Studley Royal House, in North Yorkshire, England, first referred to a magnificent house from circa 1717. The mansion's 800-acre estate once incorporated the ruins of Fountains Abbey, a Cistercian monastery founded in 1132 and dissolved by Henry VIII in 1539, though the estate's main house burned down in 1946 and was not rebuilt.

Today, most of the land associated with the old estate is managed by the National Trust. Designed by world-famous landscape architect Capability Brown and the only area deemed a World Heritage Site in Yorkshire, the beautiful Georgian water gardens include far-reaching views and ornamental lakes and cascades.

Built in the Palladian style between 1728 and 1732 by John Simpson to designs by distinguished Scottish architect Colen Campbell, the original estate's former stabling block has been converted into a grand residence that presides over about 2.5 acres of land. Even though it was originally built for horses, the Grade II listed structure, also dubbed Studley Royal House, blends modern conveniences with the elegance of a classic period house. There are numerous reception rooms for formal entertaining as well as plenty of bedroom suites for putting up lots of friends and relatives. In all, there are eight bedrooms and nine bathrooms across a massive 12,283 square feet of space.

Constructed of stone under a slate roof, with distinct pavilion towers in each corner, the house surrounds a central square courtyard overlooked by the working clock tower. Interior features throughout include high ceilings, many with intricate plasterwork, paneling, detailed cornices, carved door surrounds, working shutters, and elegant sash windows.

Now, we know what you're thinking: "Is there a ha-ha and are there suggestive topiaries on the grounds?" We are delighted to report yes to both. There is a ha-ha for keeping deer out of the gardens and there is indeed some rather suggestive shrubbery out back, in what marketing material describes as, "A raised central stone fountain is surrounded with manicured parterre gardens with clipped privet hedges and topiary, which are bordered by numerous fern beds."

Listing agent Crispin Holborow says, "Studley Royal is a beautiful Palladian country house that lives up to its Grade II classification. It sits within a World Heritage site, giving it complete protection and the opportunity to enjoy Studley Royal Park without the upkeep of a major estate. Studley Royal is the perfect house for entertaining on a grand scale with its beautifully appointed formal rooms, yet it still functions well as a family home."

Ready to scoop up a gorgeous slice of English history, complete with ha-ha and eye-catching manicured topiary? Studley Royal House is available for just about $10 million via Crispin Holborow and Ed Stoyle at Savills.

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