A romantic, country home in Herefordshire

“To live in a courtyard that’s enclosed has been fantastic”, says the owner, Jeanie Falconer, who with her husband and three children, moved from Paris into Paunton Court in 2005. “We were looking for somewhere to live in the West Country because my husband is from around here and I largely grew up in Devon,” she explains. 

Architectural styles and spaces 

The house itself is a quirky mix of architectural styles and spaces. The original structure with its timber frame dates to the 16th century, with subsequent additions ranging from the 18th century to the present day. The floor plan is a distinctive ‘H’ shape, with different wings extending outwards. There are eight bedrooms, multiple sitting rooms and studies, as well as a handsome dining room. The quintessential country kitchen boasts a substantial range and breakfast table. Meanwhile, the family cat rotates between cosy spots in front of the working fireplaces. 

The property’s centrepiece is a grand hall with a first-floor gallery, which has become the focal point for family gatherings and entertaining. “We’ve had a lot of great parties and concerts here,” Jeanie says. The Falconers also expanded the house when they moved in, adding a new wing by connecting the neighbouring hop kiln to the rest of the property through a two-storey gallery with tall windows that overlook the garden.

Frome Valley Vineyard 

Alongside 50 acres of land comprising woodlands, pasture, a mature orchard with more than 20 different fruit trees and an expansive vegetable garden – “during the summer we more or less live off what we grow,” says Jeanie – Paunton Court is also home to Frome Valley Vineyard, a winery that was established in the 1990s and which Jeanie has run since moving in. 

“We grow six varieties, most of which are now classed as heritage grapes”, she explains. These include rarities like Huxelrebe, Reichensteiner and Madeleine Angevine – some of the earliest, medieval-era grape varieties to be grown in the UK. “It depends on the weather, but normally we make somewhere between 4,000 and 7,000 bottles a year.” 

With vines and vegetables alike to attend to, alongside the property’s acreage of land, the Falconers have created their own rural idyll; a bustling family home where opportunities to connect with nature are never very far away. 

Happy times at Paunton Court 

“The house has a lovely character – it feels like a lot of happy people have lived here over the years,” Jeanie reflects. She’ll be sad to leave, though the Falconers plan to stay in the local area. 

“Another thing I really enjoy about being here is that it’s so peaceful – the property is banded by the river on one side and by country lanes on the other. We are self-contained, seemingly in the middle of the countryside, but you can reach Ledbury, Malvern or Hereford in 20 minutes,” she adds. “Herefordshire is the most beautiful county, but still quite unknown as well.” 

Paunton Court has now been sold