Idyllic farmhouse in rural hamlet

Old Hall Farm in Great Steeping is a picturesque period country home in a peaceful rural location.

As a much-loved family home for more than 85 years, Old Hall Farm has been at the centre of traditional Lincolnshire farming life for the Coupland family and has seen many generations enjoy living and working in this tranquil setting.

This attractive traditional farmhouse house, which is not listed, offers generously proportioned rooms with large sash windows. It features five bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs, with three impressive receptions rooms and two sitting rooms with open fires and log burning stove, while the kitchen/breakfast room is kept cosy with a traditional oil and electric Aga.

All rooms are spacious and full of character, enjoying quintessential mid-Lincolnshire countryside views. Classic features include vintage beams, exposed brickwork and inglenooks.

As a child, Clare Mowbray recalls visiting her grandparents here and has many fond memories of idyllic times spent in the gardens and meadows which surround the property.

“It is a home which was adored by my mum, who was born there in 1939. After moving away when she married, she returned in the 1980s and died there, as she wished, in 2022.

“She’s buried with her sisters and parents in the little churchyard that you can see from the house.

“Her father, Frank Coupland, was born in a neighbouring village, Thorpe St Peter. He and his brother, Walter, farmed as ‘Coupland Bros’ with his brother living in Old Hall Farm in Thorpe St Peter and grandad, once married, living in this Old Hall Farm in Great Steeping.

History and heritage
The brothers shared a passion for farming both rural properties – coincidentally both named Old Hall Farm – since before World War II.

“When mum was little, the shepherd and his family lived in half the house, and assorted farm workers lived in the cottages at the top of the road.

“It was a mixed farm with Lincoln Reds and sheep. After agricultural college, mum had her own herd of sheep at home.

“Years later when she returned to live there, mum renovated it and was a big believer in doing things right and it is all sound with the plumbing and electrics in good order.

She spent several years restoring the house to very exacting standards, helped by local builders Tony and Mark Seal, and Mark has continued to do maintenance here as required.”

According to Clare, the house dates back to between 200 and 400 years. Brick-built, it has a slate roof but is thought to have been thatched at one time.

In the grass fields there is also evidence of a moat where the original ‘Hall’ once stood – there are also Roman fish ponds marked in the grass fields, while the rest of the meadows are old ridge and furrow.

The old cart buildings, barn, bull sheds and part of the crew yard are now empty but these could be brought back into use as part of a smallholding.

In the bull sheds, the cattle trough still runs the length of the building and there is the old brick floor, while on the wooden beams you can still see an inscription dated 1917.

Outside space
Standing in approx 1.9 acres of landscaped gardens with mature trees, this handsome property is ring-fenced by 20 acres of grass fields and meadows.

For those looking for equestrian opportunities, there is the potential to purchase, by separate negotiation, the 20 acres with the opportunity to use the existing barns and stable and plenty of space to add your own purpose-built stables, as well as an arena (stp).

The property also offers plenty of scope for enthusiastic gardeners with a greenhouse, vegetable patch and orchard, as well as a south and west facing paved terrace leading off the house.

“There are a couple of old chestnut trees at the bottom of the garden, as well as a small orchard where there used to be a Dutch barn, now providing apples, pears, plums, greengages, cherries and walnuts.
“The front lawn also featured a tennis court when mum was little, and there are lots of mature trees and hedgerows.

“The driveway is lined by horse chestnuts that mum grew from conkers from the old trees. An aerial photograph from the 1960s shows the Dutch barn and the crew yard between this and the barns, the area is now a small paddock.

“Mum was passionate about the house, gardens and peaceful location and never wanted to be anywhere else; she loved gardening and cooking as you can tell by the beautiful grounds.

“I have very happy memories visiting my grandparents and as a child I loved collecting conkers, climbing the 400-year-old trees, fishing for sticklebacks in the River Steeping and playing in the fields.

“Mum had such a happy childhood and it would be lovely to think of a family with children living here again.” 

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