This extra large holiday let on the Yorkshire coast is one of the best places to be beside the sea

The South Wing, effectively a self-contained house, has five bedrooms and sleeps up to 14 people. Its setting is sublime and it sits in over an acre of south-facing gardens close to the centre of Hunmanby village, near Filey.

“It’s five minutes drive from the three mile long sandy beach at Hunmanby Gap, within walking distance of the Yorkshire Wolds Way and it’s close to our family and friends in Scarborough nine miles away,” says Andrew.

The Wyborns bought the property in 2008 and were captivated by its period charm, the quality of the interiors and its glorious setting.

Grade II* listed Hunmanby Hall dates to Jacobean times and was built for the Osbaldeston family in the 1600s. There have been a number of additions to South Wing over the years, the most significant of which was the building of the sun deck and snug at the western end of the building.

This was added around 1850 by a retired admiral Robert Mitford and is intended to replicate the stern of a ship to remind him of his days

at sea.

In 1928, the house and grounds were acquired by the Methodist Church for use as an independent school. Hunmanby School for Girls became one of the country’s leading boarding schools for a time with pupils from across Britain and beyond.

This was thanks, in large part, to its first headmistress Miss Francis Hargreaves BA, who clearly believed girls were worth educating to a high standard, which was not always the case elsewhere.

The late Genista Dawson, a former pupil who compiled a history of the school, wrote: “Education received by the pupils was carefully delivered with a great emphasis on academic subjects and outdoor games and activities. Many gifted girls in all spheres resulted in high achievements across the board.”

At the peak of its popularity the school was home to 400 girls and was a major employer in the village. There was even a small bespoke railway system that enabled the cleaning staff to move linen around the site from the dormitories to the laundry and back.

The school closed in 1991 and was converted into homes in 1996 by a developer who was so enamoured by the place, he made the South Wing his home, sparing no expense on the fit out.

“I think he took some of the best bits of the hall and put them here in the South Wing, including stunning fireplaces, beautiful radiators and parquet floors.

“The dining table is made from the old science benches and the coffee table is made from wood from the school stage,” says Andrew.

The large reception room at the east end of South Wing was once the staff room and the wonderful oak- panelled dining room was used as the headmistress’ study.

Since Andrew and Samantha bought it and launched it as a holiday let, the property has hosted a number of reunions for former pupils of the school.

“We spend six to eight weeks a year at South Wing and the rest of the time it is available for guests. It is very popular with families and with large groups of friends,” says Andrew, who adds that the property is an “ongoing labour of love” with recent work including upgrading two of the bathrooms and relocating the kitchen to what was a sitting room.

The kitchen is now large and light with custom-built cabinets, Neff and Bosch appliances and views across the gardens.

The piano room lives up to its name and has a Baby Grand, along with a cosy wood-burning set in the middle of a beautiful fireplace and views across the village to the sea.

Upstairs, the property has five extra large bedrooms, all with views across the gardens and adjacent golf course.

The main bedroom suite has a sense of grandeur with chandeliers, a dressing room, en-suite bathroom and a south-facing snug with balcony overlooking the grounds.

Outside are 1.6 acres of communal gardens and there are tennis courts and a nine-hole golf course, available within 100 yards of the back door.

The latest must-have in holiday lets is a hot tub and so this can be hired for guests who want one.

“We live in London but the South Wing is home from home for us and we love going back there,” says Andrew. “Guests do too and many of them have been back multiple times.

“We love the long sandy beach at Hunmanby Gap, which is great for walking on and leads to the Cleveland Way in Filey. I enjoy kayaking and paddleboarding on that stretch and often see seals and bottlenose dolphins, along with the seabirds.”

The village of Hunmanby is reached via a footpath from South Wing and has shops, pubs, cafes and a whisky distillery. *For details of South Wing visit www.south-wing.co.uk