Farewell to Wanswell
Good bye to our longstanding tenants of this unique medieval moated property, now looking for new owners
Richard, Carola and friends at Wanswell Court
Images of Wanswell Court courtesy of Carter Jonas
The Ernest Cook Trust has said goodbye to long-standing tenants Richard and Carola Silvey, who have looked after one of our most beautiful and historic buildings for almost 35 years.
The couple came to medieval and moated Wanswell Court on the Slimbridge Estate in Gloucestershire in 1990. They raised their two children there and farmed 220 acres of pasture and arable land over many years before Richard’s recent retirement at the age of 82.
The couple moved out just before Christmas 2024 and moved into a newly built house in Berkeley – but admit there are aspects of their old home that they greatly miss. Richard said,
It was a privilege to live there. The house has great atmosphere. It’s at the end of a half mile drive, so no neighbours to get in the way!
Carola said they would have liked to have continued to live at Wanswell Court but were enjoying their cosy new build. “It could be cold at the old house. We used to spend a lot of time in the kitchen around the Aga,” she said.
The manor house and 25 acres of pasture has been launched onto the market for sale by The Ernest Cook Trust through local estate agents Carter Jonas. Carola said the new owners would have a lovely home.
Claire, our Head of Estate Management, said “The combined cost of ongoing maintenance and regulatory compliance upgrades means the property is not viable for the Trust to retain, as it would not deliver a sustainable return in support of the Trust’s educational work.” She continued,
The property will be a wonderful asset for a private purchaser.
Richard and Carola married in 1989 and came to Wanswell Court just a year later. Richard, who had been working as a veterinary surgeon in Bahrain, joined his family business on their return to England and the couple needed somewhere to live.
They settled into the Grade I listed manor, complete with six bedrooms a central hall dating from 1450 and surrounded by an historic moat designated as a Scheduled Monument. There is also a range of both traditional and modern farm buildings and an ancient fishpond.
The couple farmed around 220 acres and returned to Bahrain for a time when their daughter, Georgie and son Robin, were young, leaving friends to look after Wanswell Court and regularly returning on visits home.
They moved back in fulltime in 2001 when Richard joined the State Veterinary Service, just as Foot and Mouth Disease struck. He combined his work as a vet for Defra with looking after the house and the farm, running a suckler herd and growing some arable crops while Carola managed a small livery stable.
Having a large medieval hall with a big doorway and flagstone floors proved to be extremely useful when Richard had a quad bike.
I used to drive it through the doorway and park it in the great hall. Quad bikes are often targeted by thieves, and it was the safest place to leave it – it did no damage at all to the building.
Wanswell Court Farm was originally part of the Berkeley Estate until it was bought by The Ernest Cook Trust.
Carola said it had been a wonderful experience living there, a great place for their children and ideal for Christmas. “We could have a 15ft tree – it was lovely, and a perfect home for children with lots of outside space and the chance to have ponies and proper outdoor experiences,” she said.
The Trust wishes Richard and Carola a very happy retirement.
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