Join the country house set in Treowen, a huge, 17th century Grade I listed house, four miles from the historic town of Monmouth in south Wales. The property is let by the present owners, the Wheelock family, who lived and farmed here until 1993. Their brochure promises & panelled rooms, magnificent staircases, delightful gardens, breathtaking views, private woodland walks and a lofty position at the far end of a half-mile-long drive in one of the most beautiful corners of Wales.& None of those promises are broken.
This is an enormous mansion, of hide-and-seek proportions. It can sleep up to 35 in bedrooms with names such as the Cherub Bedroom, the Otter Bedroom and the Passage Bedroom. It's a wonderful place for families to gather together for holidays or special occasions, and also for corporate groups to get stuck into some team-building and bonding exercises. There's no need for anyone to feel forced into being sociable all the time, as you can easily escape to one of the unusually large bedrooms or drawing-rooms with the papers or a good book. Children are unlikely to be seen or heard, as they can spend most of their time outside, playing table tennis and mini-snooker in the banqueting hall, or running up and down the 72 steps of the six-foot-wide solid oak staircase.
The house rises, high and lonely from the farming land around it, an utterly unspoilt architectural masterpiece. What it lacks in slick sophistication, it makes up for in nobility, dignity and bearing. The facilities are comfortable and the rooms wonderful, but they are as they were in 1627 when the house was built by William Jones. All floors except the third have central heating, but it is still a place for sensible clothes and warm fires in winter, and cool, airy summer holidays.
On the ground floor is the lofty dining room. It has a 13-foot-long refectory table, which seats 16 in comfort, plus a smaller table for any overspill. The Banqueting Hall is a light, spacious room, restored to its former glory, with a huge open fireplace, a pool table, table tennis and a carved oak passage screen. Christmas parties and other cosy gatherings are traditionally held in the Oak Room, at the foot of the main staircase. This room is an oak-panelled gem, with another open fireplace and a charming plasterwork ceiling. After a celebratory meal in here, you can gather upstairs in the Long Drawing Room, a 17th century masterpiece which has seen many a concert and party over the years. Bring your own sound system and dance in here – or enjoy the huge fire, grand piano and games.
The TV and DVD player are in the Nursery, which is furnished as a small sitting room but can also be used as a bedroom for those unable to negotiate stairs.
The warm, friendly kitchen with its farmhouse table is the hub of life on the ground floor - just the place to gather for pots of tea and cakes after a breezy day out. It is more than adequately equipped for large group catering, with a six-burner gas cooker, dishwasher, larder fridge, tea urn\water boiler, coffee maker etc. In addition there's a handy scullery next door, with a flagstone floor, plenty of space for outdoor gear, two washing machines, fridge, freezer and WC.
There are 12 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms altogether, spread over the first, second and third (attic) floors. They are almost all about 20 x 20 feet, and comprise 5 doubles, 2 twins, 4 double/twins and one family room (double plus single bed). Several have ensuite showers and WCs, others share between them. The Vine Bedroom has a four-poster bed and a stylised branch of vine with grapes decorating the corners of the ceiling. Another has a half-tester.
In addition to the 25 proper beds, there are a further ten camp beds and two cots which can be added to rooms as required. These extra beds do not have bedding with them. Camping is allowed in the garden too - £12 per tent per night.
TV/DVD
PA system with lead for iPod etc.
Pool table
Table tennis table
Croquet
2 washing machines.
Dishwasher.
This is a perfect house for outdoor games. The Lawn Garden, enclosed by tall yew hedges, can be used for rough-and-ready team sports and occasionally for croquet. The South Garden has informal beds, a ha-ha, a small orchard and views to the restored fish ponds and across the valley. A barbecue, a croquet set, and boules are provided.
There is a double garage and plenty of parking space.
A 400-acre rural estate, one mile from the village of Dingestow (small grocery shop), and four miles from Monmouth. It takes approximately 2.5 hours to drive here from London.
Airports: Cardiff (49 miles); Bristol (50 miles)
Stations: Abergavenny (15 miles); Newport (23 miles)
When fresh air and exercise are called for, you can walk to the Somerset Arms, which serves food within a two-mile walk of the house. Monmouth, four miles from Treowen, has the usual range of shops for a market town, including the first Waitrose in Wales and a large number of pubs. Slightly further afield, there is a wealth of restaurants, country pubs and hotels ranging from cheap and cheerful to haute cuisine.
The house is surrounded by a 400-acre estate of farm and woodland, with sweeping views to the Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons. You can fish for trout on the pretty Trothy, a tributary of the Wye, running through the estate or for coarse fish in the ponds.
Other activities and attractions close by include golf, clay pigeon shooting, canoeing, sailing, pony trekking, the Wye Valley and Offa's Dyke footpath You can also spend a day in the Forest of Dean and exploring the romantic ruin of Tintern Abbey.
Weeks: £2460 to £5820
Weekends: £1840 to £4340
Mid weeks: £1240 to £2900