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This $13 Million U.K. Country House Was Once Home to a British Movie Star
Drummers Yard, formerly known as Birchens Spring, is among the U.K.’s most interesting country houses. Designed in 1938 by Arts and Crafts architect John Campbell, who lived in Germany for much of his career, the Grade II-listed property in Buckinghamshire graced the pages of Country Life before the once-glamorous estate fell into disrepair. Following years of neglect, the English manor notched another claim to fame when it was snapped up in 1960 by legendary British actor Dirk Bogarde, best known for his starring roles in Doctor in the House (1954), The Servant (1963), and The Night Porter (1974).
Modeled after the hillside villas of Italy combined with the stateliness of a Scottish castle, Bogarde remodeled Drummers Yard from top to bottom before offloading the place two years later to Peter Rogers, the producer of the wildly popular Carry On comedy film franchise, and his wife, Betty Box, who worked on the Doctor series that Bogarde appeared in. The sought-after spread traded hands once more in 1997 to the current owners, who, after nearly three decades in residence, have hoisted the property on the market for £10 million (or about $13 million).
A spacious reception room spills onto a large stone terrace.
Knight Frank; Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
“Campbell intended for each room to have at least two garden elevations, ensuring the house is light, bright, and airy with exceptional views of the gardens,” notes the listing, which is being represented by Knight Frank. “Whilst appealing to architectural purists, the house will equally suit families looking for a comfortable, well-laid-out home.”
Set on a whopping 12 wooded acres near Beaconsfield, the house itself has been adapted to contemporary living by award-winning interior and architectural studio, Tollgard Design. There are seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms across the main house’s 10,000 square feet. On the ground floor, potential buyers are welcomed by a grand entrance hall topped with a dramatic brick and stone arched ceiling. A corridor brings you to a sunroom that overlooks the garden, a circular-shaped formal dining area, a drawing room with a fireplace, and a thoroughly modern Scandinavian-inspired kitchen by Sola. The bedrooms are located on the home’s upper levels.
The updated minimalist kitchen is by Swedish design brand Sola.
Knight Frank; Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
Despite the many modern updates, rest assured you’ll find plenty of period details reminiscent of the Arts and Crafts movement, including its whitened brick arches and Cornish slate roof. In addition, the digs contain a private gym, complete with a sauna and a steam room, while the grounds are decked out with a two-car garage, a tennis court, and a separate two-bedroom cottage with its own entrance.
Click here to see more photos of Drummers Yard.
Knight Frank; Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
Authors
Abby Montanez
Abigail Montanez is a staff writer at Robb Report. She has worked in both print and digital publishing for over half a decade, covering everything from real estate, entertainment, dining, travel to…
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Jane Seymour’s Former Country Estate in the U.K. Hits the Market for $15.9 Million
Back in the ’80s, when Jane Seymour was filming the British TV movie Jamaica Inn, the actress stumbled upon St. Catherine’s Court—a historic mansion in Bath dating back to the 1500s. Shortly after, the former Bond girl and her then-husband, David Flynn, purchased the palatial pad together and put the place through an extensive renovation. Later, when Seymour remarried director James Keach, the couple rented the residence out as a film set, recording studio, and wedding venue. Since coming into new ownership in 2007, the estate has recently been put up for sale with Savills for a cool £12.5 million (or about $15.9 million).
“Now restored to its former glory, St. Catherine’s Court not only represents a wonderfully idiosyncratic family home, but one that is equipped to entertain on a truly grand scale,” says Ed Sugden with Savills Country Department. And the home has more celeb ties than just Seymour. In the ‘90s, the abode was occupied by The Cure, and, in fact, it’s where the cult-favorite gothic rock band recorded their albums Wild Mood Swings and Bloodflowers. The studio was also a creative hub for Radiohead, who recorded most of their album OK Computer here.
RELATED: A Historic UK Palace That Starred in James Bond Just Listed for $93.4 Million
St. Catherine’s Court in Bath, the former home of British actress Jane Seymour, is up for sale.
Savills
Originally constructed for the monks of Bath Abbey, the compound comprises a Grade II-listed manor house, a three-bedroom cottage, a five-bedroom lodge house, and a 15th-century tithe barn. Set on 14 acres, the protected grounds are listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens and have even been praised by acclaimed English landscape architect Gertrude Jekyll. In addition to a 20th-century orangery, there’s a tennis court and two stabling blocks.
Altogether, the main house comprises 11 bedrooms and seven bathrooms in a whopping 19,000 square feet of living space. The decadent digs are decked out with ornate plasterwork ceilings, Jacobean woodwork, ancient oak floors, and stately stone fireplaces. Some of the standout spaces include a formal dining room with an impressive carved frieze and a drawing room that doubles as a movie theater, as well as a wine room and a library.
RELATED: A Restored U.K. Townhouse on Bath’s Most Prized Street Lists for $6.2 Million
The centuries-old home has been restored and updated throughout the years.
Savills
“Both charming and imposing, St. Catherine’s Court and its gardens are set within a stunningly beautiful hidden valley that leaves one spellbound,” says Ed Sugden with Savills Country Department. “Offering the chance to own a fascinating slice of history, this creative and truly exceptional manor house provides a sense of privacy, peace, and seclusion that belies its location within such easy reach of Bath.”
Click here to see more photos of St. Catherine’s Court.
Savills
Authors
Abby Montanez
Abigail Montanez is a staff writer at Robb Report. She has worked in both print and digital publishing for over half a decade, covering everything from real estate, entertainment, dining, travel to…
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Historic 42 Acre Estate In England (PHOTOS + FLOOR PLANS)
Share this home! Listed with Richard Cutt of United Kingdom Sotheby’s International Realty LOCATION: Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK SQUARE FOOTAGE: 28,000+ (main house) BEDROOMS & BATHROOMS: 12 bedrooms & 12 full bathrooms (main house) PRICE: £65,000,000 This historic 42-acre estate, dubbed “Denham Place”, is a Grade I listed 17th-century country estate located in Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, […] More
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A Nutritionist to the Royals Puts Her Glam U.K. Townhouse Up for Sale
After nearly 14 years of ownership, Czech-born model-turned-health guru Gabriela Peacock has decided to return her U.K. mansion designed in the 1850s by noted architect William Radford back to the market.
The “nutritionist that everyone wants on speed dial”—who is known for an A-list clientele that has included the likes of Prince Harry, princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, James Blunt and Dame Joan Collins—is looking to sell the stylish residence in the heart of Notting Hill for around $27 million, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Records show the founder of GP Nutrition and her hedge-funder husband David Peacock purchased the Victorian-style dwelling for £13 million in 2010 as newlyweds, after marrying on Lake Como. They spent the next two-and-a-half years extensively renovating the dated interiors, which included tacking on a basement level replete with an office and entertainment room, plus a gym, wine cellar, family room, guest bedroom, and staff wing with its own bedroom and kitchen.
The 1800s townhouse underwent a full modernization at the hands of its current owners.
Alex Winship for United Kingdom Sotheby’s International Realty
Billed in marketing materials as “the perfect blend of period features and modern interventions”—and resting amid one of the neighborhood’s prime tree-lined streets, within walking distance of the shops and restaurants of Westbourne Grove, and less than a mile from Hyde Park—the detached five-story property offers gated parking for two vehicles out front, and features seven bedrooms and five bathrooms in a little more than 6,500 square feet of living space.
Highlights include a raised ground-level entrance hall adorned with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the rear patio and garden, along with a double reception room ideal for entertaining. The garden level hosts a combination dining/living area spotlighted by folding glass doors spilling outside, as well as a gourmet kitchen outfitted with an eat-in island and top-tier stainless appliances. A plush master retreat occupying the entire first floor comes complete with a private balcony, walk-in dressing area and luxe bath, while four more bedrooms can be found on the top level.
Per WSJ, the Peacocks are selling because they want to move to the countryside. The listing is held by Marcus O’Brien and Dan Martin of United Kingdom Sotheby’s International Realty.
Click here for more photos of Gabriela Peacock’s U.K. House.
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Football Club Boss David Sullivan Puts His Storied London Mansion Up for Sale at $94 Million
After eight years of ownership, plus a seven-year, nearly $63 million renovation spearheaded by London‘s MSMR Architects and 1508 design studio, West Ham United Football Club chairman David Sullivan has decided to kick his U.K. mansion back on the market.
The wealthy Welsh media mogul—who amassed his fortune as a publisher of pornographic magazines and proprietor of erotica shops, and chief of the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport tabloid newspapers—is looking to sell the historic residence for $94.6 million, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Records show he purchased the Georgian-style dwelling for around $34 million in 2015 from convicted fraudster Edward “Fast Eddie” Davenport, a British entrepreneur and socialite known for hosting raucous, celeb-studded parties at the premises during his tenure there.
The Portland Place mansion has been called “one of the largest and most remarkable houses in central London.”
Julian Abrams/United Kingdom Sotheby’s International Realty
Originally designed and built by the noted architect brothers Robert and James Adam way back in the mid-1770s, the Grade II*-listed property has been occupied by numerous aristocrats through the years, including antiquarian and traveler Joseph Wyndham, 4th Earl of Abergavenny William Nevill and James Blyth, a millionaire who founded the famed gin distillery W&A Gilbey.
More recently, the building served as the Sierra Leone embassy, as well as a main location for the Oscar-winning film The Kings Men, an Agent Provocateur fashion shoot featuring Kate Moss and Amy Winehouse’s Rehab music video.
A large formal dining room opens to a reception room via a hydraulic wall.
Julian Abrams/United Kingdom Sotheby’s International Realty
Billed in marketing materials as “one of the largest and most remarkable houses in central London”—and sited on the unusually wide Portland Place street, within walking distance of Regent’s Park, West End and Marylebone High Street—the property features a six-story main home and separate mews house, for a total of 11 bedrooms and 10 baths in nearly 21,000 square feet of meticulously preserved living space replete with bespoke joinery, marble finishes, hand-painted wallpaper and artisan chandeliers.
Highlights include an opulent entrance hall adorned with a curving staircase, along with a formal dining room spotlighted by a hydraulic wall that disappears at the push of a button to reveal an adjoining reception room. There’s also a gourmet kitchen outfitted with an eat-in island and accompanying breakfast nook.
An indoor lap pool and hot tub offers the perfect spot for relaxation.
Julian Abrams/United Kingdom Sotheby’s International Realty
A plush master retreat occupies the entire second floor, and comes complete with dual dressing rooms and baths; and elsewhere is a screening room, wine cellar, gym, massage room, an indoor pool and spa, and a top-level atrium “sky lounge” boasting a seated bar and access to a terrace overlooking views of the BT Tower.
The listing is held by James Gubbins of United Kingdom Sotheby’s International Realty.
Click here for more photos of David Sullivan’s London mansion.
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Otis’s House From ‘Sex Education’ Can Be Yours for $1.8 Million
Netflix’s Sex Education might be in its fourth and final season, but now fans can own a piece of the show’s history. For £1.5 million (or roughly $1.8 million), that is.
The real-life home used as the residence for teenage sex therapist Otis Milburn (played by Asa Butterfield) and his sex therapist mother, Jean Milburn (Gillian Anderson), has hit the market. Known as The Chalet, the dreamy U.K. property is located on four-and-a-half verdant acres in Symonds Yat in the Wye Valley, which sits right on the border of England and Wales and has been dubbed an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The home where Otis and Jean Millburn live in the Netflix series Sex Education is up for sale.
Knight Frank
Prior to its stint on the cult-favorite British series, the red-and-white abode dates back to 1912, when it was built as a Norwegian-style fishing lodge. The current owner scooped up the hillside pad over 20 years ago, in 2002, and has since put the place through a massive renovation. Altogether, the 3,100-square-foot spread comprises five bedrooms and three bathrooms. Some of the more recent updates include new plumbing and electric systems, a new roof, and a custom-painted kitchen. The conservatory has also been enlarged.
“The fact that this property is so well known only adds to the appeal of what is an incredibly rare opportunity to own a spectacular home,” says James Toogood, office head at Knight Frank Bristol, in a press statement.
The Chalet in Symonds Yat is a 100-year-old former fishing lodge.
Knight Frank
In addition to the charming home, the property has two greenhouses, an orchard, and a summer house. Marketing material indicates there’s an old chapel at the top of the driveway that is also available to purchase by separate negotiation.
For fans who fancy having morning coffee or reading the paper out on the terrace à la the mother-son sex therapist duo, there are plenty of spaces to do so. One of the lower decks is equipped with a Swedish wood-burning tub, while another sports a stone pizza oven. Also not fictionalized for the TV show are the oh-so-real river views.
Click here to see all the photos of The Chalet.
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Rolling Stones Drummer Charlie Watts’s Former Country Home in the U.K. Can Be Yours for $9.7 Million
For £7.9 million (or roughly $9.7 million), you could be Goin’ Home to an English country estate once owned by the late, great Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts.
The musician resided at the Grade II-listed Foscombe House in Gloucestershire from 1976 to 1983, according to the listing that’s held by Savills. Watts, also known as “the Wembley Whammer,” bought the Victorian manse from British novelist and screenwriter Derek Marlowe. He transformed the property’s coach house into an on-site music studio where, one imagines, the Stones used to rehearse and record. However, the detached building has since been turned into a two-bed guest residence.
An old carriage house that Watts used as a recording studio has been converted into a guest house.
Savills
Thomas Fulljames, best known for his work on Gloucester Cathedral, constructed Foscombe House in 1866. Today, the 16,157-square-foot spread sits on 52 wooded acres and comprises an eight-bed main estate, the previously mentioned coach house, a converted stable block, an indoor pool complex, and its original orangery.
The main house includes an orangery with original carved window detailing.
Savills
“Foscombe House occupies one of the most magical settings in Gloucestershire, with part of its beauty being that it is set in the middle of its own beautiful parkland grounds, with swathes of wildflower gardens and two sweeping driveways of around half a mile each,” says Ed Sugden, director of Savills Country Department. The dwelling is surrounded by thousands of trees that were planted by the present owner, plus a vegetable garden, a large greenhouse, and two ponds.
The main structure, with its castellated tower, turrets, and Gothic windows, is not short on charm. The mansion’s present owner has made considerable renovations, but many of its original characteristics, such as its exquisite moldings, carved stone fireplaces, and magnificent beamed ceilings, have been preserved. And, if you were at all concerned, rest assured, nothing’s been painted black.
The main estate has beamed ceilings and stone fireplaces.
Savills
On the ground floor, you’ll find a spacious sitting room, a drawing room, and a dining room, plus a Mark Wilkinson-designed kitchen and the majority of the sleeping quarters. The second level holds three additional bedrooms, and a smoking room with its own private terrace is nestled into the tippy top of the tower.
“The house is the epitome of glorious Victorian Gothic architecture with sun-filled rooms enhanced by the most beautiful features,” adds Sugden. “The height and proportions of the rooms create the most wonderful flow of living space for such a substantial property.”
Click here to see all the photos of Foscombe House.
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