$1.3 Million Mansion Nearly Tore My Family Apart | Country House Rescue | Abode

Abbey Dore Court is a beautiful mansion in Herefordshire. Businesswoman, Ruth Watson, returns to Abbey Dore one year after her visit to see if anything as changed. Owner, Charis wanted to sell the property but her granddaughter was convinced she could make something out of it. Ruth returns after renovations to the property to see if it’s still running, who’s in charge and if the family were able to save Abbey Dore Court
Abode is the ultimate design, home, and gardening channel.
Get inspired for your next home or garden makeover - or just lean back and pick up some DIY tips from renovation experts, following full home and garden transformations from start to finish.
Want to keep watching? Subscribe here: bit.ly/AbodeYo...
Become an Abode member and get exclusive access to special content, badges, and emojis across our channel.
/ @abodelds
Any queries, please contact us at [e-mail]
#abode #property #renovation #mansion #business

[@LoireValleyChateaux]

People overlook the fact that grandma only paid €12,000 for the home 40 years ago. She doesn't have money to maintain it so she's done the best on her own without help from family! ❤️😇

[@lordfaquar5064]

Now I see what you mean, money can’t buy good taste….unfortunately

[@stillfangirlingtoday1468]

@@lordfaquar5064 Good taste is nothing without the means to afford it.

[@mickeymortimer4407]

@@lordfaquar5064 spare me, you clearly have none

[@ittybittyprettykittycommittee]

@@stillfangirlingtoday1468 Not really. Good taste can lead to eye-catching DIY projects with little cost if the person in question has the skills. But no amount of money paid to skilled interior designers would do much good if the client doesn't have passable taste.

[@chinavaughan6383]

She’s worked on maintaining the garden. She didn’t seem all that concerned about the house🙁

[@catface101]

The home was sold to a private seller in 2018 and Charis Ward died in March 2021, I believe she lived to 91.

[@michaelodhiambo8375]

😢

[@dlross173]

I wonder how much it was sold for.

[@elliotscragg6909]

​@@dlross173 It was advertised for £1,095,000 in August of 2018, but the article doesn't state how much it actually sold for.

[@FR-tb7xh]

Magnificent property! That said, the grandmother’s priorities were sorely lacking - she basically played (gardened) while Rome burned (the house). Yes, she’s an extraordinary gardener, but she neglected the house for so many years, and IMO is in little position to critique anything her grandchildren do to try to save it. She’s a fast critic yet her record speaks for itself. That her granddaughter, Claire, is so emotionally vested in repairing it is a blessing. And that the other grandchildren, Julian and Hannah, are willing to help is great. About the farmers/craft market space, few work out their first day. It takes time for word to get out and reputation to build.

[@kathyvick2710]

I agree with Ruth. I think the leather sofas in the living room would be better in a library and traditional furniture in the living room. The large bedroom could have been decorated better as well. The rug should be under the bed or in front of the fireplace with chairs and a side table for a sitting area. The gardens are beautiful. I hope things go well for the family.

[@Harry-fk5of]

Agree about the sofas, don't suit that space, and they need a much larger coffee table - doesn't look very tasteful

[@susiekay1950]

I like these renovation programs yet this is the first one I feel has been concluded. Tte others have left me waiting for a sequel. Aside from the furnishings of the interior this house has been beautifully restored AND the gardens are stunning.

[@gman1003]

Grandma likes to say she didn’t care what happened, but I think she was quite involved in decision making.

[@MissJudyJetson]

If I were to win the lottery I would definitely buy a old house like this and restore into a B&B....I will keep dreaming over here!

[@endajordan4406]

Stop dreaming.....get up and make it happen....

[@Smartychase]

Why do a B & B why not just kick back and chill you are a millionaire after all

[@akashmukhopadhyay9335]

Such a great garden, perfect for artists of any kind. It was lovely to see the children enjoying the house and making it into their home for the weekend.

[@lethamorris9612]

Step 1 - get the destructive moisture holding plants off of the house brick.

[@FR-tb7xh]

Yes! Too often, people not only enable but encourage destructive vines to climb up their stone, brick, and wood facings, only to discover their growth breaks the mortar, allows pests to ascend, and introduces moisture and organic stuff into the buildings’ sides.

[@sandy89107]

Let a movie be made there. You could get the money pretty quickly

[@KathyOnOBX]

Yes it appears it was sold in 2018 or 2019 for about 795,000 Euros. And I believe Mrs Charis had passed away around that time. Sad. It is now a private residence with no lets and access to the beautiful gardens is private, too.

[@princesspearlthumb]

Oh, no!

[@ShogunHull]

That's sad.

[@WilliamCooper2005]

Why did it sell in euros?

[@oakashthorn5714]

@@WilliamCooper2005Kathy is a remoaner she’s just trying to be more European that’s all

[@gilrandall5802]

I love the lounges, they are perfect for the room. Great colour and size😊

[@merrynwatts]

I liked them too and thought Ruth’s comment about not liking the sofas was completely unhelpful.

[@commonsense124]

It is best for the home that it was sold. Hopefully the new owners have the funds to maintain and restore.

[@SoCalFreelance]

Great update 👍 Agree, they should have consulted an experts advice on interior design/furniture.

[@LA-jf1zn]

So sad it didn't work out for this family. Beautiful home and grounds.

[@jacqui9176]

It's really sad, I see it was sold in 2018.

[@princesspearlthumb]

@@jacqui9176 Oh, no!

[@johnmightymole2284]

I think it did work out but of course circumstances do change.

[@GenaF]

Maybe the old lady died and more people were set to inherit rather than just those three grandchildren.

[@pas100657]

Nick this home is close enough to town to make a quick run for supplies but just far enough away for quiet living. My kind of place the swimming pool is icing on the cake.

[@johnmightymole2284]

Well done to all the family. A difficult situation and a huge undertaking. The grandmother is lovely and perhaps understandably risk averse. A great success.

[@denizberlin9441]

Closed and sold in 2018

[@merseybeat1963]

Some of the comments are so out of reality..this old lady was the Pilar and center of all this and center of this family.

[@elizabethperry9092]

No, some of the comments were not out of touch. The grandmother was rather stubborn at times. Bordering on denial. At first, she couldn't even mention the cost of the renovations.

[@joeyjoe7930]

She may HAVE BEEN the pillar and center of the family and the one running the show in the past, but now she is the one allowing the ruin of the house, sitting idly by waiting for a miracle and not wanting any kind of change.

[@janeclarkson8471]

@awil6712. The presenter is assertive and forthright (says it how it is) that’s why she’s one of the most successful hoteliers in the business. This is why she’s INVITED by the family’s to come on to the show. Then you get the very people who ask her advice not accepting any or very little, of it. Time waster’s most of them. I love manor houses, mansions, stately homes. Beautiful places. Until you remember the stately home owners made most of their money from slavery, paying their staff a pittance and behaving in a superior attitude to everyone else. None “worked” just invested. Thank God all that disappeared after WW2 along with the disgusting days of Empire which had few saving graces. The good thing about for example, this place, are that the young now have to “roll up their sleeves”, so to speak. Th’s granddaughter here is a gem to want to renovate this lovely home and seems aware of the “real” world. The grandmother is old, with her old and now outdated superior attitude and stubborn. The grandchildren do show respect which is due to anyone who’s provided you.

[@pmc8119]

She may very well be, however she made a decision albeit unconsciously, to leave the main house to its own devices (basically rotting away) and only focused on her own interests- hardly the behaviour of a "pillar" of the family.

[@librarynan4610]

Seems like the grandmother would rather see the house fall down then be saved.

[@jamesstokes1579]

Grandma was clearly pulling all the springs and too stubborn to see it saved.

[@catslove3884]

Than

[@mangoyacho]

I think the grandmother knows that the house is a money muncher and she is trying to saving her grandchildren from the same woes that she herself has had to deal with. I think she would rather see them starting afresh without having to deal with all the responsibilities the house demands.

[@bigbufobufo]

It costs $$$$

[@tamb7587]

What gets me is that someone had to tell them these ideas?? The granddaughter didn’t come up with this on her own?? I mean her suggestions were pretty obvious . Most all these old estates are turned into BnB’s..I would just have a continental breakfast much easier than cooking individual orders .. Also one rainy day and no more markets??? Please, these people have no vision or get up and go..

[@janeclarkson8471]

They never have. They don’t like REAL work. Most bone idle and do as little as possible. Only Claire had any go in her. The rest a waste of space. The only thing they exercise is the jaw!

[@reneehunt906]

The interior design is horrendous! The grandmothers shed is wonderfully styled.... should be the same inside, I agree!

[@FR-tb7xh]

Ummmm, the first thing I noticed of the ‘new’ shed were the cinder block walls. Any ‘styling’ of it was like putting lipstick on a pig.

[@debbiew.7716]

One positive about the furniture choice, is that leaving a large group of people there on their own, those pieces can take some roughing up by kids! I do agree it would be nice to see period style pieces. But they have time to add as they make money! Good on them!

[@feralferret]

And I thought the sofas looked warm, comfy and inviting!

[@lagrobler9412]

Fascinating this was done in 2010 and charis passed away 2021.

[@reefprayerresin]

So she lived to a ripe old age of 92 years old?

[@greenguy369]

I actually like the couches. The entire property is kind of loud and cluttered and orange. And the couches just fit into the overall story. And has been said elsewhere...they make the room feel far more inviting to guests.

[@kathleentallon3763]

Watching this I felt sorry for Claire. She seemed the only one in love with the house.

[@janeclarkson8471]

I agree. The rest of the family were distasteful and snobs with a condescending attitude most of the time. Claire was the REAL gem. She’s the only one I warned too. I feel sorry for her. The rest were selfish.

[@oakashthorn5714]

@@janeclarkson8471The bother looked like he just wanted to get his hands on the money..

[@martinfpavey]

We have grandmother and grandchildren but where are the siblings' parents? It's very possible they're estranged from their mother or perhaps dead?

[@maggiehernandez7670]

A interior designer should have been hired to make it justice !! That orange sofa is hideous in that room ! They already had invested in the house why not the interior design ??

[@FemaleVillageElder]

My tastes in the couches generally do not run to what has been installed there, however, I think that in this particular case they make the house seem more homey and not quite so stiff and formal. The formality of the crystal chandeliers, and the other things, together keep the place from looking like a tip, but I think they make a very good combination with the couches and both benefit the house in different ways. I am always very happy to see these beautiful homes brought back to life, and not lost to the ravages of the years, but I’m also very keenly aware of how the money spent doing that could have been used to benefit the homeless and to feed the hungry. It is such a mixed bag, and I’m always pulled in both directions as I look at these videos..

[@TheFinnola]

These restored large properties provide work and spending in the shops and business around them. For long term. Therefore helping many people from becoming homeless and poor. It's a realistic giving.

[@patriciacarlyle9456]

Is there grant money coming from local governments or is it totally up to the homeowners? Not many individuals that would donate that kind of money to homeless. So yes, creating work with wages for citizens who pay taxes will help everyone out overall

[@Isabel-of4wq]

And lets not forget keeping very highly skilled craftspeople employed …

[@legoqueen2445]

I struggle when watching shows on expensive homes and designs. I love the beauty but can't help think about the less fortunate. Restoring old homes feels different because they trying to save something from being destroyed.

[@kellyk.3855]

I am itching SOOOO bad to get in there and fix the decor!!! Awful...all of it. Shabby looking as all heck. That house deserves way better!

[@ShogunHull]

Fully Agreed.

[@refosco1993]

Ruth is a smart lady they should listen.

[@gypsy3446]

Beautiful ending to a beautiful story 😊good luck for many years to come😊 ❤ from Australia 🇦🇺 ♥️

[@jacqueline359]

Its very sad that Charis couldn't see the amazing possibilities for this historic house & her whole family It could have been really amazingly wonderful for all of them I looked it up & it now has private owners & is not open to the public 05- 2023

[@maricogan2903]

there seems to be a lot of magical thinking in owners of historic properties.

[@carolwood9270]

The new sofas are a bit different, but a lovely warm color. I think they will age beautifully.

[@katehobbs2008]

They keep calling the manége a ménage. I am surprised Ruth is making this mistake. A manége is a horse training ‘school’. A ménage is a domestic household or family.

[@pompom7x728]

manège 😉

[@gilrandall5802]

Semantics ??

[@patobrien6364]

the ol daw died about a year ago the silent ones got their inheritance family is now gone

[@julieduchek2969]

The couches are beautiful and ver practical. They complement the dark wood in the room.

[@reefprayerresin]

Gentleman Chic

[@JerryDLTN]

Home Depot, Menard's, and Lowe's are missing opportunities not having (enough) locations in the UK

[@clare2401]

We have our own. B&Q, Homebase, Wickes

[@patriciafuchs5970]

Sad video, Claire has lost the most as the others have denigrated her dream. If the house has indeed been sold, it is a pity as there was potential there that has gone unrecognized.

[@princesspearlthumb]

Sold?

[@JerryDLTN]

@@princesspearlthumb From what I read elsewhere, the grandmother has since passed away at the property was sold in 2018 (~9 years after this video)

[@ShogunHull]

They SOLD IT??

[@ShogunHull]

​@@JerryDLTN Ohh..what a shame Grandmama passed over to the other side and since sold, she cannot see her legacy continue. Leave it to the kids to mess that up.

[@jessicamartinez3613]

Too bad the grandmother seemed to poopoo the idea of a bnb

[@gretchenlocke3431]

Love it!- It has always been my dream to have a B&B- maybe someday

[@cynsmi]

Who knew sofas like that are made in England. Beautiful house.

[@ellenhageman7380]

have missed you and your wonderful videos Ruth.

[@lmoore155]

So sad to hear that this dream has been lost and the home is now for sale!! Perhaps someone else will move in and maintain it!

[@mangoyacho]

Really? That's so sad. Perhaps they should have at least tried to follow Ruth's advice. Covid and the aftermath of Covid possibly affected business too. I so wanted them to succeed.

[@JerryDLTN]

@@mangoyacho It was sold in 2018 (pre-COVID)

[@ShogunHull]

​@@mangoyacho The offspring didn't want to..had little vision and forward thought . Whata waste.

[@suneyeintuition4315]

Whether it's still owned by the same family or not, whether it's a B&B or not, I'm just glad it was saved. It's beautiful.

[@kylebrennan3327]

Completely understand the appeal of the place, but it is such a huge project, beyond the scope of most. I agree with another comment that it would make a fabulous hotel, but you already have a huge project to contend with. You are an amazing man, you will make the right decision.

[@diydiva3190]

How old are these shows? The prices are blowing me away!

[@steamshiptv3488]

It says 2009 at the beginning. Buildings and land were cheap if you had cash back then.

[@patchesbubs9269]

I LOVE the sofas!!! I think they were a good choice looks like a country Manor and they’re also going to hold up better than any other sort of fabric

[@janelane1912]

38:48 yup I hate the sofas too since they don't match the house; they're southwest design. They could have gone contemporary, french country, traditional, victorian, anything else besides those. Secondly 40:27 the room is horribly designed. They've pushed everything up against the walls, too small of rug, a bedsheet as a furniture cover, a modern tacky bedframe. They should have just renovated and called a designer.

[@heehaw8401]

Seems she chose what appealed to her taste rather than what fit the house.

[@princesspearlthumb]

I agree. The furniture choices were very odd, and ill-fitted to the house.

[@ShogunHull]

True.

[@ivanolsen7966]

why not take Charis and the family to see the "Old Vicerage " ... to boost their mind settings

[@robertgrey5993]

Good photography.

[@maureenabray7660]

I see that the property has been sold.

[@Jimboy1611]

It’s easy to criticise Charis as an intransigent or indifferent obstacle, but look at it from her point of view. She’s 82 years old. Her sanctuary is her garden. The house, while crumbling, would have outlasted her. A disruptive programme of renovations along with the intrusion of guests, would have disrupted a routine she’s likely settled into nicely. When you hit that age, there’s no point doing a home revamp and you certainly wouldn’t have the energy to reconfigure your life and routine. You just want to live out your years in peace. I don’t think Charis was opposed to the new direction of the house, I think she just wanted to live out her years before the transformation occurred.

[@goodbarbenie5477]

How attached can people be irrespective of everything falling down. Here is some sound, advice to the young Lass. "Never allow someone to become your priority, while Allowing yourself to be their opinion." 😊 Mark Twain.

[@maevecrowley8210]

Ruth is a gem

[@garypotter1985]

What a shame they sold the place in 2018. As for grandma she knew exactly what she was doing 😂😂

[@wendygillard2133]

I am not impressed with Cariss. She didn’t care about the house but stopped Claire who was keen to do the best by the house. If it wasn’t for her the house would have gone to rack & ruin.

[@MichaelAndersxq28guy]

It's a pity that Charis won out in the end. In July 2024 I see that it's permanently closed.

[@L.Smith.]

Shame it was sold in 2018. Perhaps the bnb idea would have been better long term. Hope the new owners are restoring it for their family

[@susandaniels495]

Claire, I LOVE the sofas in the main living room. Good Call! They look so comfortable and cozy!

[@inesolujic2534]

The grandmother paid £12000 for that house and it's 18 acres of land in 1967. That's only £182000 when adjusted for inflation. Wow. What a deal. Can't buy a cardboard box under a bridge for that price these days. The house was sold by the family in 2018 for £1.01 million. Talk about a hefty profit.

[@nicktw8688]

Post war UK was very poor.

[@ivanolsen7966]

38:52 ...... the couches are fine ....... it's the rest of the room that is poorly done ...... like the curtains ..... curtain tie backs are best done with 2 hooks each

[@david45ross]

Well it just goes to show you can’t buy taste. Those sofas and bed are totally out of place. Such a grand house deserves period elegant furnishings. Having said that, this was filmed in 2009 and hopefully those items have been replaced. We live in hope.

[@deborahhanchett899]

Bravo!

[@dancor5424]

I noticed one of the chimneys was ''missing a lot cement between the bricks> was it a before or after pic ? '

[@getin3949]

IF THAT ISN'T THE MUSIC FROM THE HARRY POTTER MOVIES I'LL EAT MY SHORTS.!!!!

[@sarahstrong7174]

Thankyou for sharing.

[@martinfpavey]

The diagonal rug in the bedroom leads you to the window, it's quite jaunty and fun. I'm really not sure what Ruth means by the sofas in the Drawing Room, they look nice and COMFY. Furniture that Ruth would have chosen would not be comfortable to sit on. And they're studded leather arms, perfectly classical looking in colours that go with the rest of the room.

[@ShogunHull]

ick.

[@smac4565]

Now that there are 2 châteaus you will have to differentiate in the future. 😀 Let’s see Lalande and my château. So tomorrow there will be more from my château. 😂

[@Maggie22002]

It’s a shame it was since sold after granny died. I wonder what happened.

[@ShogunHull]

The kids just wanted the money.. made a bad deal.. too cheap. And no legacy now and no more built in, ongoing revenue. Kids are simple & verrry shortsighted. Hers are no exception.

[@oakashthorn5714]

@@ShogunHullDeath tax,,poor Claire would have-have to paid.

[@28105wsking]

The thing is that women of the grandmother's generation and social level, simply did not discuss money, or admit they knew anything about it at all. Husbands did that. Not women. In these videos, you will see men of that generation and social level also avoiding the topic of precise sums. It simply wasn't done! It was consider to be quite vulgar, so they really resist answering such questions.

[@cameronashton6987]

I hope they switched out some of the furniture for something more in synch with the classical feel of the house. The current furniture totally clashes with the house.

[@mattneillninasmom]

A remarkable comeback for the house, which effectively had been abandoned by Charis who chose to putter in the garden, full time and invested nothing in the upkeep of the house. Still, the look of the house so far is very "blah". Totally, without personality or charm. Looks like it was furnished by a thrift shop, and not a very high end one, at that - in desperate need of an interior designer. Get one!

[@-ZED-]

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[@akashmukhopadhyay9335]

They had no money, the loan went in to finance the extensive renovations...

[@del_ecuras1836]

It’s a beautiful Georgian house They cost a absolute fortune to look after give them time if you look now you’ll see it looking different

[@BA-ef4pr]

It doesn't need to look high-end initially, especially when funds couldn't afford it. Over time they can invest in smart pieces. They can research online for interior design ideas. I imagine charis was overwhelmed with upkeep vs. outright ignorance, and she was 80! It's so nice to have grand kids want to preserve & continue the legacy.

[@jennifreak63]

so grandma is worried that granddaughter's renovation's and plan's to make the property generate an income will derail her plan's to allow the manor to crumble to the ground around her whilst she plant's what little cash there is in a garden that only generates plant's.

[@mazzaf7575]

Renovations, plans, plants - plurals don’t need apostrophes

[@Schlumbucketreturns]

I like the sofas, lol. Not my exact taste either, but they look nice and look like they can take the abuse of rental guests.

[@karensumner3772]

FUN GOODIES-TFS-HUGS/BLESSINGS

[@goodbarbenie5477]

Besides the word impossible lies in the Dictionary of fools.😮

[@aaronobryan4295]

Those views are incredible

[@legoqueen2445]

Grandma is sending mixed messages! She wants to give Claire free reign but then doesn't agree with anything Claire wants to do! Glad Ruth spoke up!

[@ryancaldwell9463]

So in the end granny had the money to do the outside all along? Why doesn’t she care about this house? Rich people astound me. lol

[@lisam1708]

Does anyone know what happened? It says that the house was sold in 2018 😢

[@bertie6346]

I've never seen Ruth without a coat, even in the hottest weather. Wish I had a fraction of the one's she must own.

[@kennethcrawford3888]

bothers me to see awful furniture in a stately home

[@RockDove5212]

It's not a stately home, but I agree about the terrible furniture

[@Isabel-of4wq]

So … is it the sofas? help me understand why you think theyre so awful … too macho vibe??

[@laurahoward5426]

It's a dump

[@healthyamerican]

with no funds to properly restore the house, the family should sell the house and a small chunk of land to someone who can afford to restore it. then the family can move into the smaller cottage and resume their lives while being able to keep most of the property for their own enjoyment

[@steamshiptv3488]

Yeah it's been sold.

[@scotnick59]

How old is Charis now - or has she passed?

[@reefprayerresin]

She passed at 91 years of age, in 2021.

[@oakashthorn5714]

@@reefprayerresinThat’s sad…is Claire doing ok?

[@noramyshrall9700]

I happen to Love couches

[@anitaw3255]

Google says Charris sold in 2018

[@tracyjacobs7862]

Dolly Daydream hasn't a clue 😮

[@G4NoChallenge]

granny is no so nice or honest as she looks - worth millions i guess, spent a big part of that on her dream to renovate the mansion, lied about not knowing the cost of the renovations and ripped off the TV for free publicity - simply, none of them want extra work.

[@sharonharding3478]

It closed years ago

[@jessicamartinez3613]

With airbnb they could have done a ton of business.

[@12345jonny]

Place was up for sale and house is now permanently closed.

[@kellyk.3855]

That's awful

[@kuchikopi4631]

Most of these old houses and estates are sold to the new rich nowadays.

[@janegardener1662]

@@kuchikopi4631 They're the only ones who can afford the upkeep these estates require.

[@kuchikopi4631]

@@janegardener1662 yep, true

[@TheMaggieMia]

Too bad they didn’t set up a trust that would have protected the property and given the family a very long term future as it’s guardians. Grandma hung on to legal control and I bet the inheritance taxes forced the sale.

[@denizberlin9441]

Well it doesn’t matter anymore because the house got closed and also got sold in 2018. seems like it was not a success

[@AngelaTopping]

Something more chintzy would have been better in the lounge, to go with the ceiling, but it's great to see this. Would love to stay there.

[@reneshay889]

L hi hi

[@judyaimel7293]

Love 💞

[@jensingerlady]

It turned out great, and the sofas are practical for kids. They’re not the the prettiest, but…….

[@wendymisirly5826]

Closed

[@donaldducc5449]

And sold in 2018.

[@ArgentPure]

Gramma is the problem here.

[@goodbarbenie5477]

What is more gastly than poverty...There are just three things which could help one on the road to success. Not necessarily in this order, but it all depends on what U have on your fork at the moment. And that is Time, Money And Knowledge. Therefore if U little Monies U can definitely work on your Time and Knowledge... Once again if U lucky enough to gain the Monies and Time, who knows where can go. With that U can gain the Knowledge needed...😮😅😊 And the rest will become History...😂

[@elizabethgarcia7245]

Red 😢

[@lynnedelacy2841]

Sadly it was sold in 2018 after Charis death £1,095,000

[@dominiqueparisi4618]

Good O