Out near Coleshill, between Birmingham and Coventry, you’ll find a Grade I listed, country manor on the banks of the River Blythe. You won’t have likely been to see it, however, in its very nearly 400-year-old history, Blyth Hall has always remained privately owned – saying in the Dugdale family for 12 generations.
That is until this year. 399 years after Sir William Dugdale bought the estate and built his stately home – the same year the Dutch settled Manhattan, if you were wondering – Blyth Hall will open its door to the public for the first time. You’ll soon be able to visit for family holidays, corporate meetings, house parties and historical tours.
Its current owner, also called William Dugdale, inherited the estate from his grandfather, former Aston Villa chairman, Sir Bill Dugdale – who also happened to be David Cameron’s uncle. He’s decided to open Blyth Hall to help fund the home’s upkeep. It’s pretty big too!
The historic building has 13 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, a garden, a shared lounge, a dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, and a terrace with river views. “Guests can take in the ambience of the surroundings from an outdoor dining area or keep themselves warm by the fireplace on colder days,” says the listing. It also has a picnic area for sunny days.
“Blyth was… set in lush parkland by the dreamy river. I always loved the hearty, fattening Christmases there,” said William Dugdale to the BBC. “Some say it feels like living in a Jane Austen novel – though with nice bathrooms and plumbing that works.”
The 17th-century house can fit up to 30 people and is available from this Thursday (June 16). But it’s not cheap. At a minimum stay of two nights, the villa will cost you £3,450 a night. Say, if you arrive on a Monday and want to leave on a Sunday, it will set you back £20,700. If you’d like to book your escape to the country head here.