Two of Wales’ finest country houses, Golden Grove and Upton Hall, have been sold for sums in excess of £1m to private buyers by Cooke & Arkwright.
Golden Grove, or Gelli Aur, is one of Wales’ oldest stately mansions and this is the second time it has been sold by the firm’s Residential department. The 59,000 sq ft Grade 11 listed building is set high on a hillside with outstanding views across the Golden Grove valley in what is widely regarded as one of Wales’ most beautiful locations, and includes 100 acres of pasture and woodland.
Upton Hall was built by the Lewis family of the iconic John Lewis department store in 1926 and retains original features such as the Austrian oak staircase and Welsh oak fireplaces, teak windows and parquet flooring. It is set in over 22 acres of landscaped gardens and grounds, with a summerhouse and woodland including a pine tree-lined avenue.
“Golden Grove was bought by a private London buyer and Upton Hall was funded by the sale of a central London property,” said Francesca Tanguy, Associate Director who heads Residential. “It is interesting to note that both these sales clearly indicate that confidence at the top of the market is still heavily reliant on the London market.”
Ms Tanguy said that Golden Grove has outline planning consent for various uses and at this stage its intended future use is unknown.