Hammer Hill House, a seven-bedroom country manor in Romsley, Worcestershire, that was designed by Sir Bertram Clough Williams-Ellis and once owned by Poundland founder Steve Smith, has been placed on the market with a £5 million asking price.
Built in 1923 and extending to about 14,690 square feet, the property sits on roughly 28.2 acres of grounds and includes two matching three-bedroom gate lodges. The estate is listed with Chartwell Noble, which said the house combines “architectural pedigree with contemporary luxury” and described it as “a rare jewel in the heart of the Midlands.”
The main house contains seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms and is fitted with an indoor heated swimming pool, a games room, a private bar and a drawing room with a dancefloor. Interior features flagged in the listing include a bespoke hand-painted kitchen by Christians of Nantwich with an AGA cooker, a wood-panelled dressing room, a gym area, an open-plan space with a piano and pool table, and a dedicated billiards room with a competition-size table.
The gate lodges are marketed as potential staff accommodation, guest houses or sources of rental income. The land includes woodland walks and four paddocks, which the agents said provide opportunities for equestrian buyers.
Sir Bertram Clough Williams-Ellis is best known for designing the Italianate village of Portmeirion in north Wales, which later served as the backdrop for the 1960s television series The Prisoner. Chartwell Noble noted the association as part of the home’s architectural significance.
Steve Smith, who founded Poundland and sold the discount retail chain after its growth into a national brand, previously owned the property. He told the Mail in 2022 that he had spent about £4 million on renovations and that he had once tried to sell the house with a £6.5 million asking price for nearly eight years before agreeing a £4 million sale.
Smith said at the time that selling the house had been difficult. “The house is very special to us and it will be a real wrench for us to leave,” he said, adding that it had been “a real labour of love” and that he particularly enjoyed the home pub and fully stocked bar.
The current listing highlights both the estate’s period detailing and its adaptation for contemporary living, positioning it for buyers seeking a private country estate with substantial leisure and entertaining facilities. The agents said the property’s location, overlooking the Severn Valley on the Worcestershire and Shropshire borders, offers privacy while remaining within reach of regional centres.
Chartwell Noble is handling viewings and enquiries, and the listing materials observe that the combination of a prominent architectural designer, extensive internal accommodation and sizable grounds make the property unusual on the current market.