For sale: a much loved Georgian home in the Yorkshire Dales close to Skipton

They never imagined that would happen but one Saturday morning in 1975, they opened The Yorkshire Post to find an advert for the sale of Embsay Kirk.

Well, somethings are meant to be, and the family viewed the house that very afternoon and an offer was made and accepted.

The rest is a happy history of a home that has been adored by the Edwards family for almost 50 years.

John grew up there before moving away for work but keen to come back, he and his wife bought and moved to the old coach house that came with Embsay Kirk before later moving into the main house.

They have carried out refurbishments to the property over the years and are selling the much-loved main house to downsize back into the coach house.

“It is too big for the two of us and we want to focus on hobbies and on travelling,” says John. “Leaving Embsay Kirk will be a real wrench. It is a house that has been loved and cherished by my parents and by us.”

He adds that although the house looks large, it is not rambling. “We use all the rooms and the house is warm and comfortable. It was built on a historic site that is very sheltered so it’s not exposed.”

The house dates from the 1780s with nineteenth century additions including a Victorian billiards room, and is attributed to Yorkshire architect, John Carr.

It comes with an even richer history having been constructed on the site of a monastic building. The existing cellars are believed to have formed the crypt of the Augustinian Priory of Saint Cuthbert that existed from 1120 until moved to Bolton Abbey.

The property has an entrance and staircase hall, four reception rooms, a study, kitchen/breakfast room, larder, boot room, utility room, laundry room, cloakroom/wc, rear staircase hall and cellars.

There is a principal bedroom suite with dressing room and bathroom, eight further bedrooms, two bathrooms and a walk-in linen cupboard. Outside, there is an outdoor pool and pool terrace, a range of outbuildings and gardens, grounds and field amounting to eight acres.

Embsay Kirk lies between the villages of Embsay and Eastby, surrounded by open Dales countryside and the Bolton Abbey Estate. Behind lies one of the best grouse moors in England.

The house is two miles from Skipton and close to facilities all within walking distance including a primary school, church and chapel, a sub post office, general store, two pubs, a village hall and a bus service.

The house is on the market for £1.95m with Blenkin and Co.com