A remarkable manor house building at Yateley has been let to an independent school.
Yateley Hall, a 16, 798 sq ft Grade II* listed house, dating from the 16th Century, has been let on a 25-year lease to Hurst Lodge School.
It had been marketed by Campbell Gordon, either for freehold sale or on a leasehold basis for a range of uses including office, residential and care.
Jake Booth, director at Campbell Gordon, who led the campaign, said: “We spoke to a wide range of potential purchasers and tenants as this building is so unique and has so much potential.
“The residential conversion route seemed the most likely on the face of it but its listed status and configuration put too much of a value constraint on its development.
“In the end the most serious and high value interest came from a number of educational use parties. In the end it was Hurst Lodge School that prevailed and we are delighted to have completed this letting to them and look forward to it becoming a key centre for them in the years ahead.”
John Behan, owner of Yateley Hall said: “We have owned this building for 30 years. We originally renovated it from a dilapidated state to its current high standard and condition.
“We ran it as an office for many years, with a range of occupiers over the years. However, when it became vacant recently we recognised that the office market had changed and looked at a range of options.
“Campbell Gordon pushed the building hard to all the key occupier and buyer target groups. They persisted through the uncertainties of the pandemic and ultimately achieved a great result. Our preference was to let, rather than sell, so we are delighted to have secured the Hurst Lodge School as tenants for the next 25 years.”
While Campbell Gordon acted for Yateley Hall, the Hurst Lodge School was unrepresented.
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Wonderful to know Yateley Hall will be a school once again! My childhood years were spent here when it was Yateley Hall Convent Preparatory School, generally known as Yateley Hall. While much of the land has long since been sold off (and this started in the late 70s), it’s still a beautiful and gracious setting. Hopefully a new generation of pupils will be just as happy there.
In September 1946, for almost a year I became a boarder at Yateley Hall Convent Preparatory School and remember it (and the haha) well. The head-of-school was then Mother Pelly, and her 2-i-c was Sister Bourne. In June 1947 my family emigrated to Johannesburg as post-WW2 settlers. We have since produced three South African-born generations.
I worked for a marketing company called Outbound based at the amazing Yateley Hall. It stands on a very old site and is therefore very haunted by past residents of which I had first hand experience on the top floor, very strong door slamming , it didn’t want me there I left.
In the late 1950’s I attended Yateley Hall as a first year student. At the time Catholic nuns were my teachers. I have a letter from the Mother Superior, for my future teachers in America, that will bring a smile to ones face. In October of 2025 I would like to return for a visit, from Colorado, if I can be guided on who to contact. This will be part of a visit to Ireland, also, to attend the unveiling of the Project Children Peace Campus in County Monaghan for its fiftieth anniversary of peace work in Northern Ireland. I have been their Colorado coordinator for twenty-six years.