Fancy a fixer upper? 15-bedroom Georgian mansion to go to auction for £800,000

Boyce Court, which has 15 bedrooms across the main house and annexe, is heading to auction next week - (Savills)

Set in more than 36 acres of beautiful west Gloucestershire countryside, the Grade II-listed, 15-bedroom Boyce Court is heading to auction with a guide price of £800,000.

Should the gavel fall anywhere near the published price, the successful bidder will surely revel in securing a mansion for a fraction of the cost of an average home in some parts of London. Homes in west London’s exclusive Kensington and Chelsea, for instance, now cost an average of £1.67 million according to new data from Rightmove.

However, Boyce Court’s buyer will certainly need to factor in a sizeable budget for renovations.

With parts of the property thought to date back to the 17th century, the house, the annexe and the farmyard buildings are "in need of modernisation", according to the listing with Savills.

The second floor of the property has been "largely unused" for more than two decades, while the rest of the house has been altered over time with a three-bedroom annexe added to allow for multi-generational living.

One of the ground-floor living spaces in the main house (Savills)

There are 12 bedrooms arranged over the first and second floors of the main house; the dining room, two kitchens, a conservatory and living room are found on the ground floor from which you can also access the cellar space.

The attached three-bedroom annexe, known as Cedarville, is arranged over two floors and can be accessed through the main house or via its dedicated courtyard entrance.

A variety of modern and period farm buildings, as well as barns, gardens and fields, make up the rest of the 36-acre plot.

The conservatory on the ground floor (Savills)

To the east of Boyce Court, and for sale separately, are 94 acres of farmland which will go to auction with a guide price of £750,000. Savills negotiator James Mackie believes the land will likely appeal to a local farmer.

Although there have been many alterations over the years, Boyce Court has plenty of period features on show. Handsome Georgian architecture is topped with slate roof tiles. Most striking are the tall sash windows at the front of the property and the grand, covered entrance porch that leads to an impressive timber front door.

Original cornicing and fireplaces can be seen in some of the many living spaces, all filled with plenty of natural light by huge windows or the wall of glass in the conservatory.

Some of the many outbuildings and barns included in the sale (Savills)

The home is being sold by order of executrices at auction on Wednesday 30 July following the death of the estate’s registered owner in early 2023.

Executors, or representatives of the deceased, have responsibility for managing assets such as property during any administration period, they must ensure outstanding financial obligations are met and then distribute assets or proceeds of sales to any beneficiaries.

While Boyce Court has been “empty for a couple of years”, confirms Mackie, it would be ideal for a buyer willing to take it on as a home to live in.

Mackie says: “Although buyers will need to navigate its Grade II-listed status, there is huge scope to restore this home to its former glory.”

“Buyers are preferring to pay less than market value for properties [like this one], and then do them up themselves.”

While the majority of purchases at auctions tend to be bought with cash, “more and more, we are seeing people with mortgages [lined up],” says Mackie.

Although, he adds, it’s important for mortgage-funded buyers to have a broker on board and a loan lined up before an auction.

Set in 36 acres, Boyce Court is an ultra-private home near Dymock village (Savills)

Buyers will have to factor in stamp duty tax — £30,000 for a £800,000 home, more if buying as an additional property — and other buying costs. The successful bidder will have 48 hours to transfer the 10 per cent deposit and four weeks to complete the sale. The sellers will be liable for the auction fee of £1,900.

Contrary to their glamorised image as hotbeds for spontaneous buyers, property auctions tend to attract bidders who have done their homework. Most will have been to see the property ahead of the sale, some even take an expert along for advice.

“We get a real mix,” says Mackie. “It’s mainly people who are very interested in the property [for themselves], and some go with surveyors.”

“It’s hard to comment on likely renovation costs, but it’s certainly an exciting opportunity,” says Mackie.

“Subject to the necessary consents, the ancillary building and the annexe could be transformed and run as holiday rentals or could be used to run a business from home,” suggests Mackie.

“The acres surplus to requirement could also offer an additional income stream.”

Boyce Court is near the village of Dymock, Gloucestershire, around four miles south of Ledbury. Train journeys to London usually take between three and four hours. Cheltenham and Hereford are less than 45 minutes away by car.

The Savills auction will start at 9am on July 30.