House once part of the Wallington estate up for sale for £1m

An 18th century country house in Northumberland has come on to the open market for the first time in its history with a guide price of £1m.

The Garden House, which is grade 2-star listed, dates from 1766 and was once part of the Wallington estate, now managed by the National Trust. It was sold direct to the present owner in 1970 and is near Wallington’s walled garden, although it described as having an “idyllic” and “very private setting.”

The property has four bedrooms, a study, dressing room, cellar, a paddock and stabling, 1.25 acre grounds and a “stunning location and views.” It is being sold by A&G Land and Property, whose director Gareth Jones described the property as a “once in a lifetime“ opportunity.

He said: “It is a rare and special offering, with a combination of factors making it just wonderful. It is the chance to own a bit of history.

“Its listing demonstrates the quality of the building, its location, and history. It is a fabulous opportunity.

“The Garden House is an exquisite country home and originally formed part of the Wallington Estate until 1970, and is set within beautiful private grounds of around 1.25-acres”

The former coach-house is now used as a double garage with two adjoining pavilions, an enclosed 0.5-acre paddock with stabling, a tack room, hay store and a number of additional outbuildings.

It has previously never been available for purchase on the open market.

The Garden House was built at a time of great change at Wallington. Owner Sir Walter Calverley Blackett spent years transforming Wallington Hall and the wider estate, building landmarks such as the Cupola Clock Tower.

He was five times mayor of Newcastle and MP for the town. When he died, aged 70 in 1777, he was the oldest member of the House of Commons.

The Garden House would have been known to nationally famous landscape designer Capability Brown, who was born at Kirkharle, two miles from Wallington, in 1716 and who died in 1783.

Wallington had been bought in 1688 from John Fenwick by William Blackett, of the wealthy and socially powerful Newcastle Blackett family.

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