Unique Rooms and Historic Splendor in a Medieval English Country House

Set on a 3-acre plot in the north Somerset countryside, Bircombe Court is a magnificently preserved medieval manor house. The core of the house dates back to the 13th century, and additions from later centuries turned the medieval home into an almost 5,500 sq ft home packed with historical features.

This historic home beautifully blends building styles from all centuries, from an exposed timber ceiling to a staircase salvaged from the medieval manor house Clevedon Court to a modern glass-fronted extension at the back of the house.

At first glance, the house makes a striking impression. Despite being built in different phases over the centuries, its exterior has a cohesive look thanks to a roughcast render finish. This is accented by trefoil casement windows, some with mullions, and topped with pantile roofs of varying slopes.

The architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner described the house as an “astonishing survival.” Its central hall and cross passage date back to the 13th century, and a solar wing was added to the south around 1441–42.

The earliest known record of the house is from 1331, when the Bishop of Bath and Wells granted permission to hold mass there. This tradition reflects its private chapel, which still exists today.

The porch tower at the entrance was originally built in the 15th century. It was extended in the early 17th century by adding two more storeys and a roof with an ogee (S-shaped) cap.

The main entrance features an open porch with a wide outer arch, originally sized for carriages. Inside, the arch is four-centred and framed with broad stone mouldings, suggesting the porch once served as a porte cochère.

A decorative vaulted ceiling (a tierceron vault) rests on carved head corbels, with heraldic ceiling bosses bearing the arms of the Courtenay, Perceval, and Gorges families. The floor is laid with large flagstones.

The central, galleried entrance hall is a dramatic, triple-height space with a soaring open-timber roof. The floor is tiled with pamment bricks, and a large open fireplace with a substantial bressummer (support beam) creates a warm focal point. A mezzanine gallery on the first floor overlooks the space, enclosed by a modern glass balustrade.

The ground floor has two sitting rooms flanking the open staircase. This open-plan sitting room has chamfered ceiling beams, deep ochre lime-plastered walls, and a fireplace set into an oak surround.

The mullioned, canted bay window offers views of the south-facing parterre garden.

The other sitting room on the ground floor is more refined, as this room was enhanced in a classical style in the 18th century. This room features wainscoting, decorative plaster cornices with dentil and egg-and-dart detailing, and an elegant Carrara marble fireplace with eared surrounds.

On the first floor in the south wing, the staircase leads to the drawing room. This dramatic space opens to the original solar roof structure, showcasing four arch-braced collar trusses with intricate tiered wind braces, creating a tracery effect.

The 13th-century gable wall is still visible, complete with original pigeonholes. The walls are deep green limewash, and a large medieval stone fireplace contains a Darby wood burner.

The imposing open-well oak staircase was originally built in 1883 for Clevedon Court and relocated here in 1960 after the west wing of that house was demolished.

Steps on the opposite side of the stairwell lead to the main kitchen. A trefoil timber tracery acts as a modern open partition connecting it with the drawing room.

The kitchen is centred around a large island with an oak countertop and plank-style cupboards. A double butler sink with a brass Perrin & Rowe mixer tap is inset, and a La Cornue range cooker stands opposite an open dresser.

Tucked away behind the chapel on the ground floor is a secluded ground-floor bedroom suite that opens onto a private courtyard garden.

The en suite bathroom is cleverly designed, with a bathtub positioned beside a floor-to-ceiling glass window offering views of a pond.

The modern glass-fronted, two-storey extension has been added at the north end of the house. Though contemporary, it has been thoughtfully placed at the rear of the property and built around an oak-beamed open-pitch structure that echoes the design of the original cross hall in the main house.

The master bedroom suite lies in the east wing, well-separated from the main living areas. It features a polished brass bateau bathtub by the north window and a spacious en suite with striking black-and-white marble flooring and a large walk-in shower.

The grounds surrounding the house feature a series of garden areas of various designs.

The house is listed for £2,850,000 at Inigo.