Whetstone Pastures House
• Whetstone Pastures House is a classic small country estate, comprising a large Country House, gate lodge, traditional range of stable outbuildings and approximately 27 acres of
mature gardens and parkland. Approached past the Lodge along a private, tree-lined drive which passes through the parkland, Whetstone Pastures House stands in a secluded rural position surrounded by beautiful mature trees.
• The main house is a striking villa-style property constructed originally for the Hind family, owners of the Swithland slate
quarry. It has been in the vendors’ family since 1910, and the main house used as a Residential Care Home for the past 40 years. It is now in need of significant renovation and improvement, but retains many fine period details and features, whilst providing for a variety of future uses, subject to the necessary planning consents (see Planning paragraph).
Accommodation
Whetstone Pastures House provides accommodation extending to about 9,400 square feet Gross Internal Area over three floors (with substantial cellars in addition), with largely rendered elevations under hipped Swithland slate roofs and stucco chimney stacks. Although the house requires a full programme of renovation, it could be restored to its former glory and offers many fine original features including cornices, sash windows,
fireplaces and wooden panelling.
The house is entered through a central Doric Portico, with dentillated cornice and slate steps and pedestals which rise to half-glazed double front doors. There is a central hall, which is
flanked by four good reception rooms, and offers a connecting passage to the former billiards room, with an impressive bay
window overlooking the front drive (this is currently partitioned up into several smaller rooms).
The rear wing incorporates the former kitchens and domestic offices, with access to the stable courtyard to the east.
An early 19th century staircase with double stick balusters and a ramped, scrolled hardwood handrail rises to the first floor.
The landing is spacious, and has elliptical arches, and the main bedrooms have cornices and mid-19th Century slate fireplaces, some also offering canted or triangular oriel windows. In the past some of these rooms have been divided and institutionalised, and some reorganisation is likely to be required.
The second floor is accessed via a staircase in the rear wing, and formerly comprised a manager’s flat, with 3 additional bedrooms and a bathroom.
The Lodge – Lot 2
Strategically located at the drive entrance, the Lodge is set in its own private grounds of about ¼ acre and provides single storey accommodation comprising Living room, kitchen, 3 bedrooms and bathroom, with ample parking and garden.
The Lodge was modernised in 2008-9 and is constructed of brick, painted white, under a slate roof, and is currently let on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy.
Planning
Whetstone Pastures House is Grade II Listed.
The main house was used as a Residential Care Home until vacated in 2008 and has with C2 planning use Class. Initial enquiries of Blaby District Council indicate that alternative uses
such as small hotel or restaurant might be favourably considered for Whetstone Pastures House in the future, subject to the necessary Listed Building, planning and highways
considerations and consents. It is thought that resumed use as a prestigious private house
would be particularly appropriate, albeit with additional equestrian or ancillary office uses in the outbuildings.
The traditional brick barns have previously had planning consent for conversion to offices but that consent has now lapsed.
Further information is available from the agents. EPC rating G
Situation
Situation
Whetstone Pastures House lies just south of Whetstone, about 7 miles to the south of Leicester City Centre, and within easy reach of the excellent motorway network in the Midlands linking to Rugby, Northampton, Coventry, Nottingham, Derby and Birmingham.
Communication links are excellent. Junction 21 of the M1 lies a few miles north, at Leicester, which also provides mainline rail connections to London St Pancras International in a little over
an hour (whilst Rugby also has a fast train service to London Euston). Birmingham and East Midlands Airports are approximately 40 and 33 miles from the property respectively.
The area is also renowned for the quality of its schooling, and there are a number of state and independent day schools in the area providing primary and secondary education, including
Leicester Grammar, Lutterworth Grammar and Ratcliffe College, with notable private schools in the region, including Rugby, Oakham, Uppingham, Oundle and Repton.
There are many sporting and recreational amenities in the area including golf at Cosby, Blaby and Kilworth Springs, racing at
Leicester, sailing at Saddington and on Rutland Water, and cinemas, theatres and concert halls in Leicester. There are local shops in Whetstone, Countesthorpe and Cosby, a
Waitrose in Blaby and superb out-of-town at Fosse Park.
Outside
Stable Courtyard
Located to the east of Whetstone Pastures House stands a fine range of traditional brick barns forming two sides of a courtyard, with the house forming a third. It includes stabling
for about 5 horses, various store sheds, as well as two large double-height barns. These are currently used as a farm workshop and a fine ‘party barn’ ideal for entertaining or use as
a games room.
Planning consent for change of use to offices was granted in 2005 but has now lapsed, and we believe there is still potential, subject to consents, to provide ancillary accommodation for the main house, equestrian facilities or other commercial uses, with access provided by a new spur from the main drive.
Gardens and Parkland
The main gardens lie to the south and west of the main house, with signs of the earlier landscape features and many mature
shrubs and trees such as azalea, mulberry, beech, oak, chestnut and cedar. Indeed, it is understood that the gardens were originally
designed by Waterers in 1911 and keen horticulturalists might well discover rare species in undertaking a restoration project.
To the front of the house, the drive sweeps to a parking area flanked by lawn, and beyond there is a former sunken garden, a yew walk and an area with two ponds, the former walled
kitchen garden with potting shed and greenhouse requiring renovation.
The parkland leads out from the west of the gardens with productive pasture flanked by belts of mature woodland giving privacy and shelter. There are about 21 acres of grazing in all.
Further information from the agents on current use of stables and grazing in park.
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