Just five miles from Hitchin, at the northern edge of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is the stunning Hexton Manor Estate.

The 773 acre pile includes a Grade II listed manor house, landscaped parkland, woodland, farmland and a ‘high bird’ shoot, and is offered for sale as a whole or in two separate lots.

Lot one sits in 186 acres and has a guide price of £10m. It includes the 11-bedroom,14,589sq ft manor house with two integral flats, landscaped parkland, walled gardens and lakes, plus six residential properties and four let office units. Planning permission has also been granted for two more residential properties.

Lot two has a guide price of £5m and forms the basis of the high pheasant and partridge shoot, utilising wooded valleys and glades. It also features the historic site of Ravensburgh Castle, which is a scheduled ancient monument.

Oliver Carr, from the rural agency team at Savills Cambridge, which is marketing the estate, described it as "an exceptional residential, amenity and sporting estate with conservation and wildlife management at its core."

Its residential and commercial assets – including the farmland, which is currently let on a tenancy agreement – have the potential to generate around £190,000 of revenue each year, he said.

"There is huge potential for harnessing natural capital and delivering ecological benefits, perfect for the environmentally conscientious buyer or investor," Oliver added. "The rich natural and historical assets may also offer further interesting opportunities.”

The estate dates back to the 1500s, and has been owned by several prominent families. The current Grade II listed manor house was built in 1767 under the guidance of Newdigate Poyntz Snr, replacing an old farmhouse that dated from the early 17th century.

In the 19th century the estate passed to the High Sheriff of Hertfordshire Andrew Lautour and his wife Caroline – daughter of Captain William Young, who served with the Royal Navy during the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

George Hodgson, a wealthy textile merchant, bought the estate in 1901 and restored and adapted the manor to how it looks today. He also built many of the houses in Hexton and landscaped the gardens and grounds, including the addition of bridges and follies.

Oliver said: “The manor house at Hexton has grown considerably since its humble beginnings and has undergone major upgrading and investment in recent years, bringing together all that you would expect from a property of this grandeur.

“The formal entrance on the western side of the property is particularly impressive – featuring a magnificent reception hall with a wealth of features including a beautiful hand painted domed ceiling that depicts swallows with gold leaf and clouds."

Further features include an Italianate style parquet floor from the Exhibition of Brussels and hand blocked wallpaper thought to date from the late 1800s, which shows the vibrant ‘tree of life’.

Oliver added: “The large expanses of lawn, beautiful spring fed lakes, an arboretum, prominent specimen trees and large areas of unspoilt parkland provide an incredibly private setting.

"The woodland encompasses forest rides, open glades and an extensive network of routes and tracks for one to explore, while the diverse environmental credentials also play an important role in conservation and habitat management.”

Hexton village, with its shop, pub and primary school, offers chocolate box charm aplenty within an eight mile drive of both the M1 and A1.

For more information, contact Oliver Carr at Savills Cambridge on 01223 347274 or email ocarr@savills.com.