Description
A highly attractive, ring-fenced residential arable farm set within an appealing North Essex landscape, positioned between the sought-after villages of Little Sampford and Finchingfield.
- Lot 1 – Whitehouse Farmhouse – 2.48 acres (1 ha) – Guide price £850,000
- Lot 2 – Whitehouse Farm Buildings – 1.88 acres (0.76 ha) – Guide price £270,000
- Lot 3 – Arable land at Whitehouse Farm – 398.20 acres (161.13 ha) – Guide price £3,555,000
In all, about 402.62 acres (162.94 hectares)
Offers in the region of £4,675,000.
The property is offered for sale by Private Treaty as a whole or in up to three lots.
Description
Whitehouse Farm extends to about 402.62 acres (162.94 hectares) and represents an opportunity to acquire a well-arranged residential arable holding in one of North Essex’s most picturesque rural areas. The farm comprises 395.05 acres (159.88 hectares) of productive Grade 2 arable land, a charming Grade II listed five-bedroom farmhouse and a substantial range of farm buildings, all within a single ring-fenced block.
As part of the wider Spains Hall Estate, Whitehouse Farm has been managed with an emphasis on modern agricultural practices alongside environmental stewardship and habitat enhancement, reflecting the Estate’s broader commitment to progressive and sustainable land management.
Whitehouse Farm represents a rare opportunity to acquire a well-contained, privately situated residential arable farm combining productive agricultural land with outstanding charm and character in a highly desirable rural setting.
LOT 1 – Whitehouse Farmhouse
About 2.53 acres (1.02 ha)
Guide price: £850,000
Whitehouse Farmhouse is a Grade II listed farmhouse occupying an elevated position with outstanding southerly views over the Essex countryside. Accessed via a long private driveway from Finchingfield Road, it enjoys a private and secluded setting within grounds of about 2.43 acres.
The house is arranged over two floors and provides well-balanced family accommodation, retaining a wealth of period character including exposed beams and inglenook fireplaces. The ground floor includes three reception rooms, a spacious kitchen and a bedroom with adjoining wet room, with four further bedrooms and a family bathroom situated on the first floor. The loft is accessible from the landing and provides extra storage space.
Outside, the property is set within wrap-around gardens with a double garage, an adjoining timber-framed garden shed, a 1.38-acre paddock and a further garden shed to the rear.
The farmhouse is currently let on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy at a passing rent of £2,450 per calendar month (£29,400 per annum). Notice has been served and vacant possession is expected on 15th June 2026.
Service Information
Water – mains
Drainage – private sewage treatment plant
Heating / hot water – oil fired central heating
Council Tax – band G
EPC – F (expires 17/12/2029)
LOT 2: Whitehouse Farm Buildings
About 1.88 acres (0.76 ha)
Guide Price: £270,000
A well-arranged farmyard situated immediately to the west of the farmhouse, comprising two grain stores and a commercial let building, together providing grain storage capacity of approximately 800 tonnes. The buildings are served by mains water and three-phase electricity and accessed via a private track off the B1053.
The buildings offer potential for alternative uses, subject to the necessary planning consents.
In 2020, planning permission was granted for an additional grain store of approximately 1,000 sqm (10,764 sq ft) to the south of the existing buildings (ref: UTT/20/1938/AG), though this consent has not been implemented. Further details are available from the vendor’s agents.
Building 1 (18.5m x 22.5m) – A steel portal framed grain store with a fibre cement roof, drying floor, central divide, twin sliding doors and electric fan house with gas burners, providing a storage capacity of approximately 400 tonnes.
Building 2 (17.75m x 22.5m) – A steel portal framed grain store with a fibre cement roof and concrete floor, with single sliding door access. Currently in use as a machinery store, with a storage capacity of approximately 400 tonnes.
Building 3 (15.5m x 24.55m) – Currently let under a contracted-out Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 lease expiring 30th September 2027, at a passing rent of £9,054 per annum. The building is of steel portal frame construction with a fibre cement roof, concrete block walls and a concrete floor, accessed via twin sliding doors. The southern end incorporates a mezzanine of approximately 500 sq ft, currently used as office accommodation. The building benefits from B8 planning consent granted in 2006 (ref: UTT/1350/05/FUL).
Building 4 – spray store (4.75m x 3.25m) – A purpose-built agrochemical store of breeze-block construction under a fibre cement roof.
LOT 3: Arable Land at Whitehouse Farm
About 398.20 acres (161.13 ha)
Guide Price: £3,555,000
A single ring-fenced block of land with about 395.05 acres (159.88 ha) of productive arable farmland, predominantly classified as Grade 2 by DEFRA — with a small area of Grade 3 at the southern edge of the farm — being of the Hanslope soil series of England and Wales (slowly permeable calcareous clayey soils) and the Ludford series (well-drained loamy soils over gravel), both well-suited to high-yielding combinable crops.
The land is laid out in large, easily worked fields, well-suited to modern arable machinery and benefiting from access via the private farm drive, together with public highway access off Finchingfield Road (B1053) and Maynard Lane, and internal farm tracks running through the holding.
The land benefits from an established drainage system which has been maintained and progressively improved over the years. Drainage records are available upon request.
The land is currently let to E W Davies on a Farm Business Tenancy at a passing rent of £51,958 per annum. Notice has been served and vacant possession will be available at Michaelmas 2026. The current tenant has expressed a desire to continue farming the holding and would consider entering into discussions with a prospective purchaser regarding a new farming arrangement. Further details are available from the vendors’ agents.
Cropping History
Environment & Natural Capital
Whitehouse Farm represents an opportunity for buyers seeking to pursue natural capital and environmental enhancement projects alongside conventional farming. Opportunities may include habitat creation, Biodiversity Net Gain, woodland and hedgerow planting, carbon-related initiatives and participation in wider agri-environment schemes, subject to the necessary surveys, consents and scheme design. These opportunities are outlined in an indicative Natural Capital and BNG Assessment dated March 2026, further details available from the vendors’ agents.
Tenure
The property is offered for sale freehold with vacant possession on completion. The property is registered under Title Number EX894945.
Holdover
The vendor may require a holdover period on the property following the completion of the sale(s). Further details are available from the vendors’ agents.
Early Entry
The purchasers may be granted early entry on harvested fields after exchange of contracts, for cultivation and crop establishment for the 2027 harvest, subject to payment of an additional 10% deposit.
Fixtures & Fittings
Any fixtures, fittings and chattels, whether referred to in these particulars or not, are excluded from the sale unless expressly stated to be included.
Sporting, Timber & Mineral Rights
All sporting, timber and mineral rights are included within the sale in so far as they are owned.
Easements, Wayleaves & Rights of Way
The property is sold subject to and with the benefit of all rights including rights of way, whether public or private, light, support, drainage, water and electricity supplies and any other rights and obligations, easements and quasi-easements, restrictive covenants, and all existing and proposed wayleaves for masts, pylons, stays, cables, drains, water, gas and other pipes, whether referred to in these particulars or not.
Boundaries
All boundaries outlined on the attached plans are for identification purposes only. Potential buyers are responsible for confirming the boundaries. Any mistakes, omissions or inaccuracies will not allow the buyer to cancel the contract or claim compensation.
Local Authority
Uttlesford District Council, Council Offices, London Road, Saffron Walden, CB11 4ER.
Tel: 01799 510510
Braintree District Council, Causeway House, Bocking End, Braintree, CM7 9HB.
Tel: 01376 552525
Viewings
Strictly by appointment with the selling agents. Interested parties are requested to contact the agents to arrange a viewing.
VAT
Any guide price quoted or discussed is exclusive of VAT. In the event that a sale of the property or any part of it or any right attached to it becomes a chargeable supply for the purposes of VAT, such tax will be payable in addition. All interested parties are advised to seek independent professional advice regarding their VAT position.
Anti-Money Laundering
In accordance with the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, once an offer is accepted, the purchaser(s) must provide any requested information to complete the necessary due diligence as a legal requirement.
Health & Safety
Given the potential hazards of a working farm, we ask that you exercise caution when viewing the property. Neither the seller nor the selling agents are responsible for the safety of those viewing the property, and accordingly, those viewing the property do so at their own risk.
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