We had to walk down the drive because it was completely overgrown and the gardens were just a mass of brambles," recalls Julie Bennett, talking about the first time she saw Glenholme nearly 13 years ago.

"It was so overgrown that a machete would have come in handy, and lots of the windows were boarded up."

Julie, who lived in Oxenhope at the time, was looking for a large home from where she could run her recruitment business.

"Having looked at every big house on the market, we'd discounted this one because it was above our budget; but the estate agent said take a look', so we did. It hadn't been lived in for three years and it showed, but you just get a feeling about a house.

"Once we'd had a look round we went back to the estate agent and told him what we could afford and our offer was accepted."

She certainly got the large house she was looking for - seven bedrooms, three reception rooms, a gymnasium and separate one bedroom flat.

Glenholme is an imposing house with a lot of history. "I've got the original conveyancing details from 1881, written in longhand," Julie says. "The land was owned by Edward West and then sold to someone with the imposing name of William Firth Thomas Garlic Andrews. In 1928 it was bought by Lady Hjordis Bailey, who lived in the main house until 1955 when she split part of it off into a granny flat, where she lived with her butler until her death.

"While the necessary work was carried out we stayed in rented accommodation. The first thing was converting the oil-fired central heating to gas. The cast iron radiators were flushed out, cleaned and sandblasted and then replaced in virtually every room.

"Once the house was warm we moved in while the rest of the work was carried out. It was a real journey of discovery, almost a treasure hunt. We weren't sure what we were going to find first. The floors underneath the carpets turned out to be mahogany. And in the lounge the boards around the edge were laid out in a herringbone effect like parquet, so we had a rug made to fit in the centre so that you could see the intricate floor.

"We found bell pulls under the floorboards in my daughter's room in the attic, and fireplaces in the children's bedrooms. The stained glass windows, discovered when the boarding was taken down, were repaired where necessary and all the sash windows were looked at. Although we don't have double glazing, the windows are airtight."

Today Glenholme is a beautiful home just right for someone looking for a home with a difference. The proportions of the rooms may be impressive, but they have a lovely intimate feel and it truly feels like a home that is lived in.

Once through the porch, the part-panelled long hallway is dominated by a wide, ornate return staircase that is truly magnificent.

"When the children were younger they used to gives shows on the stairs - singing and dancing; it made for great memories," says Julie.

Downstairs there is a generous sized lounge with large bay windows with seating, ornate plasterwork on both the ceiling and walls and a feature fireplace with living flame gas fire.

"I wish I could say that the gym was my favourite room, but actually it's the lounge. It took me three months to do that room. There was scaffolding up and I repaired the ceiling myself. I spent a lot of time on it - it's comfortable and relaxing. The fireplace still had the original grate, so we used that to turn it into a living flame gas fire using special coals."

There is also a family room with wood fireplace, polished oak floor and double doors into the modern kitchen with its Italian tiled floor range of units and built-in fridge, double oven, gas hob, extractor and part-tiled walls.

Ideal for entertaining, the spacious dining room has an impressive window at the back and access into the separate one bedroom flat. Also on the ground floor is a utility room with hand-built units, Belfast sink and plumbing for a washer and dryer, and the gymnasium, which Julie admits is mainly used by the children. There are four large storage cellars on the lower ground floor.

The staircase leads to an equally impressive landing, off which is the principle bedroom with a cast iron fireplace and access to the dressing room - the size of a typical double bedroom - where there is a range of wardrobes.

A recent addition to the house is a wet room with walk-in shower, tiled walls and non-slip tiled floor with ceiling shower and jet system.

The guest bedroom suite, which overlooks the rear garden, has steps up to a bathroom with black and white chequerboard floor, bath with claw feet, WC and wash basin. Not to be outdone, the third bedroom also has an en-suite with a novel P-shaped bath with shower, while the fourth has a built-in wardrobe and doors to the upstairs area of the single bedroom accommodation.

The remaining bedrooms are on the second floor - one of which is set in an amazing open area into the roof space with exposed beams and large window, while the others have a cast iron fireplace. Finally there is a bathroom with a coloured suite with corner bath, wooden fireplace and storage.

"When we moved in I discovered that we could fit virtually all of our furniture into the hallway, which is 29 ft long. You could hardly see the television screen from across the room!

"Over time we replaced items, but I didn't want to live in a museum piece. Relatives also gave us things, which is why I think I have four dining tables. Fortunately we also have cellars for storage."

Julie has found the flat, which has its own access, very useful over the last few years as a haven for various members of her family. It's a light and airy space with a kitchen with everything you could possibly want, lounge with full length feature windows, double bedroom and bathroom with Art Deco suite.

After the original work on the house was completed Julie got in touch with a gardener who worked full-time on the grounds, and helped out with the decorating, for five years.

He discovered that underneath all the brambles the original three-quarters of an acre gardens still existed, with its rockery, paths and shrubs.

"The gardens have been a godsend," Julie adds. "I come from a large family and at times there have been 30 people of all ages milling around the garden.

"We put a marquee on the lawn in summer and a trampoline, then we'd all play rounders and tennis. It's fantastic, and I'm really going to miss it."

Glenholme at Fernhill Road, Moorhead, Shipley, is on the market for offers over £800,000 with Rentons Countrywide, Shipley (01274) 594141