Those of you who have already stayed at Belle Grove will know that the farmhouse on site is a new build. Indeed, many of you watched it being built! Assisted by a clutch of stalwart Polish workers, Nick project-managed it all as well as undertaking much of the building work. The full story is recorded in Jo’s Beyond Dragons: an architectural romance.
In 2012 the house was declared Overall Winner of The Daily Telegraph Building Awards in conjunction with Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine. It has featured in magazines and on television, including HGTV’s ‘Extraordinary Homes’, Channel 4’s ‘George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces’ and, most recently, Quest’s ‘Salvage Hunters’. It has also been used for filming and photo shoots.
Here is an article published by Uniquely Away
A few times a year, tours of the house are available through Invitation to View. Visitors are welcomed to lived-in historically and/or architecturally interesting houses on pre-arranged dates, joining tours conducted by the owner. Currently the scheme includes 87 properties, the majority in East Anglia: grand manors and abbeys to modest but fascinating halls and farmhouses. Visits are rounded off by tea and home baked biscuits or cakes. If you’re at all interested in old buildings, architecture or licensed property voyeurism generally, do check which Suffolk or Norfolk properties are available during your stay. Belle Grove Farmhouse or ‘Dragon House’ joined the scheme in 2013, the only newly-built property ‘on the books’ but note that our own tours are limited to the summer months and must be booked in advance. See www.invitationtoview.co.uk.
UPDATE: Belle Grove is taking a temporary break from these tours in 2019.
Very occasionally, we are able to provide B & B in the house as an ‘overflow’ facility for visitors to guests booked into Belle Grove. Enquiries by email only.
