Mystery buyer snaps up £7.5m estate

The Chyknell Hall Estate boasts a Grade II-listed manor house, five cottages, a tennis court and wine cellar.

It was put on the market late last year by estate agents Knight Frank, which describe the estate as 'the pinnacle of the residential tree' and welcomed offers of around £7.5m.

Now the London-based firm - which specialises in high-end properties - has confirmed the entire plot has been sold, although details of the buyer and the selling price are being kept a closely guarded secret.

Knight Frank spokeswoman Lizzie Copestake told the Express & Star: "The property has now been sold. No further details of the sale will be revealed due to a confidentiality agreement being in place."

The sale marks only the fourth time the hall has changed hands in its 200-year history.

The centrepiece of the plot, the regal 12-bedroom Chyknell Hall was built in 1814 and features six bathrooms.

A tree-lined drive that is a third of a mile long leads up to the hall, while a giant walled kitchen garden and a heated swimming pool are among other prime features.

The mass expanse of land surrounding the house features 200 acres of freehold land, including 96 acres of woodland and a further 509 acres for sports, with gaming rights included.

The last owner also installed a cricket green at the site.

Planning permission is in place for up to five more properties should the new owners wish to expand.

The ownership of Chyknell Hall Estate can be traced back to medieval times. It remained in the same family for generations before it was sold to a family in the 1930s.

In 2011 it was sold by the Kenyon-Slaney family, who raised their three sons there. Eton-educated Mr Kenyon-Slaney and his wife sold the property for more than £6m when they decided to downsize.

The last owner was at the property for four years but decided to leave after finding an estate with more land. He was said to be a keen follower of cricket who laid a cricket pitch in the grounds of the hall so he could get his friends over for a game.

Clive Hopkins, partner and head of farms and estates at Knight Frank, said: "It's not quite a Lord's, but it's a very high standard, he bought all the equipment, rollers and things.

"With this estate you get a lot of bricks and mortar for your money. Not many estates like this come up and when they do they are highly sought after."

Before putting the estate on the market the last owner gave it a thorough overhaul, fitting a new heating system and electrical wiring, as well as replacing chimneys throughout the house.