Upper House, Hayfield

With an immensely dramatic backdrop surrounding you, nothing can quite prepare you for what awaits as you drive through the gates of Upper House. With a fascinating history that charts this incredible property"s rise and fall, from renowned owners to exquisite features, each inch of this property has a story to tell.
You really do feel like you're in another world. The views are absolutely breathtaking, from the reservoir to Kinder Scout you can imagine how the landscape completely changes throughout the seasons, bringing a whole new beauty as the months pass by. For 150 years, Upper House was a hunting lodge and is set in 30 acres of private woodland with extensive gardens. Parts of the property can be traced back to the 14th century, including the gun room and the medieval great hall.
One of the most notable owners has to be James Watts, who was the Mayor of Manchester and also the father-in-law to Agatha Christie. The house was in his family for three generations, after he acquired the estate in the mid 19th century. Sir James was an impressive figure, a textile merchant at the heart of Manchester's cotton industry, it's said his income was bigger than the King of Spain's.
Many people were entertained here, including politicians, royalty and local nobility; the names and crests of some can be found within the game keepers' cottage and medieval banqueting hall. But before its days of grandeur, this property was a farmstead, and for 400 years the Kinder family had made it their own.
Despite the luxuriousness of the 12 bedrooms, the spa-like 10 bathrooms, five sumptuous lounges, and five stunning bespoke kitchens from the likes of Mark Wilkinson and David Lisle, they have managed to create a home which still feels cosy and welcoming. You can imagine relaxing in the snug on a winter's day with the fire roaring, reading a good book and the most amazing view sneakily catching your eye as you move through the pages.
The original 1700s kitchen is now used as a larder, but is one of many rooms that you walk into and feel like you've gone back in time. You can just feel the history within the walls and you will be wishing that they could tell you a tale or two.
It isn't hard to tell that the owners have absolutely cherished their time here, in so many ways. Not only have they transformed this house back into the glorious condition that its heritage deserves but as this generation's custodians they have truly loved and embraced it as their home. But as with all stories, there has to be an end & this is no Agatha Christie mystery, though, it's just that the time has come for a new chapter in their lives.