How A Viscount Rescued A Neoclassical House | Country House Rescue: Colebrooke Park | Real Royalty 

Allen's brother hit the nail on the head when he said, these houses were not made for just two people to be walled off from the rest of the world. They were built to be a community within themselfs.

I really really wish 'Country House Rescue' would do one, two, or even more years, after, follow-up episodes. It would be interesting to see the successes (those that took Simon's advice and/or even ran with it) and, dare I say, failures (if any...*cough*...Great Fulford...).

Colebrooke is an ideal location at which to hold an international three-day-event that could bring thousands of people to the area for a week or so every year. Many landed estates benefit handsomely by hosting three-day and other events that appeal to the country set (e.g. sheep dog trials, hunter trials, hacking). Building cross-country courses/fences that could be rented to equestrians/riding clubs, etc. might also be an appropriate option for them. Memberships/licenses to use the facilities could be sold.

by engaging with the community it brings joy and happiness into the lives of everyone and will bless u spiritually and financially it will also ensure the estates restorations for years to come

How lovely for the townspeople to get to view the interior of this majestic house. Would love to see more Gardens & Trees on the spacious grounds. Prince Charles’s Highgrove House Organici Gardens are awe inspiring.

I think Allen will find that by taking people through the house, he gets a subtle way of showing off all the hard work he and Janet have put into it to retrieve their history and their families treasures. I think that will give him a morale boost and they will be more prone to opening the house to visitors, even if it’s only on the weekend or a few days during the weekday. Plus they have so many rooms they could start up a tea room and a little kitchenette and when people come through for a visit they could have tea and scones. Best wishes to this couple. I do understand their reluctance to Allow strangers into their home. It is beautiful and they have worked hard to get it to where it was at this point.

2022 update: The Spa folded around 2017. The couple still live in the building. It is still rented out for weddings and business retreats and country shooting, but not much else. The website has not been updated for several years. The costs are not listed, you must call to negotiate your fees. Excruciatingly archaic, what a shame.

A lord whom has manners to allow guests in first, carries bags for guests and is not pompous, but humble.

I do sympathize with Allen in some aspect, how many of us would be welcoming to random strangers to be in our home? To us the place it’s just is huge to discover, but to him, it’s his home he lived most of his life in. That said, this was a good direction to go more on the health and spa operation. This makes the estate more unique compared to other high estates that just rely on the bnb, and it gives Allen a chance to grow trusting certain strangers. And he seems more relaxed because of this transition.

IF IT WAS MY HOUSE I WOULD NOT HAVE LIKED PEOPLE THERE EITHER BUT WHAT THEY DID I THINK IS EXCELLENT AND SUITS THEIR LIFESTYLE AND THE KIND OF PEOPLE THEY ARE VERY WELL - LETTING MORE PEOPLE IN BUT NOT TO INTRUSIVE LIKE WITH WEDDINGS AND THE HOUSE OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. WELL DONE

I think one optional part of a spa package/day could be afternoon tea in one of the grand rooms, just one. Guests could dress up, have some nice tea and pastry and feel like an aristocrat for a couple of hours! I'd buy that experience, if it weren't too expensive!

They could pressure wash a great deal of this house to make it a bit less moldy, mossy and dirty black. They could hire a catering firm to free the wife up from cooking. They could install a driving range or a putting range for golfers. They could get some landscapers in to give a beautiful garden atmosphere. They could hold Sunday Teas with specialty baked goods and a look thru the home for one day a week. So much, They could rent out the mother in law apartment. They could start a riding school . So so many things They could get Meri Berry out there and do some Irish bakeoffs!

Are we supposed to feel sorry for these people? Oh my goodness. Having to get up at 3 am to check locks and lights??? How EXHAUSTING and ridiculously hard work! HUGE EYEROLL.

One of the better episodes what a fantastic interior so much taste

Being conservative to a certain extent is a gift, because it allows you to preserve the heritage, history and effort of several generations, but it cannot be something that makes you intransigible. The world of old aristocrats who lived in large estates closed to the public with thousands of employees is in the past, it is no longer sustainable, even for the richest.

Simon, you're doing a great job rescuing old English architecture.😎

Poor Allen and Janet . Stop looking down your nose at the common people that could help you , if you don't you don't deserve what you have ..

I love Irish Georgian architecture. An architect who did work for Prince Charles renovated an old Irish mansion.

The grounds would be perfect for a Renaissance Festival.

Beautiful! 🌹 So enjoyable to watch 😍 It would be something grand to see in person.

I don't know if the guy is a control freak, I think he just wants things done perfectly because its his/their home. He had to be made to realise that if he didn't open the house up, it wouldn't be his home for much longer. For managing any business, delegation is the key, that means getting managers in and then managing them in whatever way necessary, I believe the best way is to let them free and see what they can do, then mould them the way I want. Looks like the SPA manager had just that and did a great job. In a nutshell, they were at a total loss and from what we were shown, they actually did almost everything that was suggested. Now lets see how long it lasts. I wonder how everything went during the scamdemic though, designed to screw small businesses like this, and now the fuel costs, how on earth can they keep that place warm in the winter, especially an outdoor Jacuzzi. I actually really liked this couple and to be honest, would love to have a problem like theirs, I believe there is a huge potential for places like this all over the world. His house tour was a little large for the first time so hope it didn't put him off, smaller groups for a small fee would be fine, he certainly loved telling his history, and who wouldn't. Never seen this programme before, I might subscribe for a while and watch a few more episodes. Thanks and well done. Now I'm no search expert but on the little go I just had it looks like the owners are no longer the owners and they are advertising weddings there now also, for up to 1000 people. Not sure what happened but would love to know.

Just think how every person, when they went through the home and saw the beautiful inside, were all likely envious and wanted it for themselves, thinking it was all so grand and how the owners must be so wealthy... just goes to show people that it is never what it seems! And as I always tell my kids, don't count other people's money! In the case of this serious, they rarely even have any!

That's the real crime here - the inheritance taxes took so much of the property to pay off, it leaves places like this in danger of collapsing and disappearing forever. Governments rarely, if ever, think anything through to its logical end. Inheritance taxes are immoral.

I just love these with Simon!!

What an honour! Letting a tradesperson (of sorts) through the front door! LoL 😝🙃

If you insist on living in aristocratic snobbery, you will lose your manor. The hope to save an historic icon is only successful when the homeowners can humble themselves to serve the manor. If you are too stuck up to get out of your ivory tower, you imprison yourself in a gigantic rotting cell.

This is from over a decade ago. Do you/they have anything that's more current in 2022?

Simon is lovely. He’s a saint. Gentry are stubborn and delusional.

This was a beautiful video about restoring a dying estate. I so love how these owners are looking forward to future generations and the survival of their home. The only thing I found offputting was all the taxidermy which I suppose is the “country way“. Just not used to seeing all of that from my own established urban culture. 🤔😊

With the line of inheritors there would be a need to get them involved even financially.

Basically what I'm getting from this couple is we want people to pay us for use of our house without getting the use of our house... Too bad they can't go back in time and have slave labour and raise taxes from local residents.

These estate owners are Soo disconnected from the reality of the economic situation it's mind-blowing. 😖🌻 It's sometimes difficult to feel too badly for them. This family is one of those . 🥴

Houses like this need to earn their roofs. Although why people would want to look round a house is beyond me lol

A great job.

Thank you

This guy has tie part therapist to help these people ..

Simon is so handsome.

Damn they bring in 300k a year and that not enough?!!!!

I don't feel sorry for the Viscount one bit! His family has used the land for centuries and enriched themselves! Yet, they failed to install a sense of community responsibility in their heirs!

I must've been sleeping, lol. I like Simon & it's the first time I've seen him. I've only seen this series with Ruth. Btw: seems the spa didn't stay in the plans. I don't see any mention of it on their website (Sept. 2022)

Tweed jackets at all levels and sticking his heels in. Not much likely to change until they pass away and a younger generation take over. I saw that on the large estate i grew up on. The new generation are now running it as a business rather than large run down family home. What a great cycling specialist!, he can't even put a helmet on the right way round.

I have enough to do with keeping my house in good repair. Cracked walls, cracked drive, Plumbing, painting...use to dream of being landed gentry. Now if I sit in back yard and have a fire and cold beer, I am king of me castle. That being said, what an estate. Allan can't take it with him, soon enough the banks will own everything. What they did that home was awesome, sharing is not what they did it for. Love of family was.

This place could generate lots of money if the owners are open to it. 1100 acres? Plenty to build off of. Cyclists, runners, walking trails, a spa, and hunting…….plenty of possible avenues. I hope they consider Simon’s advice. Unfortunate, there is no cottage on the property for the owners

I totally understand .I had this exact problem in England .in end lost the lot .Wake up its a slippery slope owning an historic family seat .I live in Europe now having been forced to move on

Why doesn’t the brother and nephew start getting involved with money and sweat labour….. because Allan won’t let them?

Does the Country give grants to owners to save Historic Estates?

I think Janet thinks she is the Queen!! The scarf, the wellies and the Corgis!!

The asphalt in front of the house 🤔

Make a great HOTEL with the spa weight room come gym etc would suit many (old/young) people.

Spa closed down

What the use having such heritage and not share with the community.

I started visioning, did not like it much. Miss the brilliant reflections of Ruth Watson. Good luck !

This viscount is so typical of the British landed gentry. It is almost like this has been scripted beforehand. Apparently, being the sole owner of such an estate does something strange to a person's mind. Perhaps not going outside of the property in a sufficient way reduces one's acceptance levels.

Janet looks like the late Ingrid Bergman

The owners of these Estates all have the same problem as in they want people to give them a lot of money for the little they are willing to provide. They want to keep them as totally private family homes but, these days they can't do it. No one is going to pay a lot of money on seeing a garden and come back repeatedly.

I hope all well

It's bloody crazy 🤪 the rich is poor...

This man married a great woman. G-d bless them. I wished they had at least an heir.

🌹🌹🌹

❤️

First world problems or what. I’m five minutes in and already think they deserve to Loose the bloody place. “Oh we tried weddings - just too intrusive, we were locked away at the back and the house just isn’t big enough” ok then 🤔 that’s not all disgraceful. Tragic. Thank god these people don’t run the nation anymore. It would be as knackered as that house.

Nice people... but wanna be Queen, with her scarf & corgi. Haha

Were these siezed lands by the british in ireland? Tragic history for native irish . The property looks unkept considering they have spent years living there

never be a slave to a house

Interesting

If they have the money to live with 50 rooms fine but if they don’t they have to put it to use. I see they are proud but they will only feel loss when the bank calls the note. Then not only will they lose an investment of time and money but they will be homeless. I feel sad for them that they cannot recognize this. The nephew they talk about should be all in with them and not expect to be handed such a responsibility but experience the hard work and sacrifice as well.

My question, "How much do you want it"?

Please!!!! No more pompous Simon whoever he is! He is killing your show!

Titles can often get in way of modern progress .Sir Kevin Parr, Baronet Parr.

Seeing what the great aristocratic families of Britain have been reduced to in modern times really does make one pity their relatively sorrowful circumstances. Once the great and powerful of the land have now been reduced to scraping whatever businesses they can from their dilapidated country estates.

Heritage tax 🤮

we dont want those riff raff in

Why do these people always wait until the house has been crumbling at their feet for years, and have seemingly run out of money and time before they decide to ask for help ... I am saying arrogance after seeing several of these rescue shows. They want to save it, but don't really want to put in the work or listen to suggestions. Just sell it and let somebody else use it.

I hate the mish mash styles of the interiors of these homes, they are a mess. Clashing colours, bad interior layouts ugly furniture. Nothing like Downton Abbey.

Ill-gotten wealth

I'm sorry, but do these people expect us to feel bad for them? Sure, I'd love to live in a gorgeous house that my endless funds took care of and I didn't have to let the plebs in for a few coins. Get in the queue, some people don't even have a bed. I'm irritated before 4min. Sorry, I don't want to visit this program let alone pay to visit and help maintain their ridiculous lifestyle.

Why don't you move to a sensible trailer it's only the two of you.

English... snobs

Allen needs to get rid of that ratty grey fleece, spice up his appearance and have a more welcoming personality. He can't walk around in public with a jacket that's visibly worn out with piping that's perished.

Many of the local people are descendants of folks who had some sort of relationship with the estate. It makes sense that they open the house to the public and become part of the community. The house and family history are very much tied to the history of the whole town and region. It is a shared heritage. I am glad that they can still live in their home and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

This man is isn't even house rich, or cash rich. He's a snob. When you have a large amount of money sitting in the bank, then you can be cash rich. They are IN DEBT. They are no different then most of us. They are just broke at a higher income level.

The Estate is incredibly beautiful. It was a real treat to be able to see it on RU-vid from home in Florida. Since I was very young I was interested in seeing the interiors of these magnificent homes. The Spa turned out amazing and had excellent 5* reviews on line. That was a great episode.

Although animal lovers may have different opinion on having income from hunting, this venue kept the estate afloat, perhaps in absence of other options. Adding relaxation activities and professionally run Finnish sauna, seemed to helped. I just wanted to share my support to Allen that having your own style and select market is ok. If they do not feel comfortable with socialization with unknown people, it is also ok. The farm that is run down has potentiality to be renovated and equipped for horse boarding business, with the option for having an elite closed heated paddock for renting to other horse clubs and owners of competition horses for horse training for show jumping and dressage. Additionally , you can consider hosting of show jumping and dressage events. Than you may even attempt to scale down hunting

It seems that the Viscountess repeats over and over, "For the last 30 years I have dedicated myself to restoring this place...." Who asked you to do that? NO ONE. YOUR CHOICE. Quit complaining.

Seasonal garden parties, farmers markets, historical tours, fancy dress dinners, work and rest bnb guests, RU-vid income omg my mind is going nuts on all the possibilities

Thank you so much for filming these and sharing them with your viewers. They are quite inspiring!

The estate tax is killing them. I think if they could compromise in opening part of the house for I say 5 years, save the income for the restoration.

Lovely couple. They complement each other. Alan is a great tour guide. Janet is lovely. The grounds are gorgeous. Wishing great success.

This house is doomed by the intransigence of the couple living in it. There are plenty of examples of successfully managed manors, but also many lying in ruins as the result of the inflexible noble hermits who inhabited them.

Really insulting to tell the owners to move out and that the manager would have control of their property. Their work of 30 years is truly outstanding. The bedrooms are just beautifully decorated. The general public will trash the property, steal or break irreplaceable items. I'm glad they didn't blindly follow Simon's suggestions.

This guy doesn't seem to have the creativity of Ruth Watson, and somehow--shockingly--is even more rude. At least Ruth's frankness is twinged with humor and compassion.

Lovely couple and I do understand their love for the house, state and privacy but it all still possible with clear bounderies! Wish them the best of luck !

What about creating a horse event, track? That could be an outside business

Allen and Janet have done a beautiful job of creating a lovely home with great atmosphere. The house tour was very generous and I hope Allen keeps giving them so that the complete history of Colebrooke House and lands will be passed on and remembered for all generations to come.

Goodness what a fantastic property...........just wonderful. inviting the public to embrance Coolbrook is the best way to enure it's future.

Good grief the lord and lady are too set in their ways and do not understand how to save this Estate. Sad, a bit like Tsar Nicholas before the revolution, cannot see the storm coming at them.

to see the couple just wanted to live there just the 2 of them, and in the future will it to one person! NEVER he will go bankrupt and the estate will began to rot again. wasn't very wise thinking.

Janet did an amazing job bringing that house back to life. Sensitively restoring and redecorating a place with that history is no easy feat. I see the estate’s website gives her more credit than this show did, which is something at least.

Tory member House of Lords? Maybe a couple corporate director seats?

why don't they do guided tours atleast? it's not as intrusive and tedious as a BnB