8 bedroom Country House in St Lawrence, Isle of Wight, £799,950
Property for sale - Ventnor office.

A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO ENTER A WORLD STEEPED IN HISTORY WITH ALL THE ATMOSPHERE YOU WOULD HOPE TO FIND.

SWINBURNE VILLA WAS ONCE THE HOME OF SWINBURNE’S AUNT, LADY WILLOUGHBY GORDON AND OFFERS ELEGANT DIMENSIONS AND ORIGINAL ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES WHILST RETAINING THE WARMTH OF A FAMILY HOME. SECLUDED IN A WOODED PLACE BETWEEN CLIFF AND SEA, IT IS A MAGICAL HIDEAWAY WHICH INSPIRED SEVERAL OF SWINBURNE’S POEMS OF NATURE AND NOSTALGIA - “A FORSAKEN GARDEN”, “DEDICATION” FROM “THE SISTERS”, “IN THE BAY” AND “ON THE CLIFF”. WRITTEN UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ITS CHARM, THE WEST UNDERCLIFF POEMS REPRESENT SOME OF THE FINEST POETRY IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

The following is an excerpt from the preface of “Young Algernon Swinburne” by Richard J. Hutchings and Raymond V. Turley:

“This is the story of Algernon Charles Swinburne’s childhood and youth….on the Isle of Wight from 1839 to 1865, the most important, formative years of his life. It is also a record of the Victorian society that revolved around his childhood and youth in the Undercliff; of the Christian revival in which his parents were directly involved; and of the influence of an early High Church upbringing and the local environment upon him, and why he rebelled against both.

Most of all, perhaps, this is the story of the anguish of lost love, (thought to be his first cousin Mary Gordon) which produced some of the finest poetry in the English language, but changed Swinburne’s life dramatically. The story concludes with the controversial burial of the now agnostic poet in the graveyard of St. Boniface church, Bonchurch, which his father had helped to build…”


PROPERTY DETAILS:
01 Estate Agents are pleased to offer this wonderful character property, which is a substantial part of what was once a large manor house.

The property is approached through metal gates down a wooded driveway into the courtyard and has parking for three cars. There are Italianate stone arches forming a covered entrance and flagstones up to the wooden front door.

ENTRANCE HALL: 24’0 x 6’11
A magnificent entrance hall with decorative gothic window to front, coved ceiling and flagstone floor which forms three shallow steps down through a stone archway to a further hallway. Radiator.

From the main hall, door into:

DRAWING ROOM: 27’7 x 17’9
A breathtaking room with very high ceiling, coving and stunning full height gothic window overlooking the garden. Marble fireplace with seemingly impossible gothic window directly above with sliding shutter, a design believed to be one of only three on the island. Antique tiled surround, cast iron fire basket. Wood flooring, four radiators.

From main hall, double arched part glazed door into:

STUDY/OFFICE: 12’10 x 7’10
Double glass doors to garden, built-in shelving.

From main hall, there is a further hall with large storage cupboards and door into:

BREAKFAST ROOM: 17’5 x 11’1
Gothic bay window to front, parquet floor. Chimney breast housing oil fired central heating boiler. Radiator. There is a second door into the hallway.
Within the further hallway is an under-stair cupboard and external cupboard.

FIRST SEPARATE W.C.
W.c. with wash hand basin and two small windows.

From this hall there are stairs up to the West Wing of the property.

From hall, half glazed door into:

SNUG: 18’6 x 14’8
A warm cosy room with lower ceilings, Georgian wood panelling, gothic window to rear with bookshelves below. Fireplace with brick surround and hearth and currently housing wood burning stove. Wood flooring, two storage heaters.

From the Snug, door into:

HALL / LOBBY:
Decorated with antique tiles and with gothic part glazed double doors to side overlooking garden, large under-stairs storage room, door into separate w.c. with wash hand basin and stairs up to East Wing. Backdoor to side, radiator and under-stair cupboard.

From hall/lobby, door into:

SECOND SEPARATE W.C.
W.c. and wash hand basin, antique tiles.

KITCHEN:17’0 x 8’5
Large part frosted window to side, Victorian style tiled floor. A range of cream base and wall units with wood worktops and marble worktop. Butler sink, built-in electric oven with halogen hob and extractor hood over. Oil fired Rayburn which services the central heating. Space and plumbing for washing machine, space for fridge-freezer and pantry cupboard.

From hall/lobby, door into:

DINING ROOM: 18’0 x 16’3 max, narrowing to 8’0
Three gothic windows, wood flooring, brick fireplace and wood burning stove. Triple door Georgian brass diamond mesh display cupboard, double door Georgian brass diamond mesh display cupboard above lower oak cupboard with retractable shelving.

From hall/lobby, stairs up to:

EAST WING GALLERIED HALF LANDING:

With gothic window to side, radiator and loft access.

EAST WING FIRST FLOOR LANDING:

From landing, further hall and door into large storage cupboard with small single door Georgian brass diamond mesh display cupboard.

EAST WING MASTER BEDROOM: 23’0 x 14’7 max, narrowing to 11’9
An enchanting room with gothic windows to side looking out across to garden and woodland. Dressing area, built-in wardrobes, pedestal wash hand basin and two radiators. Original fireplace.
From hall, door into:

EAST WING BEDROOM TWO: 18’6 X 12’7 max
Three gothic windows to side and rear with lovely views of garden and woods. Built-in wardrobes, original fireplace and built-in cupboards and drawers to either side. Pedestal wash hand basin and two radiators.

From hall, door into:

EAST WING BEDROOM THREE: 11’5 x 9’7
Gothic window to side with garden views, original fireplace, radiator.

From hall, door into:

EAST WING FAMILY BATHROOM:
Original fireplace, window to front, suite of bath and pedestal wash hand basin. Airing cupboard with water tank, radiator.

From hall with window to rear and door into:

SEPARATE W.C.:
Window to side, decorative antique tiles matching those in drawing room fireplace. Low level w.c.

FROM GROUND FLOOR, STAIRS UP TO:

WEST WING FIRST FLOOR LANDING:
Two windows to side.

From landing, further hallway with large walk-in airing/hot cupboard with internal stained glass window and water tank and slated wooden shelving.

From hallway, door into:

WEST WING BEDROOM ONE: 17’8 x 15’8
Enormous gothic bay window to courtyard. Original fireplace, wash hand basin in vanity unit.

From hallway, door into:

WEST WING BEDROOM TWO: 18’4 x 12’2
Large Gothic oriel bay window to side and two further windows to garden. Original fireplace and pedestal wash hand basin. Radiator.

From hallway, door into:

WEST WING BEDROOM THREE: 17’10 x 11’10
Gothic bay window to courtyard, further window to side. Original fireplace, pedestal wash hand basin, radiator, built-in storage cupboards.

From hallway, door into:

WEST WING BEDROOM FOUR: 11’11 x 7’0
Gothic window to courtyard, original fireplace, small wall cupboard.
From hallway, door into:

WEST WING FAMILY BATHROOM:
Feature pyramidal central ceiling, frosted bay window to front and arched window to side. Antique tiled walls. Art deco panel bath, low level w.c., wash hand basin in vanity unit, radiator. Storage cupboard and original fireplace.

From hallway, door into stairs up to:

SECOND FLOOR FLAT:
Landing with door into:

LIVING ROOM: 13’2 x 10’2
With gothic window to courtyard and original fireplace. Storage cupboard.

From landing, door into:

BEDROOM: 8’7 x 7’7
With window to side.
En-suite shower room with shower cubicle, wash hand basin and w.c.. Storage cupboard.

From landing, door into:

KITCHENETTE:
With window to flat roof, kitchen unit with stainless steel sink and drainer. Steps up to storage cupboards.

OUTSIDE:
There is a garage integral to the property and parking for two/three cars immediately outside with additional parking for four cars at the top of the drive where there is a carport, garden shed and greenhouse.
Swinburne Villa is set in one of the most beautiful parts of the island’s landscape with cultivated gardens leading into the surrounding woodland. As well as being an area of outstanding natural beauty, this is also acknowledged as a tranquil haven for a wealth of wildlife. There are four acres which belong to the property.


TO VIEW:
Strictly by appointment only through the vendors sole agents 01 Estate Agents

DISCLAIMER

1) We have not tested any fixtures, fittings, appliances or services, including any central heating system and we cannot therefore guarantee that these are in working order.
Items shown on photographs in these particulars do not imply that they are included in the sale.
2) Tenures are unconfirmed unless stated otherwise.
3) Floor plans are not to scale and are for guidance as to the arrangement of accommodation only.
4) All measurements are approximate.
5) Internal square footage measurements are approximate and do not include hallways, bathroom/shower rooms or WC’S.