In the ’80s, while Jane Seymour was filming the British TV movie Jamaica Inn, she discovered St. Catherine’s Court—a historic mansion in Bath from the 1500s. Soon after, Seymour and her then-husband, David Flynn, purchased the estate and undertook an extensive renovation. When Seymour remarried director James Keach, they rented out the property as a film set, recording studio, and wedding venue. Now under new ownership since 2007, the estate is listed for sale with Savills for £12.5 million (approximately $15.9 million).
The exterior of St. Catherine’s Court in Bath, England.
One of the 11 bedrooms.
Another bedroom.
The mansion was originally constructed for the monks of Bath Abbey.
The orangery.
“Restored to its former glory, St. Catherine’s Court represents a wonderfully idiosyncratic family home, equipped to entertain on a grand scale,” says Ed Sugden from Savills Country Department. The estate also has notable connections beyond Seymour. In the ’90s, The Cure occupied the mansion and recorded their albums Wild Mood Swings and Bloodflowers there. Radiohead also used the studio for most of their album OK Computer. Originally built for the monks of Bath Abbey, the compound includes a Grade II-listed manor house, a three-bedroom cottage, a five-bedroom lodge house, and a 15th-century tithe barn. Set on 14 acres, the grounds are listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens and have been praised by renowned English landscape architect Gertrude Jekyll. Additionally, there’s a 20th-century orangery, a tennis court, and two stabling blocks.
The rooms showcase ornate plasterwork ceilings and intricate carvings.
The main house offers 11 bedrooms and seven bathrooms within 19,000 square feet of living space. The opulent interiors feature ornate plasterwork ceilings, Jacobean woodwork, ancient oak floors, and stately stone fireplaces. Notable spaces include a formal dining room with an impressive carved frieze, a drawing room that doubles as a movie theater, a wine room, and a library.
There are stone fireplaces and wood paneling throughout the 19,000-square-foot home.
“Both charming and imposing, St. Catherine’s Court and its gardens are set within a stunningly beautiful hidden valley that leaves one spellbound,” says Ed Sugden from Savills Country Department. “Offering the chance to own a fascinating slice of history, this creative and exceptional manor house provides a sense of privacy, peace, and seclusion while being within easy reach of Bath.”
A formal dining room.