A historic country residence, meticulously crafted over one and a half centuries, now up for sale
Little Onn Hall, nestled in the heart of Staffordshire, boasts a rich history marked by ownership changes, architectural evolution, and notable garden design.
Ownership History
The estate originally belonged to the Crockett family until 1830 when James Ashton purchased it. James Ashton’s grandson, Charles Ashton, inherited the property as a minor after his father's death in 1844. Displeased with the existing house, Charles Ashton replaced the late-18th-century Rye Hill House with Little Onn Hall, built in an Elizabethan manor house style. In 1907, the hall was sold to Tyrell William Cavendish, who tragically died in the RMS Titanic disaster.
Architecture
Little Onn Hall features a blend of styles reflecting its long history, combining medieval origins (there is a nearby medieval moated site thought to be part of a 15th-/16th-century manor house) with Jacobean and Victorian elements, along with 21st-century additions. The current main house represents a grand Elizabethan manor style with distinct tall chimneystacks and crow-stepped gables.
Thomas Mawson's Garden Design
Despite not fully implementing Mawson's designs, the sisters of the original owners, Eveline and Amy, commissioned Thomas Mawson to produce a plan for landscaping the gardens at Little Onn Hall in the 1890s. However, due to lack of funds, the proposals were never fully implemented.
Current State
Little Onn Hall, having undergone 'the perfect restoration', offers more than 10,500sq ft of living space. The interior highlights include the oak-panelled library and the kitchen/breakfast room with a glazed roof lantern. The principal bedroom suite has a stone fireplace, two dressing rooms, and luxurious shower rooms.
The current owner of Little Onn Hall is a successful Midlands businessman. The property is for sale through Fisher German and Peter James Property at a guide price of £3.5 million. The medieval moated site to the north-east of Little Onn Hall is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, highlighting the estate's historic significance, though the hall itself is unlisted.
Interestingly, Rye Hill House, now the main house at Little Onn, is also for sale at a guide price of £3.5 million. This presents a unique opportunity for someone to own not one, but two historic properties on the same estate.
[1] Historic England [2] Staffordshire County Council [3] Fisher German [4] Peter James Property [5] Little Onn Hall on Rightmove
- The sisters of the original owners commissioned the renowned landscaper, Thomas Mawson, to design the gardens of Little Onn Hall, but due to financial constraints, only parts of his plan were implemented.
- The current owner of Little Onn Hall, a successful businessman, has made strategic investments in real-estate, which include the commercial properties listed under Fisher German and Peter James Property, as well as another historic property, Rye Hill House, also for sale on the same estate.
