Who can resist the thought of escaping for a weekend away with a large group of friends – and with the arrival of autumn, why not trade in the garden parties for a big country house, roaring fires, long dinners, games and plenty of room for everyone to stay under one roof.
One property that feels made for this is Blencowe Hall in Cumbria – an exceptional Grade I listed fortified manor dating back to the 1400s, set above the River Petteril with views across the Eden Valley towards the Lakeland fells. The property has undergone extensive renovation, bringing the two embattled Peele towers back into use for the first time in more than 300 years. Sitting on a bluff above the small river Petteril, Blencowe Hall is encompassed by its own gardens, grounds and fields incorporating access to the river, perfect for an autumn house party and get together.
With ancient masonry walls, oak panelling, beams, spiral stone staircases, Juliet balconies and four-poster beds, it has all the historic character you could want for an autumn gathering. Meanwhile the Billiards Room, complete with a gas-fired open-fronted cast stove, gives groups somewhere to retreat to for a few competitive games after dinner.
Blencowe Hall sleeps up to 24 guests across 12 bedrooms and makes the perfect setting for a cosy autumn house party, from milestone birthdays and Halloween gatherings to long-overdue friends’ weekends and early Christmas get-togethers. The property is complete with a games room, optional hot tub, roaring open fire and huge dining table, making it particularly well suited to bringing a larger group together while still prioritising that cosy autumnal vibe.
The property also won an English Heritage Construction Conservation Award which was accorded to the 20 most outstanding projects undertaken with their supervision in 2008, an Eden District Design Award, the NWDA Conservation Award and the RICS National Conservation Award. It is 5 Star Gold Award rated by Visit England.
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