This is the second house built on the site and was constructed in 1820. She says: "It was in great disrepair at that time with water seeping through the roof, but even then, when I saw it I just didn't want to leave. There were lots of people interested in it and an offer was made but six to eight weeks later it was back on the market. I knew I wanted to own it but I wasn't sure how we could use it. I thought about running classes from here but then had other ideas.
"It was a fantastic time in my life – everything went like rocket fuel – DVDs and books went straight to the top of the best sellers list, newspapers where queuing up to serialise my next book and I was on TV every week. I decided that franchising the classes was the way forward but I wanted big incentives for the franchisee – so we decided we would ask for a set fee per week from the franchisee regardless of how many people attended. On July 1, 1993, we bought the house and ran a pilot with three girls – the classes just flew. We launched the business and that just flew too."
And so the Grade II listed house eventually became the training centre, publishing house and media centre for the brand – but not before a lot of hard work went into its restoration.
The builders moved in and work began to shape the building until it was pristine. Laura Ashley sponsored rooms to showcase their interior design products – the hall and the drawing room – and by Christmas it was all done. Later, the dedicated media centre was created in the outbuildings.
But this doesn't look like business premises. It is still essentially a country home that could very easily be used solely as such again, should you have a cool £3.75 million.
Rosemary said: "The house has worked for us as a business and gave us additional credibility. The franchisees loved coming here."
You can certainly see why. From every window all you see is beautiful, rolling countryside.
But everything has to come to an end and, over the last year, Rosemary invested heavily in the studio and TV elements of the business but reveals it never made any money. Then, in January this year, she realised that the magazine was no longer tenable.
She says: "When I first started the business we invested £50,000 just in advice... we just didn't react to the changes in the market.
"In mid-January this year we met a point where the sums didn't add up. It was time to take advice and we went into administration. We did it early, we were very responsible."
With just six staff left from 55-person team at the height of the business, Rosemary is philosophical about the future.
"I've been in business for 42 years and you grow a strength. We have had and have given a lot of happiness at Quorn House. We've made 1,800 films here, run classes and training, but it's the end of a season.
"I've had time to reflect and now I'm ready to move on. I'm not sad to see it go; it's the end of era but we've had great fun here."
Thirty-five of the franchisees have moved to Club Vitality, a food manufacturer and fitness group, and Rosemary is now the brand ambassador for Rosemary Conley Online. "I'm really excited about the next chapter of my life," she adds.
The house is really rather special. There are potentially ten bedrooms but, of course, these could be arranged as home offices, a cinema room, or playroom.
Rosemary says bathrooms and the kitchen would need altering but they are perfectly acceptable for domestic use.
The formal rooms are spectacular, in particular the drawing room, library and dining room which all retain original features.
And it really is the detail that makes this house.
As it was in the same family for generations, magnificent fireplaces, panelling, decorating plasterwork and beautiful wood floors all remain intact.
Rosemary's treatment in the renovation has been considerate and every detail has been retained and restored where possible. The heritage of the house has certainly been protected.
James Warne, of selling agent Bentons, says: "Set in 120 acres of land, Rosemary may have bought it to run her business and training centre from but it's actually really a fabulous house. It is completely intact as such, and I'm sure the buyer will buy it to live in."
What's on offer:
Entrance hall, inner hall, drawing room, library, study, dining room
Garden room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, cellar
Master bedroom, nine further bedrooms, two bathrooms, two shower rooms
Separate film studio
The Lodge – sitting room, kitchen, bathroom, two bedrooms, box room
Formal gardens, gardener's summer house, woodland, extensive parkland
In all, approximately 127 acres.
