An exceptional opportunity to build one of the most prestigious private houses within 20 miles of central London with permission to construct a mansion house extending to about 32,300 sq. ft. plus additional ancillary accomodation. Secondary 3 bedroom house, 2 further lodges, extensive soft and hard wood forestry, attractive pasture land and 4 acre lake. In all about 128.3 hectares / 317 acres.

LOCATION:  The Nyn Manor Estate lies on the edge of the village of Northaw; a pretty village set within open countryside, yet within ten minutes of the larger centres of Potters Bar and Cuffley. It is also within easy reach of the M25 and train services to Kings Cross.

HISTORICAL NOTE:  The Nyn Manor Estate was originally part of the Manor of Northaw, granted to the Abbot and monks of St. Albans in the late 8th. century. In the latter part of the 16th. century, the Earl of Warwick is believed to have built Nyn Hall Palace which was replaced in around 1744 by a smaller house. About 100 years later the house was greatly extended in a Tudor style but it was largely destroyed by fire on Good Friday in 1963.

At the time of the fire, the Hall was being used by St. Barts Hospital to store spare beds and furniture. The caretaker was away and the first sign that the Hall was on fire was when the cracking timbers were heard in Northaw.

Major and Mrs. Dore, who bought the estate in 1968, built Well House close to Hatfield Lodge. Major Dore was a keen silviculturist and is responsible for the immense diversity and quantity of numerous different species of both hard and soft woods. A monument was constructed by the current caretaker to commemorate Major Dore's work.
Major Dore bequeathed the estate to Haileybury and the Imperial Service College who in turn sold it in 1997 to finance improvements at the College. Very little has taken place at the Estate in recent years, which adds to the charm and mystery that surrounds it.

NYN HALL:  The site of Nyn Hall lies at the centre of 250 acres of woodland. Although the house burned down more than 40 years ago, it is easy to see the layout of the site and gardens; the portico stands at the entrance to the Hall and the footprint is still visible. Although much of the Hall was destroyed by the fire, some of the walls remained upright in a precarious state. These walls were pulled down more recently and as a result, much of the site is covered in the red bricks the Hall was constructed of.

The lawned area has been overgrown and young trees have sprouted where views once were. With some careful planning, these trees could be removed and the lawns reinstated to result in a fantastic garden, entirely screened from the world.

The stable block, greenhouses and service courtyard have all but fallen into the ground, however some of the terrace and its ornate railings still survive. A recent programme of works is responsible for clearing much of the walled garden - some of which has not been touched since the fire.

The planning permission was granted on 26th. October 2001, in conjunction with a section 106 agreement, entered into at the same time. This agreement provides for the following:

Prior to occupation of the new house, Well House is to be demolished and the site landscaped.
The landscaping proposals for the Estate, as set out in the 'Landscaping Management Document' are carried out on an agreed rolling basis.
The purchaser will lodge, with Welwyn Hatfield District Council, a Landscape Bond to the sum of £3,000,000. This figure shall be reduced every 6 months by such sum or sums as shall ahve been certified as having been expended in discharching its obligations under Part 'C' of the Agreement.

The permission allows for the following construction:
Main House extending to about 32,300 ft.
Pool and Ancillary Accomodation - about 5,500 ft.
Guest Cottage - about 1,100 ft.
Underground tennis court - about 5,500 ft.
Total - about 46,500 ft.

LODGES:  There are two drives, each with a Gate Lodge. Hatfield Lodge, on the north side of the estate, was built in 1881 and has been vacant since 1991 and requires modernisation. There are 3 bedrooms, dining room, sitting room, kitchen and bathroom. A small conservatory leads onto the lawned area where there is private access to the main road.

Well House, situated on Hatfield Drive, is constructed of weatherboarding under a tiled roof. The house was constructed in the 1960's by Major and Mrs. Dore and was their primary residence. As part of the planning permission of the main house, Well House is to be demolished before the occupation of the new house.

Potters Bar Lodge is occupied by a previous agricultural employee under a protected tenancy.

THE LAND: The estate is largely laid to woodland, however at the southern end is a block of paddocks totalling approximately 27 acres. These undulating paddocks have been untouched in recent years and are separated by a number of well established hedgerows.

To the east of the block of pastureland is an attractive lake which holds a number of species of fish and is sheltered by exceptional trees. Moving further east is Vineyard Wood which leads up to the main house site, having crossed the carriage drive leading to Nyn Manor Farm.

The hardwoods surrounding the house are the southern most area of forest known as the Heathland, which leads to Well Wood. At the heart of the Well Wood is Griffins Hole Well, which has been recently excavated and renovated. It is thought that this well was the main water supply for Northaw and a public right of way still exists, although this leads nowhere except to the well. The Well Wood and Heathland are both classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Leading through the centre of the estate is an area of softwood, which was planted by Major Dore during 1968/9.