Manor once owned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle up for sale

Bignell Wood in Brook in Hampshire is surrounded by the New Forest and boasts eight bedrooms, seven bathrooms and ten additional rooms.

Doyle bought the massive house in 1924 as a birthday present for his second wife Jean after falling in love with the area while researching for his novel 'The White Company'.

The pair used the property as a country retreat to get away from their main home at Crowborough, East Sussex.

Bignell Wood in Brook (Image: SWNS)

The author even took inspiration from the nearby village of Minstead for the book, and ultimately was buried there when he died in July 1930.

Set on six acres, the property was originally a Saxon barn and two cottages before the author teamed up with a local architect to build the country house that exists today.

Featuring landscaped gardens, open woodland, paddocks, a stable and a dethatched garage with a workshop, the 'magnificent' property is a truly perfect English country manor.

Inside Bignell Wood (Image: SWNS)

The current owner, interior designer Jane McIntyre, bought the house in 2006 and re-styled the interior while preserving the property's character.

Her additions include a new spacious open plan kitchen and dining room, along with a 'media room' and two studies.

A future owner would even get the chance to have their own 'study in scarlet' to work in - the same room that Conan Doyle wrote his literary masterpieces, which has now become the 'red room'.

Inside Bignell Wood (Image: SWNS)

Jane said: “It's a beautifully built house that still has all three of the original stone fireplaces Sir Arthur put in.

"We renovated the parquet floors and ripped out the very modern kitchen and bathrooms, reinstating an arts & crafts style more in keeping with that period.

“Sir Arthur is known for his Gothic suspense crime fiction and historical adventures so I've decorated the house with rich, dark colours as a bit of a nod towards Gothic drama.

"There's a little corner bay where we like to think his desk was. We were told by one of his descendants that that's where he used to write.

"There's a really warm friendly feeling about the house - everybody who ever comes in absolutely loves it."

Bignell Wood bathroom (Image: SWNS)

“The house is in a brilliant location: you can walk out the back door straight onto open Forest. If people have horses, you can ride up to Stoney Cross, a few minutes away, and there are miles of riding up there. It is fabulous."

You can find out more here: https://spencersnewforest.com/property-sales/brook-lyndhurst-25409136-4/