Historic Chelmsford building transformed into eight luxurious homes

A 14th century building, which has pride of place beside Chelmsford Cathedral, has been lovingly converted into luxurious homes.    

The historic Grade II listed building, which was in need of restoration, has been transformed into six stylish apartments and two town houses, each on the market with Fenn Wright. 

Dominating a prime site in the heart of the city on New Street, the history of the building, including its use as a pub, judges’ quarters and wedding venue, has been well documented over the decades.   

The earliest record of Maynetrees, which took its name from one of its first owners, John Manytre, is the fact it was sold to two sisters in the 14th century, who divided the property in half. One half of the building eventually became the Greyhound Pub.  

Throughout the 16th century, records show that property prices in Chelmsford rose, along with demand for properties with frontage on the high street, so Maynetrees was divided again. This time into three properties, two of which were ale houses known as The Five Bells and The Holy Lamb, which sold for £100 in 1685. 

In 1870 the building was renovated to accommodate judges serving at the near-by crown court, by its owner Thomas Morgan Gepp, a solicitor and assistant clerk of the county court. The site was purchased by Essex County Council in 1960 from the Gepp family.  At that time it was still being used as accommodation for judges.  As time went on, its use dwindled, occasionally serving as a venue for conferences and weddings. 

In 2016, the site was bought by local developer, Evecross Ltd, which has restored the charm and character of the landmark building and created beautiful one, two and three bedroom homes.  Some apartments are split over two levels, with features including dressing areas and a basement study. Each property has a bespoke high quality kitchen including stone composite worktops, dual boiling and cold filter water tap and Neff appliances.

One of the earliest maps to show the site is dated 1591

Steve Baker, partner at Fenn Wright, said: “While Chelmsford high street is just 100 metres away, Maynetrees’ location next to the cathedral is very serene and peaceful.

“Its historic charm and location, coupled with the high-spec of the homes make it a very desirable address. It’s fair to say, we have had a lot of interest since the homes went on the market.”

Steve added: “The charm and character of the old building is lovingly celebrated in the homes, making them all unique.

“It’s an exceptional development.”

Chelmsford is ideally located for London commuters, with a 40 minute train journey into the capital. It is also just three miles from the A12 and 14 miles to the M25. 

Find out more about available properties at Maynetrees here.

For more information please contact our New Homes team here.

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