June 2019 |OxfordshireLimitedEdition| 41I
fyouarelookingforanextra-
specialhomethat’sheavy
onhistoryandexceptionally
handsometoo,thenawonderful
Jacobeanapartmentwithina
Cotswoldsdeerparkcouldfit
thebill.
SirWinstonChurchillwasaregularvisitor
toNorthwickParkjustovertheborderin
Gloucestershire,thehomeofhiscousin
CaptainGeorgeSpencer-Churchill.
It’sbelievedpreparationsfortheD-Day
landingsweremadehere,andCaptSpencer
wentontodesignatesomeofhislandfor
thewareffortanddonatedmoretonearby
Blockleyforavillagegreen,cricketground
andvillagehall.
Datingbackto 1686 ,NorthwickPark
isaGradeIlistedmansionofexceptional
architecturalandhistoricalinterestanditsits
inparklandthatdatesbacktoSaxontimes
andisrecordedintheDomesdayBook.
Itisincludedingreatdetailinthe
prestigious“TheBuildingsofEngland”series.
Thebuildingisofgolden-huedashlarstone
withfourdistinctbuildingphasesaddingto
itsoriginalcore.
Itwasabandonedfortwodecadesuntil
themainhousewasconvertedintothesix
apartments 30 yearsago,anditisoneofthese
impressiveapartmentswhichisnowonthe
marketat£ 850 , 000.
NorthwickParkoffersararelifestylewith
theopportunitytoliveinaparticularlyfine
Jacobeanbuilding,surroundedbyformal
gardensandadeerparkandwiththeglorious
Cotswoldcountrysideonthedoorstep.
Theapartment, 6 TheMansion,provides
2 , 275 sqftofelegantlivingspaceonthe
topfloorofthisbeautifullyrestoredhistoric
building.Withexceptionallyhighceilings,
somewithdecorativecornicingandcurved
sashwindowsandwindowseats,the
propertyhasalargestone-tiledreceptionhall,
drawingroomwithmarblefireplace,dining
roomwithcarvedwoodenfireplace,andan
L-shapedfittedkitchen/breakfastroomwith
appliances.
Themasterbedroomhasanen-suite
showerroomandextensivewardrobes,
andtherearetwofurtherbedrooms–one
ofwhichcoulddoubleasastudy–plusa
showerroomandguestbathroom.Other
facilitiesincludeacellarwithlock-upstorage,
adoublegarage,communalutilityand
acloakroom.
Accesstotheapartmentissimply
breathtakingviaagrandmarbledentrance
hallwithanimpressiveCorinthiandoorcase
andfineperiodfeaturesincludinganIndigo
Jones-styledceilingwithlightfromthe
Regencystainedglassroofdomeilluminating
thesweepingspiralcantileveredstaircase–
believedtobethelargestinEngland–anda
widegallery.Thereisalsoalift.
Thepropertyisreachedviaabefittingly
longdrivewaywhichwindspastlawns
andtreestoalargeturningcircleandthe
imposingdoublefrontdoor.Thegrounds
comprisewell-maintainedformalgardens
withagravelledcourtyardandarosegarden
withfountain.Thereisacroquetlawnwith
gamesequipmentforresidentstouse,a
heatedoutdoorswimmingpoolandfourall-
weathertenniscourts.
Thelandscapedgardensanddeerpark
includeaha-haandextendtosome 35 acres,
withthemainfeatureofthewestwalled
gardenbeinganextraordinaryvolcanic
stonefromVesuviussetintheoldcobbled
pond,saidtobea“homecoming”giftfrom
LordNelsontoLordNorthwickafterthe
NapoleonicWar.
No 6 TheMansionis,saysellingagents
ButlerSherborn,ideallysuitedtothoseliving
inLondonoroverseaswantinga“lock-upandleave”apartmentinanimpressive
building,orparentswithchildrenatboarding
schoolnearby.Forthoseinsearchofa
Cotswoldslifestyle,DaylesfordOrganic,
SohoFarmhouseandanexcellentchoiceof
restaurantsandpubscanbefoundnearby,
withshoppingandcultureinStratford-
upon-Avon,CheltenhamandOxfordwithin
easyreach.
MainlinetrainservicestoLondon
PaddingtongofromMoreton-in-Marsh,and
Birminghamairportisanhour’sdriveaway.Formoreinformation,callButler
Sherborne,Stow-on-the-Woldon
01451830731
butlersherborn.co.uk‘NorthwickParkisaGradeIlistedmansion
ofexceptionalarchitecturalandhistorical
interestanditsitsinparklandthatdates
backtoSaxontimes’HOMES INTERIORS
L