Traditional Manor House in Castille’s Dehesas located in a spot known as La Vádima, in the township of Ledesma (Salamanca). This hamlet was first mentioned in 1274, and it is Professors Nieto González and Paliza Monduate who quote this reference in their book “La arquitectura en las dehesas de Castilla y León” (Architecture in Castilian Dehesas): “it was [at the time] when the Master of the Order of Santiago, Don Pay Pérez, donated to Don Martín Alfonso, son of the King of León….our house of Levádima”.

The location was also mentioned when King Alfonso VII made another donation in the year 1140, this time to the Cathedral of Santiago, of a few properties between Salamanca and Zamora: “..I will also donate canals, water wheels and dams in the river Tormes, in a certain area over the place known as the tower of Sandino, that divides the Lavádima stream , then leading to a marsh at the foot of that tower”. We have records on the property of La Vádima dating back to 1472 when it was owned by Don Pedro de Ledesma. And then, also of the constitution of the Mayorazgo (entailed estate) of La Vádima in 1513.

In 1580 we already read about the inheritance of these possessions within the Ulloa-Ávila family (in time this family would become related to the current owners). Later on, the Dominican Nuns Convent of Sancti Spiritus in Toro (Zamora) became the owner and kept it until the Desamortización (process by which part of the assets of the Catholic Church were nationalised by the Spanish government). In 1834, Josef de Torres buys the estate after being a tenant for a period of time, paying 900.000 reales. From then on, the property has been kept in his family.

Regarding its architecture, “La Casa Grande de La Vádima” (The Big House of La Vádima) is first mentioned in 1796, that is during the period when it was owned by the Dominican Nuns Convent. It was built on a levelled ground, facing the Southwest and enjoying magnificent views of meadows and holly oak forests. When it was last refurbished, the original design and rooms distribution was respected, as well as the four halls and their fireplaces, some of them 250 years old. There are now ten fully-equipped rooms available in which the original furniture has been kept. One of the room is single, another seven are double, and there are also two suites with an adjoined bedroom for children. All of them have en suite bathroom, heating, telephone and TV.