens with large south-facing lawns. A separate enclosed garden also surrounds a luxurious solar-heated swimming pool.

Beyond the main house, there are a number of paddocks, a grass tennis court and around three acres of meadow and mixed woodland. Over 100 species of birds have been recorded at Wiveton over the years, with several rare visitors. The wood is currently being allowed to go wild and is home to nesting buzzards and hens, but the property would be well suited to a menagerie of family pets, too. The current owners say that, since living here, it’s also been home to numerous dogs, ponies, pet pigs and even a Jersey cow.

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Also included in the sale is the property’s 18th century barn. It is one of the largest in the county and one of the few to remain unconverted, with original wood threshing floor still in the centre. As a result, it offers fantastic opportunity for a sympathetic restoration.

The sprawling grounds and idyllic location mean the property is a real crowd-pleaser, whatever the weather. In the 1980s, the current owners would host huge bonfire parties in the grounds, followed by supper in the barn, and in July 2011, it was also the setting for a big, three-day wedding, with five huge tents in the garden.

Wiveton House is at the north end of the Glaven Valley conservation area, and has two entrances with a private drive and a double garage.

While it provides an idyllic escape itself, it’s also only a stone’s throw from north Norfolk’s stunning coastal path between Blakeney and Cley.

Contact Sowerbys on 01263 710777 to find out more.