A former residence of the illustrious Courtauld family, Parmenter Grange is a private gated Victorian
manor, sensitively refurbished to produce a selection of 18 apartments, in the peaceful hamlet of High Garrett, near Braintree.
A development packed with character and local history, Courtauld Grange is a collection of 18 luxury apartments, 7 two-beds and 11 one-beds. Ground floor apartments within the former stately home come with their own private landscaped gardens whilst first and second floor apartments enjoy access to the house’s surrounding communal gardens, beautifully planted, with ample seating, decking and BBQ areas. Three of the penthouses feature stunning terraces with views of the surrounding countryside. The development and wider grounds are completely private to residents, accessed via electric gates. Sympathetically refurbished to its former glory, residents enter through the magnificent hallway, featuring the original statement staircase, the core of the house that leads up to the first floor. Apartments embrace their Victorian heritage with generously apportioned rooms. Period features including sash windows, vaulted ceilings and restored fireplaces are combined with an open plan modern aesthetic; contemporary sleek and stylish kitchen. Parking spaces are accessed via electric gates and additional car parking spaces can be purchased upon request. Apartments benefit from secure cycle storage. The amenities of Braintree are only three and a half miles away.
The house, once part of the grounds of the former Courtauld estate, Gosfield Hall, bears the insignia of the man who rebuilt it in 1885, Samuel Augustine Courtauld. Its distinctive style of black carved oak and decorative leadwork is seen on many other buildings associated with the Courtauld family, reminiscent of their favoured Tudor style. The pitched roof and gable features are very much of local Essex style. The Courtaulds are a family entwined with the history of Braintree and Britain’s past manufacturing prowess. They were industrialists who rose to prosperous prominence, first as producers of silk and crepe and then through their innovation and investment in manmade textiles such as viscose and rayon, cleverly bringing them to market and ushering in the mass production of clothes. By the 1970s, the company had become the world’s largest manufacturer of textiles. Literally, from rags to riches. Samuel who built the house was the son of George Courtauld III, MP and benefactor, whilst Samuel’s son, Augustine, born in 1904, went on to become a famous Arctic explorer in the 1930s.
Residents at Courtauld Grange are very well connected, the major roads of the A12, the M11 and the M25 are easily accessible. Stansted Airport is 20 miles away with direct flights to Europe, North America, the Middle East and North Africa. For those commuting into London there are several options; the local railway stations of Braintree, Braintree Freeport and Witham all run direct services into London Liverpool Street. Many choose to take advantage of the free parking at Braintree Freeport with a travel of 59- minutes to Liverpool Street whilst journey times from Witham are 44 minutes. Furthermore, buses run from outside of the development to Braintree station enabling you to have a completely car-free commute. And the new £100million Braintree Business Park, Horizon 120, announced in late 2018, is seven miles away at Great Notley, little over a 10-minute drive or a half-hour cycle.
Courtauld Grange is surrounded by arange of great schools, including the 450-year old independent School, Felsted, to the Ofsted “outstanding” state primary, Lyons Hall. St Margaret’s Prep School is a five-minute drive, whilst according to Essex Council guidelines, the development lies in the catchment area for Bocking Church Street Primary School (Ofsted “good”) and Tabor Academy secondary school, also rated “good” by Ofsted.
The historic market town of Braintree is surrounded by the picturesque northern Essex countryside, half an hour’s drive to the larger towns of Colchester and Chelmsford, peppered with a host of great places and local landmarks to visit. The perfect mix of town and country. Water sports park, Gosfield Lake, is a popular day out, only a five-minute drive from Courtauld Grange and in the summer has an open-air cinema programme. Outdoor enthusiasts will also love the 100 acres of Great Notley Park for its cycle and jogging paths, playgrounds and adventure trails and well-liked bistro. Essex’s famous coastlines are under an hour’s drive, the rugged sands of Frinton-On-Sea and Clacton to the north of the county and Southend to the south, their foodie culture soaring thanks to Essex’s very own Jamie Oliver. You can even visit his parent’s pub, The Cricketers, in Clavering. Maldon and Essex gem, Osea Island on the Blackwater Estuary are closer, only 16 miles away, whilst Dedham Vale, an AONB is around 20 miles away, famous for the setting of Constable’s The Haywain.
Essex’s most photographed village, Finchingfield is 11 miles away, home to the historic sites of Finchingfield Windmill and the English Heritage owned Guildhall. Meanwhile, Hedingham Castle is less than a 15-minute drive, thought to be the best-preserved Norman keep in England, which also holds an annual calendar of events including vintage fairs and medieval sporting spectacles.
Good times, good food, good shopping, Essex life has it all. Get your fix of retail therapy, be your preference for high street favourites or brilliant independent boutiques in Chelmsford and Colchester, whilst Braintree Freeport shopping outlet has famous names and labels at discount prices such as Hugo Boss and Ralph Lauren as well as a Bills restaurant. Chelmsford Racecourse is a fun day out with friends and has a huge variety of none race-day events too. Northern Essex is chock full of great country pubs including The Vine at Great Bardfield, The Horse & Groom at Finchingfield and The Cross Keys at Witham. Local favourites in Braintree include The Glass House Tea Room, the seriously well reviewed curry house The Taj Mahal, The Chop House restaurant and at Bocking, Weavers, somewhat of an Essex institution and perfect for a family get together.
