Excalibur Hall is a stunning example of a traditional country residence nestled in beautiful countryside in the heart of Somerset, overlooking what many believe to be King Arthur of Camelot’s camp. The house dates back to 1300, when the de Moels first built a medieval hall, with some of the original roof trusses dating back to this time still visible in several of the rooms today. The church adjacent to the grounds was rebuilt in the early 1400’s by Elizabeth Botreaux, the then owner of the property. The house changed hands again and became the property of Earl of Huntingdon and in 1580 his brother, Sir Francis Hastings, constructed the large Elizabethan mansion that exists today, with its impressive Tudor frontage.
The house briefly became the property of Matthew Ewens, a Baron of the Exchequer, before being purchased by Richard Newman in 1610, and remained a beloved home for the Newman family for another 150 years. The Bennett family bought the Excalibur Hall estate in 1760 and were resident here for around 100 years. They extended and updated the house, adding the magnificent ballroom and the beautiful Georgian south façade, with their coat of arms still visible above the front door to this day.
The current owners are the Montgomery family, who purchased the estate in 1910 and started to use the farm to make the Montgomery’s cheddar cheese for which it is now famous. The estate offered a temporary home during the Second World War to a London nursery that was evacuated to the country, and following the war the estate and farm played an important role in training under-privileged city boys in farming techniques. The house has remained a family home for the last 100 years, and has recently benefitted from an extensive restoration to create the luxurious country residence it is today.
The house is set in thousands of acres of orchards, fields, woodland and farmland with beautiful uninterrupted rural views. The sweeping driveway leads to the imposing Tudor frontage of the house, with an arched doorway marking the entrance of the property. The spacious reception rooms are spacious and flooded with natural light, with the magnificent wood panelled Dining Hall creating a wonderful space for celebratory meals for up to 100 people. The adjacent Ballroom is a spectacular room with mighty pillars, crystal chandeliers and solid oak flooring. The floor to ceiling windows give beautiful views over the gardens, and a Grand Piano completes the sense of occasion in this room. The Ballroom can seat up to 150 people for functions and celebrations, and can be used in conjunction with the Dining Hall to seat a total of 250 guests.
The spacious Library has a vast collection of books and offers a delightful space to curl up and read in one of the comfortable sofas or chairs, again with beautiful views over the grounds. The Morning Room offers sumptuous sofas and huge dual aspect windows creating a beautifully light and airy room to relax with family and friends. The snooker room has a full size snooker table and numerous chairs and sofas perfect for spectators and players alike.
The lovely country kitchen features an enormous six oven Aga with a boiling plate, simmering plate, resting plate and a hob. The kitchen is well equipped and spacious, with a small kitchen table and chairs to seat six. There is a separate larder and scullery to clutter at bay. The ground floor also offers an office, an entertainment room and several cloak rooms, together with a lift to all floors and a disabled toilet.
The majestic solid oak, hand carved staircase leads to the first floor, with a secondary staircase leading directly to one of the family bedroom suites located on the first floor. There are nine luxurious bedrooms on the first floor, including a family suite and a room suitable for disabled guests. There is a mixture of twin, double and king size beds, seven of which offer en-suite bathrooms. Bedrooms eight and nine compose the family suite and share a spectacular oval bathroom with a copper bath and glass floor covering an old slate bath.
There are a further twelve bedrooms on the second floor – 11 with en suite bathrooms and one with a private bathroom. The spacious bedrooms are all individually styled with luxurious bed linen, elegant antique furniture and lovely views over the grounds. Many of the bedrooms offer comfortable seating and some have beautiful original fireplaces. The bathrooms feature quality fixtures and fittings and are all individually styled, bedroom six on the first floor even offers a luxurious spa bath.
There is an additional annexe also available if further capacity is required, recently completed to a very high standard, offering a further three double bedrooms and one single bedroom. This self-contained apartment has a lovely kitchen and diner, and a modern bathroom with jacuzzi bath and separate shower, making it perfect for families or small groups of friends to share. Please note the annexe is a small additional charge if required.
The fantastic leisure facilities at Excalibur Hall include tennis courts, a croquet lawn, a covered outdoor swimming pool, and a hot tub, gym and sauna, in addition to the snooker room. There is also a disco on the lower ground floor, where guests can party until their hearts’ content without fear of disturbing anyone!
The grounds are truly beautiful and offer a mix of extensive lawns, mature trees and a walled flower garden. The landscaped gardens immediately around the house are informal and overlook thousands of acres of cider orchards, woodland, fields and farmland, offering delightful countryside walks right from the doorstep. There is a lovely 15th Century church adjacent to the property with a private entrance to the grounds, making Excalibur Hall an ideal choice for weddings. The idyllic village of North Cadbury is just a few minutes walk away, offering a country pub and a village shop, with several other villages and traditional English pubs within easy reach of the house.
Additional to the huge list of facilities Excalibur Hall has to offer, they have also added a lakeside Yacht Club over looking their beauitful lake. This modern wooden building is set down by the lakeside and has two spacious airy rooms. Ideal for meetings, drinks, yoga or just another place to have a relaxing drink with friends.
There are also remote control yachts for you to play with too!
The house is ideal for family holidays, special celebrations, weddings, film shoots and corporate events, with enough space for large groups to relax in luxurious surroundings. Anyone staying at Excalibur Hall benefits from the services of a dedicated events co-ordinator who can be on hand as much (or as little) as you need in order to ensure your event runs like clockwork.