Sporting Estate for Sale: The Great Bradley Estate, Somerset

Features

• Principal house with five en suite bedrooms and indoor swimming pool
• Two cottages
• Shoot lodge
• Stable yard
• Established high pheasant shoot
• Fishing and horse training facilities including a six furlong all weather gallop
• In all 364 acres (147 ha)

Location

Great Bradley occupies a fantastic south facing position with wonderful views over the expansive Exmoor countryside and the Barle valley. It is surrounded by it’s own land, which provides useful paddocks and attractive mature woodland including three Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). Much of the land is steep, running down into the Barle valley, so it is ideal for the private but renowned pheasant shoot. 

Great Bradley sits in a very private position, near the centre of the estate. It has easy access to the small village of Withypool, about 2 miles away which offers everyday facilities and an excellent pub. Dulverton is about 7 miles to the south east and has more amenities and specialist shopping. Slightly further afield Tiverton and Taunton have supermarkets and more comprehensive facilities including leisure and recreation.

Although Great Bradley is in the heart of Exmoor National Park, the M5 motorway can be accessed at Taunton (28 miles) or Tiverton (Junction 27). From Taunton the fastest mainline trains take about 1 hour 45 minutes to London Paddington.

Exmoor National Park

The National Park, which was designated in 1954, provides access for riding and walking over many thousands of acres of open moorland and its historic coastline, all directly accessible from the property. The whole area has an abundant selection of wildlife and the present owners have carried out careful conservation work to nurture the wild flora and fauna.

Great Bradley Farmhouse

Great Bradley sits in an enviable position hidden from public roads. The main entrance drive is of tarmacadam and leads down through the estate to the house. The house comprises of a kitchen/ breakfast room, large dining room, drawing room, all with stunning views out over the Barle valley. Also on the ground floor is the utility room and indoor swimming pool with a small yoga studio.

On the first floor there are five en suite bedrooms all of a good size. The master bedrooms also has a dressing room and balcony to enjoy the scenic beauty. The drawing room has large French doors leading out onto the terraced garden.

The Gardens

The formal garden has a main lawn and series of terraces and garden compartments. The garden has spectacular views over the valley and the best drives that forms the core of the shoot. The terrace also leads round to a kitchen garden with fruit cage and slate bordered vegetable patches.

The Shepherds Cottage

The property has flagstone floor kitchen with two oven Rayburn and built in floor units. The kitchen leads to the sitting room with open fireplace and French doors to the south facing patio. On the first floor there are two bedrooms and a shower room.

Workshop

The workshop has concrete floor and currently houses an abundance of shooting materials with a small workshop area. There is also a large game chiller used extensively throughout the season. The workshop also has a mezzanine floor that currently provides additional storage. Nine kennels are located to the rear with hardstanding from the farms quarry.

Home Stables

The Stables, located in the court yard, comprise of two large stables and one foaling box with additional storage in the northern half of the barn. This provides easy and accessible riding from the house and could enable you to ride into the National park from your door step.

The Shoot Lodge & Keepers Cottage

The Shoot Lodge has been developed and created with the shoot purely at mind. It has a large dining room with in built bar for entertaining the guns after a days shooting. It also has a separate beaters’ dining room and small commercial kitchen. There is also a substantial Gun room which can hold a number of guns and bulk cartridge orders.  

Upstairs there are two bedrooms and a large sitting room kitchen with AGA and two separate entrances. A two further bedrooms and shower room are located on the ground floor. This is currently used by the Head Gamekeeper, however it could be split more effective to provide two independent properties.

To the rear of the Shoot Lodge is a greenhouse and a tennis court which is in need of repair.

The Great Bradley Estate Shoot

The topography and nature of the land at Great Bradley provides the most wonderful setting for a shoot of the highest calibre.

Great Bradley has been named as one of the top ten secret shoots on Exmoor. Drives such as Ham Wood and The River Drive provide birds of the highest quality. The shoot currently rents in three other blocks of land to provide additional drives. The highest point of the shoot 1,200ft above sea level which generates some high birds over the steep valleys.

Great Bradley has an excellent reputation for hospitality however, remains relatively unknown which is particularly important to the current owners. The Great Bradley shoot covers a total area of 454 acres and includes seven drives of partridge and pheasant. A plan of the drives and the additional land is available on request.

There is an opportunity for the buyer to either continue to run Great Bradley as one of the best private shoots on Exmoor or potentially to run the shoot commercially by renting in additional land if this is of interest. The 2018 / 2019 season are predominantly let although there are some, which can be made available.

Fishing

The fishing rights on the River are owned by the River Barle Fishing Club Ltd. The current owners have two shares in the company and this enables the current owner to fish on every day of the season. These shares could be made available by separate negotiation. The estate also has two fishing lakes, which currently have a selection of brown and rainbow trout.

Equestrian

Great Bradley has extensive equestrian facilities with horse walker and six furlong all weather gallop which is linked to a further two furlong training ring. These provide outstanding training facilities in addition there is a 37m x 31m steel portal frame barn with 24 boxes and rubberised walkways. The facilities also include a wash-down area and office. Consent for the current use is personal to the current owner. There is also an Olympic sized sand and rubber manège (40 m x 20 m) which is used as part of training facilities.

The Land

The Land at Great Bradley is a mixture of game cover, pasture and mature woodland. The majority of this land is permanent pasture and mature woodland due largely to the topography. The current owners take two cuts of hay for racehorses off the level pasture. The rest of the land is currently grazed by livestock.

Method of Sale

The property is offered for sale as a whole by private treaty.

Tenure and Possession

The freehold ownership of The Great Bradley Estate is available with vacant possession on completion.

Sporting Rights

The shooting rights are included in the sale although the vendor may retain the shooting rights for the 2018/19 season. The benefit of sporting rights which are leased from neighbouring land owners may be transferable by negotiation.

Badgworthy Land Company Ltd.

BLC own the hunting rights across the estate. It was formed in 1926, and owns the hunting rights across thousands of acres - most of them donated by hunting farmers when their land was offered for sale. Sporting and ancillary rights are rented by the vendor from The Badgewothy Land Company Ltd. on a five year licence.

River Barle Fishing Club Ltd

RBFC own the fishing rights on the river. The current owner has two rods in the company which could be made available by separate negotiation.

Holdover

The vendor may reserve the right to use the Great Bradley farm buildings, the shoot lodge & flat, beaters room for the 2018/19 shooting season.

Employees

The Transfers Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations will apply to any employees working on the property. There are currently two full time gamekeepers.

Basic Payment Scheme

The Basic Payment entitlements are to be included in the sale. The vendor will retain the 2018 payment.

Environmental Schemes

There are no environmental schemes currently in place.

Lock, stock and barrel

Lock, stock and barrel sale is possible. A list of equipment is available from the vendors agent.

Ingoing Valuation

In addition to the purchase price the purchasers may be required to pay for growing crops, new leys, acts of husbandry at cost or market value whichever is the higher and any items normally paid for at ingoing including enhancement, if appropriate. No claim will be allowed for dilapidations or any other matters.

Planning

The Shepherds Cottage is subject to a condition limiting the occupation to service occupancy or affordable rent. The American barn has consent for equestrian which is personal to the vendor. Details of the planning consents are available from Exmoor National Park Authority or the vendor’s agents.

Designation

The estate is located in the Exmoor & Quantock Oakwoods Conservation area and within the Exmoor National Park. The estate interacts with three SSSI’s that are The Barle Valley, River Barle and South Exmoor.

Fixtures and Fittings

All those items usually regarded as tenants’ fixtures and fittings are specifically reserved from the sale including garden statuary. Certain items may be available to a purchaser at valuation. Electrical and other appliances mentioned in the particulars have not been tested by the agents and therefore a prospective purchaser must satisfy themselves to the working order.

Guide Price: £4.5m

Viewing

Strictly by appointment with the selling agent.

Strutt & Parker:

• Salisbury - Charlie Evans - 01722 344042
• Exeter - 01392 248137

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