County stately home is going under the hammer

1:00pm Thursday 17th July 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

ANOTHER grand country house in Herefordshire is up for sale with a guide price of £2 million.

Last week, Caradoc Court went under the hammer for £2,000,050 – now Great Brampton House at Madley is on the market.

It is up for sale because its owner, Lady Pamela Pidgeon, has decided to close her world-famous antiques business, based there for 36 years, and has retired to live in Australia with her husband, Sir John Pidgeon.

All the contents of the house, formerly known as Great Brampton House Antiques, will be sold by auction at the Madley premises by Bonhams of London on October 1.

Lady Pidgeon supported many good causes in Herefordshire raising many thousands of pounds for charity, often with candle-lit dinners and auctions at her home.

She started up business in West Street in Hereford with her first husband, Francis Howell, on a small scale and the couple then moved to Great Brampton.

They built up one of the biggest antique businesses in the country, with a multi-million pound annual turnover attracting clients from many countries.

Lady Pidgeon married Sir John several years after the death of her first husband and the couple spent much of their time in Queensland, Australia. They have now decided to make it their full-time home.

Great Brampton House is being sold by Hereford estate agent Bill Jackson, who said it was an opportunity to acquire one of Herefordshire’s most spectacular and well-known country residences.

As well as the mansion, the property includes nearly 11 acres of of formal parkland and gardens, a lake and water features. There is a self-contained two-bedroom cottage and a helicopter pad.

4 Great Brampton House.