Dinton Hall is a highly impressive and beautifully restored Grade II*listed country house, of not only great historical interest but also architectural importance. The house is believed to date from 1492 and enlarged and substantially remodelled in the late 16th Century, added to in the 17th Century, 18th Century and again in early Victorian times. Built of traditional stone and brick under tile roofs, with stone mullioned windows, the house has a north front featuring a beautiful 5 bay ground floor colonnade and a west wing reputed to have been a chapel.

The interiors display some beautiful original features including two Jacobean style staircases, some 18th Century and 19th Century panelling and fine fireplaces. The north front has some 16th Century Flemish armorial glass and some medieval English stained glass.

The house is approached over a sweeping gravel drive guarded by a Grade II listed dovecote, and faces mostly south over its gardens and parkland beyond.

In recent years the house has been extended and refurbished, new services installed and an indoor swimming pool and orangery added. It is now a private family home of exceptional quality ideal for home working, family living and entertaining in equal measure.

Ground Floor Reception hall approached through the elegant Jacobean style porch which dates from 1855. Limestone flagged floor with decorative brass inlay, stained glass windows, and ornate plasterwork. Cloakroom WC and access to the extensive wine cellars. An elegant wide tread Oak staircase rises to a half landing.

Drawing room, a beautiful reception room with high ceilings, facing south over the landscaped gardens and beyond to the Chilterns, Bay window, stone fireplace, plasterwork, double doors into; Library with extensive fitted bookshelves. Former Chapel, now a study. Sitting room, a lovely family room with panelledwalls, views over the terrace with ornamental pond. Dining room, with fine panelling. Inner hall, with stone and marble patterned floor, fire place and door to cloisters. Kitchen, a superb new family kitchen with breakfast area, limestone floor, bespoke oak units, granite work surfaces, Aga, fitted appliances and a mosaic wall depicting parts of the Bayeux Tapestry. Utility room, with fitted units. Secondary kitchen, useful for large gatherings. Access to second front door, cloisters and plant room. Gymnasium leading to swimming pool, sauna, shower room and then to the orangery.

Swimming pool complex A superb new air conditioned limestone indoor pool room approximately 18 metres in length, containing a 14 metre limestone pool. There is a lounge area to one side, opposite is possibly the most intricate and detailed mosaic of its size in the world depicting The Battle of Issus between Alexander the Great and Darius III, the Persian King. At one end is a frieze being a copy of the “Alexander sarcophagus” in Istanbul. Changing room and sauna .

Orangery Bespoke wrought iron stairs drop down to the impressive air conditioned Orangery, a perfect space for entertaining. The marble Cosmarti mosaic floor contains blue Sodalite, Albanian red, yellow Sienna, Alpine green and other rare marbles. An aquarium is installed to one wall. Access to garage with car spaces, workshop and plant room

First Floor There are two main staircases. The smaller staircase leads to bedroom suite 5 with ensuite bathroom.

Guest bedroom suite 2, a lovely guest room with sitting room/dressing room and ensuite bathroom. Decorative panelling. Principal bedroom suite with dressing room and ensuite bathroom. Access to sun terrace overlooking the garden.

Bedroom suite 4 with large sitting room,dressing room and ensuite bathroom. Bedroom suite 3 with sitting room and ensuite bathroom. Linen cupboards.

Second Floor Staff flat with sitting room, kitchen/breakfast room and bedroom suite, 1 large and 3 other attic stores. Bedroom 7. Bedroom 8. Guest bedroom suite 9 with ensuite bathroom. Games room/office with large fireplace, extensive bookcases, fine views of the garden,fields, the Biggin Pond and Chiltern Hills beyond.

This property has 46.39 acres of land.

Outside

Dinton Hall is an imposing Country House built of stone and brick with large leaded light windows offset by much leadwork of exceptional quality.

The house is approached off the village lane through imposing wrought iron gates mounted on substantial stone pillars with a wide gravel driveway sweeping through the gardens, passing mature shrubs, numerous specimen trees. From February to April there are carpets of snowdrops, crocus, aconites, daffodils, bluebells and other wild flowers.A stone dovecote dating from the 13th Century stands to one side of the drive. Adjacent to the forecourt parking area is a brick and stone summerhouse with a seating area and log store beneath. This overlooks the driveway towards the two ponds. The first pond has a wooden bridge leading to a central gazebo. The driveway continues to the front of the house which is enclosed by high stone walls beyond the lawns surrounding it. The forecourt leads into the cloisters and thence to an ancient door to the churchyard.

A branch off the main driveway runs south of the house and then to a second set of wrought iron gates to the Ford road. The gardens are populated with a selection of specimen trees. Within a tree hidden from the outside is a wooden treehouse. To the south of the house is a large formal terrace containing an ornamental pond with a statue of Bishop Odo. The balustraded terrace leads round to a further seating area and thence to an arbour outside the Orangery, from where french doors open onto terrace. Beyond the Orangery is a cobbled fan courtyard leading to the garaging. It overlooks the walled garden with its selection of fruit trees, vegetable and flowerbeds and a summer house to the far end. The layout is a “typical ensemble of gardens in traditional leisure grounds suited to that of a rural manor house with medieval origins”. The key features of the gardens were laid out in the 18th century by Sir John Vanhattem and his successors in the 19th century who added some of the buildings and created the parkland and water features.

Situation

Dinton Hall is situated in an elevated position next to the 13th Century Church and to the east of Dinton, with far reaching views to the Chilterns. In the neighbouring village of Westlington is the Seven Stars public house and La Chouette for fine dining. There are extensive services available in Thame, whilst Oxford has an excellent range of shops, theatres and hospitals and is about 16 miles to the west. There are excellent schools in the area including Ashfold School, The Dragon, Summerfields, Cothill and The Manor. Secondary Schools include Oxford High, Headington, St Edwards and Magdalen College. Dinton Hall is well located for communications. Haddenham and Thame Parkway is a short drive with a regular mainline service to London Marylebone taking from 37 minutes. The M40 is 11 miles to the south and the M1 is 23 miles to the east, linking up to the national motorway networks and London. Sporting opportunities in the area include Golf at The Oxfordshire. The renowned Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons is a short drive, whilst racing is available at Ascot and the area provides excellent walking opportunities.