Country Life: 12th October 2022 Early Property Pages

Interiors special A pocket Palladian paradise

the art of

Aserpentine walnut displaycabinet inspired by an original Robert Adam sideboardinour family archives.Exclusively handmade in burr walnut veneers, the upper glazed section with fine ovalbeading to the door frontsand an LED-lit mahoganylined interior with adjustable glassshelves.The lower bowfronted centre section has afull width slide with brassaxe drop handlesabove hand carved rope detailing. The two lockable shapedcupboard doors have oval ebonyinlaid stringing within inset panels, and especially made brass escutcheons. Theyopen to reveal amahoganylined interior with twointernal drawersand adjustable shelf.The twoconcave end sections also with locksand mahoganylined interior with twoadjustable shelves

£11,440

Width: 76¾inches(195.5cm)

Depth: 18 inches(45.8cm) Height:89¾ inches(228.5cm)

Winner of six customer experience awards in 2021

Culroy,

West Brabourne,

Culpho, Suffolk

Basted Lane,

Pickering Stud

CELBRIDG E, CO. KILDARE ,I RELAND . ON APPROX. 104 ACRES (42.1 HA)

•A mature, well established residential stud farm with equestrian facilities developed by its current owners, Derrinstown Stud, on lands of outstanding quality

•The propertyextends to approx.104 acres (42.1ha) and is laid out in ten distinct divisions, all in grass, near the townland of Corbally

•PickeringStud has manyattributes such as maturehedgerows to the boundaries and internal divisions and astable yard containing 29 loose boxes withfour access points

•The single storey residence extendstoapprox 1,025sq.ft. (95sq.m.) with aprivate rear garden in adelightful setting,accessed via electric gates frontingatreelined avenue

•The top quality lands are stud rail fenced with agood road network throughout forease of management

•PickeringStud, surrounded by matureand excellently maintained grounds, fronts on to aquiet countryroad providing apeaceful setting

Windgates Stud

CELBRID GE, CO. KILDARE ,I RELAND . ON APPROX. 53 ACRES (21.4 HA)

Celbridge

ShirleyHills, Surrey

Waterside winners

CITIES in Australia have taken an impressive three of the top five slots in Knight Frank’s 2022 Waterfront Index this year, with Sydney commanding the highest premiums worldwide. A waterside property with views across Sydney harbour now attracts an average premium of 121% compared to an equivalent home away from the shoreline.

‘Regardless of the season in Sydney, there is always a strong appetite for waterfront

homes, especially those with uninterrupted iconic views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House,’ comments Michelle Ciesielski, head of residential research at Knight Frank Australia.

New Zealand’s Auckland came in second with a premium of 76%, edging out the Gold Coast (71%) and Perth (69%), while Cap d’Antibes in the French Riviera was the highest European entry with premiums of 59%.

Lockdowns around the globe have pushed the appeal of waterfront living to the fore, with 42% of respondents to Knight Frank’s Global Buyers Survey stating they were more likely to buy a waterfront property postpandemic. ‘For many, being near the water with more space and greenery has been a primary driver, and with supply limited in all markets, this has supported price growth and premiums,’ adds senior research analyst Chris Druce.

Restoring a masterpiece

THE Uffizi Galleries in Florence has announced an ambitious €50 million plan to restore and protect the legendary Boboli Gardens.

Part of the Uffizi Galleries network, the park was designed by the Medici family in the 16th century—their design pioneered the Italian garden style, which went on to become a major influence throughout the courts of Europe—and the 82-acre grounds behind the Pitti Palace include fountains, grottoes and about 300

Classical, Renaissance and Baroque statues.

The ‘Boboli 2030’ programme includes the restoration of its many statues and a new hightech storage facility for what the gallery claims is the world’s biggest collection of historic tapestries and carpets. Eike Schmidt, the museum’s director, explains: ‘Our objective is not only to return the Boboli to the glories of the times of the Medici and the Lorena dynasties, but to go further, making it the best open museum in the world.’

This year, the most reliable ski resort in The Alps—Val Thorens— is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a host of new attractions, including a space-themed family zone, an impressive sports and cultural centre and a snowtubing piste. Opens for the ski season

Holly Kirkwood

Stay well

WELLNESS is now firmly at the forefront of property buyers’ requirements as priorities continue to realign post pandemic, according to new research from Savills.

‘With an increased focus on personal health and wellness, second-home locations have to pull double-duty by providing both the traditional sun, sea and countryside as well as the key amenities to promote personal

Raise a glass

wellbeing,’ comments Kelcie Sellers from Savills World Research.

Buyers are also looking to spend more time in their second homes and less time in transit, which means they are keen to purchase in destinations only two or three hours from their main city property. ‘We expect some second-home markets to become even more domestic and regional as buyers continue to value close proximity to their city base for easy commuting,’ Miss Sellers adds.

Homecoming for Vermeer

I

N order to meet growing demand from international clients, Savills have launched Savills Wine Estates, a service advising in all aspects of vineyard acquisition and disposal. Their specialised team is currently focusing on areas including the English growing regions, Switzerland, Provence and Stellenbosch.

According to director Jeremy Rollason, the appetite for vineyards is growing now that technology has somewhat demystified the process of winemaking: ‘It’s possible to pro duce very drinkable wine relatively quickly these days, so with the right advice and the appropriate terroir, owners can get their own bottles into the shops without too much trou ble,’ he explains. ‘France is still number one

Eye on the BVI

THE British Virgin Islands is gearing up for a busy sea son this year as second-home buyers in the Caribbean find their priorities changing. ‘Rather than racking up vast numbers of destinations—and flights— it’s the quality of the experience that matters to people these days; property buyers are more considered in their choices, and they won’t compromise on quality,’ explains Chris Smith of Coldwell Banker BVI (www. coldwellbankerbvi.com).

Virgin Gorda is the heart of the community and a succession of

for buyers with an interest in vineyards,’ Mr Rollason adds, with ‘Provence, The Rhône Valley and Languedoc-Roussillon being par ticularly popular’.

A magnificent 17th-century bastide with hobby vineyard and two-hectare olive grove is on the market in Provence for €3.95 million through Savills (www.savills.com)

The Rijksmuseum has announced it will host the largest exhibition of Vermeer’s work ever undertaken next February. This is the first ever Vermeer exhibition for the Netherlands’ most prestigious art gallery and it is set to feature a significant number of the Dutch master’s work. With only 35 known paintings left behind after the artist’s death, Vermeer’s works are rarely lent out, but the museum has liaised closely with a number of inter national galleries in order to present as full a picture as possible of the artist’s life and work. The show will include masterpieces such as Girl with a Pearl Earring (above), The Geographer and Woman Holding a Balance, as well as some rarely seen lesser-known works. (www.rijksmuseum.nl).

Editor Annunciata Elwes

Commissioning Editor

Kirkwood

Editor-in-chief Mark Hedges

Sub-editors Octavia Pollock, James Fisher

Art Steve Mumby, Ben Harris, Dean Usher

openings and re-openings on the island this year include the French-inspired Inn at Cornucopia and old favourite Saba Rock, as well as the relaunched sailing community The Bitter End Yacht Club.

‘It’s good timing for property hunters: there are some out standing examples on the market this winter, from plots on Richard Branson’s Moskito Island to private villas in Little Dix Bay (above),’ Mr Smith adds.

Pictures Lucy Ford

Katie Ruocco 07929

Email firstname.surname@ futurenet.com

Villa Anna offers breathtaking views over Forte Dei

This

SanMigueldeAllende,Mexico

Eat up

CARIBBEAN

cuisine is anything but monolithic—its story is one of movement: ingredients, techniques and, of course, people.

Long before Christopher Columbus landed in what is now the Bahamas in the 15th century, the native Arawak, Carib and Ciboney people of the West Indies were cooking and preserving with chillies, including the Scotch bonnet (named thus in colonial times for its resemblance to a tam-o-shanter).

Hundreds of years later, West African slaves arrived with snatched handfuls of okra seeds and memories of dishes such as foofoo—crushed cassava, yam or plantain —which became the Bajan dish cou-cou.

Much of what comes to mind when we picture a Caribbean kitchen—curries, mangoes, ginger and so on—have their roots in the Indian labourers who arrived to work in the Caribbean after slavery was abolished. Meanwhile, the English brought salted cod to the islands and plenty of culinary influence; some claim that Jamaican patties can trace a line of descent from Cornish pasties and Barbadian jug-jug has more than a hint of haggis. Many of the big, all-inclusive Caribbean resorts have international menus written with tourists in mind, so it’s always worth looking slightly further afield to get a true taste of the islands in all their diversity.

Jamaica—jerk

A S synonymous with Jamaica as Red Stripe and a fixture at beach barbecues, fiery jerk has hit the headlines here more than once—both a McDonald’s jerk burger and Jamie Oliver’s jerk rice were accused of wildly inaccurate cultural appropriation. Jerk itself isn’t so much a dish as a way of cooking that has its roots with the indigenous Taíno people; meat (usually chicken, but sometimes pork) is marinated in a blend of chillies, thyme, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and ginger, before being grilled—some cooks swear by pimento wood for authentic flavour.

Another bite: You can’t visit Jamaica without trying ackee and saltfish. Ackee, a fruit that becomes almost like scrambled egg when cooked, is stirred up with salt-cured cod, vegetables and tomatoes and served with cassava or plantain. If you’ve still got space for pudding, crisp-shelled coconut gizzada tarts are unbelievably moreish—imagine a pastel de nata’s spiced Caribbean cousin.

Getting there: British Airways flies direct from London to Kingston and Montego Bay (October to April), in just under 10 hours.

Take me there

Karma Bay, Jamaica, $4.6 million Karma Bay is a luxury six-bedroom villa perched on the shoreline of the exclusive Tryall Club estate, which has 2,200 acres of verdant land tumbling down to miles of private beach near Montego Bay. The property has been designed for modern indoor-outdoor living right on the water with a swimming pool and pretty landscaped gardens.

Sotheby’s International Realty (+1 876 609 1014; www.sothebysrealty.com)

From jug-jug to jerk, Emma Hughes discovers the many different flavours of Caribbean cuisine

St Kitts & Nevis–rum

THIS lushly rainforested and volcanic dual-island nation (the smallest in the Western Hemisphere) has a thriving rum scene that’s a world away from touristy punches. The Old Road Rum Company (www.oldroadrum.com) was launched by Kittitian Jack Widdowson to bring produc tion back to the island and is run from a distillery that first did business in 1681, making it the oldest surviving manufacturer of its kind in the Caribbean. On Nevis, creamy Clifton Estate Spiced Rum is blended by hand in small batches with orange and honey by Mark Theron and his team (www.clifton estaterums.com) and decanted into a barrelshaped glass bottle.

Another bite: Jamaican, Guyanese, American and Spanish influences are all apparently in St Kitts & Nevis cooking. The seafood—conch fritters, lobster and so on— is spectacular and at breakfast look out for johnny cakes, crisp little balls and fried dough. For a really traditional Kittitian din ner (that is, incidentally, perfect for soaking up the rum), sit down to a plate of stewed saltfish, spicy fried plantain and coconut dumplings.

Getting there: British Airways flies to Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw International Airport from London in just under 10 hours.

Take me there

Cockleshell Bay, St Kitts, $POA Sitting on generous lots at the end of the island’s south-eastern peninsula with views across to Nevis, the five-bedroom private estates at Solterre have been designed to make the most of their exceptional position.

Offering more than 8000sq ft of living space across three levels, these properties are game changers for the area. Owners will have access to a wide range of amenities, includ ing the gym and the Cockleshell Beach Club, which promises five-star service.

Saint Kitts & Nevis Sotheby’s International Realty (www.stkittsnevissir.com; +1 869 469 5008

ST LUCIA has famously been a British territory seven times and a French one another seven. Given the latter’s enduring influence on the island’s cooking, it’s not surprising that bouillon, or bouyon, is such an iconic dish. It’s something of a moveable feast, a hearty soup made with whatever catches the chef’s eye that morning: slowcooked mutton, beef, pork or even saltfish, plus beans, sweet potato, pumpkin, carrots and yams. Try a bowl at Castries Market, which has been open daily except Sundays since the 1890s, paired with a Piton, the island’s omnipresent beer (named after its twin peaks).

Another bite: Keep an eye out for accra, golden spiced salted fishcakes (right), and callaloo soup, made with the spinach-like leaves of the callaloo plant and sometimes enriched with crab meat.

Getting there: British Airways flies from London to Hewanorra International in about nine hours.

Take me there Soufrière, St Lucia, $2.4 million

Sugar Beach is one of the most exclusive resorts in the entire Caribbean region and this two-bedroom villa boasts spectacular views, a 33ft pool and a huge private deck. Owners have access to two sugar-sand beaches, as well as all the five-star ameni ties of the resort.

Savills (www.savills.com; 020–7016 3744)

St Lucia—bouillon

Spectacular beachfront privateestatethatspans

ft.Designedbyarchitect

Spectacular

The

Virgin

Parrot

Lakeside

Killiney,

MurrayHill,

Barbados—flying fish and cou-cou

ROLLING, verdant Barbados is some times known as ‘Land of the Flying Fish’—they feature on coins and stamps. Flying fish with cou-cou (below) is generally held to be the national dish, as ubiquitous on the island as a Sunday roast in Britain. The fish element has been the subject of some controversy; in 2004, the flying-fish population migrated into waters legally belonging to Tobago, necessitating a new trading relationship. Cou-cou, meanwhile, is cornmeal stirred with a special paddle until it has the feel of polenta or grits, then combined with okra and turned out in a domed mould. The African vegetable was originally brought to the Caribbean by slaves, who travelled with the seeds of the plant.

Another bite: Banana leaves filled with a sweet mixture of cornflour, coconut, raisins and

spiced pumpkin, then steamed. The resulting almost Spotted Dick-esque patties—conkies —are traditionally eaten as part of Barbados’s Independence Day celebrations at the end of November, but you can find them all year round on restaurant menus.

Getting there: British Airways and Virgin fly from London to Bridgetown in 8½ hours.

Take me there Royal Westmoreland, Barbados, $3.2 million

A ridgeline property commanding far-reach ing views to the Platinum Coast, High Spirits is a four-bedroom villa in the Royal Westmoreland estate with airy, bright living spaces, two guest suites and a home office. Upstairs are two primary bedroom suites that open onto an expansive balcony. Up in the breezy hills above the best beaches on the island’s west coast, the Royal Westmoreland offers top-class recreational facilities and

variety of dining options.

the flyingfish population

into waters

belonging to Tobago

A royal retreat

Mary, Queen of Scots

ENGLAND, Scotland and France may not be strictly in step these days, but history unde niably links us all and never more closely than where royal personages were concerned.

The torrid life and bloody end of Mary, Queen of Scots are powerful illustrations of the religion-riven, devious dynastic politics of the 16th century, but her early years emphasise the old national ties.

Ever under threat because of her Catholic upbringing, in 1548, at six years of age, Mary was betrothed to Francis, the Dauphin, and was transported from Dumbarton to SaintPol-de-Léon on the Brittany coast, travelling in style with a French fleet sent by Francis’s father Henry II. Much of her childhood was spent at the Château de Saint-Germainen-Laye west of Paris (now the Museum of Archeology), which proved to be something of a bolthole for the Catholic Stuarts.

Francis and Mary were married in Notre Dame in 1558, he becoming King Consort of Scotland and she Queen Consort of France, but he died within two years and Mary

Mary, Queen of Scots and James II Saint-Germain-en-Laye, €4.2 million (£3.65 million)

A late-19th-century château, Seine Valley is situated in 12 acres of grounds. With character features including parquet flooring, panelling, stained glass and fireplaces, this historic property offers a suite of reception rooms leading onto a south-facing terrace, a large kitchen, library and seven bedrooms. Christies International Real Estate (00 33 18 888 3719; www.christiesrealestate.com)

Charles II Uccle, Brussels, €4.2 million (£3.65 million)

Fittingly located in the Prince d’Orange district just south of the city centre, this substantial country house sits in 64 acres. The reception rooms include a double living room with an open fire, a dining room, snug and dining kitchen. Upstairs, the master suite has a private terrace, and there are a further five bedrooms. Sotheby’s International Realty (00 32 47 286 9668; www.sothebysrealty.com)

Members of the Royal Family have been seeking safe haven abroad for centuries, be it due to religion, politics or war. Ian Morton follows in the footsteps of some of our best-known exiles

Do as the royals do

returned to Scotland in 1561, her secure spell across the Channel over and her life eventually forfeit.

Charles II

IT wasn’t too long after Mary that France gave shelter to the future Charles

II, after the final spasm of Royalist resistance at the Battle of Worcester in 1651 ended the Civil War. After 40 days spent avoiding Parliamentarian troops —during which time he famously hid in an oak tree at Boscobel in Shropshire—Charles slipped aboard a ship at Shoreham and landed at Fécamp near Le Havre. He was not to be seen in England again for nine years.

At the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, he joined his mother Queen Henrietta Maria, daughter of French king Henry IV (being Catholic she was never crowned and is best commemorated by the US state of Maryland) and established his Court there. But his mother’s unwanted influence and quarrels among his retinue (including duelling) obliged him to move to the home of his sister, Mary, and her husband, William, Prince of Orange (a cousin) in The Hague. From there, he travelled via

Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, proved to be a safe haven for Mary, Queen of Scots, Charles II and James II

Regal boltholes

Brussels to Breda in the Spanish Netherlands, where he and his advisers drew up the Declaration of Breda, setting out the terms under which he would return to England as monarch.

James II (left),William and Mary

IN the same century, the Château de Saint-Germain-enLaye was to provide yet another haven for English royalty. After Charles died in 1685, his brother James II succeeded him, but was forced to take up residence in the French palace after he was deposed in 1688. With James off the English throne, his daughter Mary was next in line. Her married sojourn in the Netherlands had been suitably grand and never more so than after William ordered a Baroque palace to be built on the royal estate at Apeldoorrn.

Set in grand gardens, Het Loo Palace offered a luxurious bucolic escape and was dubbed the ‘Versailles of Holland’. It is now a state museum and library and listed among the country’s top heritage sites. Mary’s accession to the English throne as joint sovereign with her husband meant, of course, that he had to relocate to Britain as William III. A Protestant, his military actions in Ireland reverberate to this day.

Bonnie Prince Charlie Florence, €2.7 million (£2.35 million)

This newly developed apartment in an elegant 19th-century palazzo, within walk ing distance of the Sant’Ambrogio market, is flooded with light from nine large win dows overlooking the Borgo Pinti. With 255sq m (2,745sq ft) of living space, the accommodation comprises three bedrooms, five bathrooms, a reception area and a dining kitchen. Knight Frank International (020–3967 7126; www.knightfrank.com)

Alice of Battenberg Corfu, €12.8 million (£11.15 million)

An incredible estate a short walk from the picturesque Agni Bay, Anassa consists of three properties. The large main villa offers six bedroom suites, a steam room, gym and cinema. Outside, the decked terrace leads to an infinity pool and again on to a private cove. The equally elegant second and third properties offer four and two bedrooms respectively. Sotheby’s International Realty (00 302 10 968 1070; www.sothebysrealty.com)

The Duke of Windsor The Bahamas, $35 million (£31 million)

For a royal looking to escape, a private island might be just the ticket; Little Whale Cay is one of 30 cays that form the Berry Islands north of Nassau. Extending to more than 40 acres, accommodation is spread between the two-bedroom principal dwelling Little Whale House; Flamingo House, with four bedrooms; and the double-bedroom suite Peacock House. Knight Frank International (020–7861 1553; www.knightfrank.com)

Country Life International

Bonnie Prince Charlie

THE Catholic Stuarts were not yet out of contention. Bonnie Prince Charlie, grandson of James II, was born in Rome where his father was in permanent exile. Dubbed the Young Pretender to the British throne, he arrived in Scotland to claim his kingdom and head the 1745 uprising, the endeavour ending in defeat at Culloden. He, too, fled to France, where he was welcomed by Louis XV. After another planned invasion failed, he returned to Rome and the home of his father, the Palazzo Muti. In 1777, he bought Palazzo di San Clemente in the Via Capponi in Florence, which became known as the Palazzo dei Pretendente—and still is.

Alice of Battenberg

TWENTIETHCENTURY tumults necessitated the repeated relocation of a princess of a later royal line: Alice of Battenberg,

Above: Mon Repos, a villa in Corfu where the Greek royals saw out the First World War. Below: The Duke of Windsor, who spent much of the Second World War in the Bahamas

great-granddaughter of Victoria, mother of the late Duke of Edinburgh, mother-in-law of the late Queen, and wife of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark. The Greek royals were exiled after a political split over which First World War side to support and the family moved to a villa, Mon Repos, on Corfu. They returned in 1920, but were ousted again due to war with Turkey and lived in the Paris suburb of Saint-Cloud until the monarchy was restored in 1935. Based in Athens during the Second World War, the Princess sheltered Jewish refugees and was named as ‘Righteous Among the Nations’. The Greek monarchy

was finally dissolved after a 1967 military coup and the widowed Alice returned at last to the country of her birth, living in Buckingham Palace until her death.

The Duke of Windsor

THE most high-profile exile of the past century has to be that of the Duke of Windsor, former Edward VIII, whose relocation, believed to be in the national interest during the Second World War, was to Government House, Nassau, as Governor of the Bahamas. He and his wife, Wallis Simpson, eventually lived at 4, Route du Champ d’Entrainement, Paris.

Alamy; Getty

Home with Equestrian Centre near St Emilion /Bordeaux, FRANCE

Cultural capital

Paula Byrne, biographer and author, lives inScottsdale, Arizona, US

W

E moved from Oxford to Arizona in 2019, after my husband [Prof Sir Jonathan Bate] had finished eight years as provost of Worcester College, Oxford. Jonathan was approached by the president of Arizona State University (ASU) and it felt like an offer we couldn’t refuse—we have always loved the US.

As a writer, you can go anywhere and moving here has been really conducive to my work in ways I hadn’t expected, with all the wide open spaces and the desert landscape. If the environment isn’t right, I can’t write, so when we made the move to Arizona I did wonder: ‘How am I going to like this?’ After all, it’s the desert, far from Oxford with its libraries, history, and culture. I surprised myself by how much I enjoyed the freedom of being away from it all. One day, I went for a swim and

The ‘green desert’ of Scottsdale, Arizona, redefines the meaning of ‘big open space’

there was a snake in the pool, right in my face. I breathed: ‘Oh my God, I’m not in Oxford any more.’

In Oxford, I could never breathe—there were always ancient walls locking you in or keeping you out. Here, you simply look into the endless sky. When I came back to England on a research trip, I thought how small and pokey it was. I’ve become used space in Arizona. Where we live in Scottsdale is bliss: the mountains

Be inspired

Scottsdale Arizona, $10.5 million

In sought-after Silverleaf's Upper Canyon, this expansive six-bedroom property was built for entertaining with impressive granite and marble features throughout. Downstairs, the formal living room leads to the dining area and, on the main floor, the custom open kitchen flows into an elegant living room with access to the large upper patio. The vast owner’s suite has breathtaking views from its private terrace and there are multiple outdoor dining and lounging spaces, including an impressive clifftop infinity pool.

Sotheby’s International Realty (001 480 550 1208)

There’s nothing like a change of scene to get the creative juices flowing. Eleanor Doughty talks to writers and artists who have moved to a location that inspires them every day

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Jerseyboasts unspoilt, stunning beaches and rugged coves; puresea air; fabulous restaurants; and the highest-quality leisurefacilities. Jersey’sbusinessenvironment is home to some of the world’sleading banks, financial institutions and lawfirms, and first-classindustry contacts and serviceproviders areall within easyreach. With highly developed connectivity including island-wide 1Gbps fibrebroadband establish abusinessinJerseyand youare instantly at the heart of athriving commercial centre

Country Life International

encircle us and go pink in the sunset. They call it a green desert—there are palm trees and cacti. You can’t even begin to compute the size of Arizona; ASU has 100,000 students and that’s only one of the state’s dozens of colleges and universities.

We’ve got a lot of money in Scottsdale, where philanthropic efforts centre on art and music. The symphony orchestra, which we go to see a lot, is a big part of that and there’s an amazing symphony hall in downtown Phoenix. There’s a real scene because there are so many students. I thought it might be a cultural desert as well as an actual desert, but that’s simply not true. There’s a lot of live music, farmers’ markets and coffee shops; young people have come here because they can’t afford to live in California and that has changed the landscape—bringing a sense of energy that comes with youth. There is something that still feels very new about Arizona, as if it is still getting to know itself. You can feel the electricity in the air. Paula Byrne’s latest book, ‘The Adventures of Miss Barbara Pym’, is out now, pub lished by William Collins

William RoperCurzon, artist,lives in Athens,Greece

ICAME here four years ago for a change. I had heard that there was this new, great art scene in Athens and that everybody was moving here because it was so much cheaper, so I followed suit. I didn’t plan to stay, but then I found an

Be inspired

Athens, €3.5 million

This magnificent property fuses two listed townhouses to create a modern home at the foot of the Acropolis. The light-filled structure has more than 300sq m (3,229sq ft) of living space, comprising the entrance hall, living room, dining area, modern eat-in kitchen, family room and two large bedroom suites, plus a study and two bathrooms. A variety of terraces offer breathtaking views to the Acropolis and other ancient monuments, as well as to Lycabettus Hill and the city itself. Christies International Real Estate (00 30 210 364 3112)

The Classical cityscape of Athens is inspiring a new generation of contemporary artists

apartment near the beach and suddenly I was living here.

I moved to Athens from Hampshire, where I grew up and where I had moved from

London. The Greek capital sounded so excit ing. It’s a city of extremes. It’s very civilised in some ways and cheap to live in, with deli cious food and lots going on, but it can be hot and chaotic. There’s a huge underground art scene, which has grown in a similar way to Berlin’s: Greece was broke and the cost of living cheap, so all the young people try ing to be artists moved here. Now, Athens is finding its feet in the art world. There is huge investment coming in and lots of very cool galleries opening. I don’t speak Greek—

The Greek capital sounded so exciting. It’s a city of extremes

Country Life International

Be inspired

Fiesole, Florence, €3 million Fiesole has been an exclusive residential area for Italian and international nobility, artists and intellectuals for centuries and Villa Sorgentina has far-reaching views over Florence. The property is an out standing Tuscan retreat, offering six bedrooms and eight bathrooms, with grand reception rooms and landscaped gardens, plus more than two acres of grounds, including a productive olive grove. Outside, the casa colonica has been recently renovated and the property comes with numerous other outbuildings in need of some restoration; the spring in the grounds gives the house its pretty name. Knight Frank International (020–3640 7048)

it’s so difficult to pick up and I am used to people speaking English. Still, there’s lots to do; a Belgian friend of mine recently opened a trendy bookshop and there’s another one called Hyper Hypo, which is very cool. There are very good galleries, nothing like London or New York, but getting there.

Athens has a great energy. People don’t go out for dinner until about 10pm, when it’s still very busy. I live in a neighbourhood called Kypseli, which has beautiful, huge Belle Epoque-era houses in it. When I got here, you could buy a flat for €60,000; some of them are already over €100,000.

Everyone is obsessed with the Greek islands, but the mainland is unbelievably

beautiful and unspoilt. I love that you can go to the beach in 20 minutes and go swim ming or walk near the Acropolis. Plus, it’s always sunny, even when it’s freezing.

Amber Guinness, freelance cook and writer, lives in Florence, Italy

IGREW up in rural Tuscany and went to school there until I was 13, when my parents realised that my sister and I couldn’t read or write in English properly. They moved us to London—quite a culture shock.

After my husband, Matthew, and I got mar ried in 2016, we began spending more time back in Italy. We decided to move to Florence the day after the Brexit referendum and have been here full time ever since. We chose the city because it’s an hour and a half from my

Alamy; Getty Images; Saghar Setareh; Guillem Lopez

We decided to move to Florence the day after the Brexit referendum

family home at Arniano. It’s international, but quite small and you can walk everywhere. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world, so you’ve always got people passing through—I end up seeing my friends in a more satisfactory way than I did in London. When I was at university, I spent a year in Rome and it’s a great city, but it has a lot of the down sides of London without the infrastructure. Matthew would live in Rome in a heartbeat, but I love the sleepiness of Florence.

The layers of architecture from the Renaissance to the Baroque and the touches of what the Second World War did to the city are amazing. The curator of Palazzo Strozzi, the famous exhibition space, wants to make it much more contemporary and, over the past few years, it’s held a big Ai WeiWei show, as well as one by Jeff Koons. Fifteen years ago, they would have had a Bronzino show,

instead. There’s a lot of modernity mixing with traditional.

Florence has so many good restaurants and I love that—Matthew and I work from home and if you’re having a bad day you can go out for a very cheap lunch. There are some beautiful walks; after 15 minutes, you can be up a hill overlooking the city, which is quite special. In a lovely, tiny church called Santa Felicita, there’s an amazing painting, Pontormo’s The Deposition from the Cross. You can have lunch nearby and then, on your way home, pop in to have a look. This is the kind of casual sightseeing that’s one of my favourite parts of living here, being able to take things in in a light and enjoyable way, rather than having a fullon itinerary.

Emerging cultural hotspots

Mexico City

Fans of Frieda Kahlo or Diego Rivera will know that Mexico City is no stran ger to world-class culture, but a prolonged period of economic growth has allowed a number of excellent new contemporary galleries to open and, now, the city’s lively annual art fair, Zona Maco, is threatening to become bigger than Art Basel Miami.

Oslo

Finally opened to the public this sum mer, the new National Museum of Art is a vast cathedral dedicated to Norway’s cultural history, the Oslo Opera House has become an iconic piece of modern European architecture and the city’s art and design district, Tjuvholmen, attracts cultural powerhouses from all over Europe for work and play.

Austin, Texas

Launched in Austin in 1987, the muchloved South by Southwest Festival has expanded to include multimedia, huge music artists and keynote speakers from Melinda Gates to Barack Obama. The only place in the US to be desig nated a UNESCO Media Arts city, Austin also has a thriving tech scene that continues to attract top talent; Tesla is the latest new kid on the block.

Amman, Jordan

Jordan has been an intersection point for different cultures since ancient times and, today, Amman draws crea tive talent from all over the Middle East, including Iraq, Syria and Palestine. In particular, the city has emerged recently as one of the foremost global places for the street-art scene.

Alamy; Getty Images; Saghar

Setareh; Guillem Lopez

‘A House Party in Tuscany’ by Amber Guinness is published by Thames & Hudson

Above and preceding page: The historic interior of the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence presents a fine contrast to an exhibition of work by the Pennsylvanian artist Jeff Koons

Off-peak: che bello !

WHISPER it quietly, but the crowds and the heat that envelop the Uffizi in Florence during the height of summer are enough to put anyone off seeing Michelangelo’s most prized works—forever. But once the shorter days and cooler temperatures of the winter months set in and the queues begin to diminish, another side of Florence and, indeed, the rest of the country, reveals itself.

Italy in the autumn is magical, says Emily FitzRoy, founder of Italian specialists Bellini Travel. ‘Nothing beats walking into a trattoria in the hills around Montalcino [a hill town close to Siena] to find the fire lit, steaks on the grill and the smell of white truffles wafting in from the kitchen. Sadly,’ she adds, ‘there is never a quiet time to visit

the silhouette of a lone gondolier bobs out of nowhere on the Grand Canal and you’re en route to a martini in the winter bar of the Gritti—is pretty unbeatable.’

When the conditions are right, you can ski on the northern slopes of Etna

Beyond the good food, wine, art and fine architecture that Italy is so famously blessed with comes another jewel in the crown: its topology. Head of Savills Global Network and an unashamed Italophile, Jelena Cvjetkovic remains impressed by its variety: ‘I can hardly think of a country that has a greater diversity of geography lying within

its boundaries,’ she says. From the Alps that cradle its northern border down the Apennines, which form its spine, to the volcanoes that rise in the southern region, mountain-lovers have a wealth of choices, including skiing, trekking, walking and snowboarding, to take advantage of during the cooler season.

Le Corbusier called the Dolomites the ‘most beautiful buildings in the world’. As the sun sets—even in deepest winter—their exposed limestone faces turn a warm pink—and yet, to many Britons, they remain largely undiscovered. A skiing trip is known to Italians as the settimana bianca or ‘white week’— and there are thousands of resorts to choose from. Danilo Romolini of Agenzia Romolini Immobiliare Srl, affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate, recommends Madonna di Campiglio in Trentino, Cortina d’Ampezzo and Courmayeur as his favourites. The first is an elegant town standing at 1,550m

Visitors may discover a different side to Italy in the cooler months, finds Arabella Youens

Italy in autumn and winter

(5,085ft), which is popular with the Milanese.

Cortina, meanwhile, is the ‘perfect place to be bewitched by the Dolomite landscape, as visitors encounter protected flora, deer, foxes and roe deer along the way.’

But Courmayeur is probably the best-known outside Italy. Located in the Aosta Valley, it offers skiing, excursions with snowshoes, snowboarding and cross-country skiing. ‘However, few know that the historic centre is one of the must-see attractions of Courmayeur,’ adds Sgr Romolini. ‘Small and intimate, it houses monuments and historic buildings of rare beauty, such as the Church of San Pantaleone and the Malluquin Tower. I’ll make a special mention for the museums, too: the Duca degli Abruzzi Alpine Museum and the Mont Blanc Transfrontier Museum.’

Skiing takes place at various intervals travelling south through the Apennines, including Abetone, a weekend resort favoured by Florentines, and in Gran Sasso, Abruzzo. ‘Don’t forget, when the conditions are right, you can ski on the northern slopes of Etna dur-

Above: The beauty of the Dolomites remains largely undiscovered to many Britons. Below: Off-season sunshine can be found beyond the big toe, in Sicily’s Cefalù old town

skiing down a volcano and enjoying views of the Mediterranean at the same time.’

Mount Etna may be snowy, but the rest of Sicily is the place to go if you are search of off-season sunshine. In Sicily, the winter temperatures rarely dip below 10˚C—some days it’s as warm as 20˚C at lunchtime—and it’s usually possible to swim until November,

as the sea maintains the heat built up during the long summer months. ‘It’s my favourite time to visit,’ says Bill Thomson who is based in Florence and heads up Knight Frank’s Italian network. ‘I love to explore Sicily, and its museums, when no one else is there.’

October is also a perfect time to visit the Aeolian islands that lie off Sicily’s northern

The cooler months offer a perfect chance to explore Sicily while avoiding the crowds

shore, he adds, and recommends a trip to Naples, a favourite city. ‘A perfect day includes lunch at the port, a trip to my tailor—the city is home to the best in the world—and a visit to the recently reopened archaeological museum,’ he says. The Bay of Naples can occasionally be choppy, but there’s also the option of taking the boat to Capri at this time of year, which, denuded of its throngs of tourists, offers the chance to see the island through locals’ eyes.

about 25km east of Siena. You can have dinner in the restaurant then rent a bathrobe and sit in one of the hot baths that overlook the town—at weekends, they stay open after midnight. It’s very popular with Italians and not something that tourists tend to do.’

Other Tuscan attractions include taking part in the olive harvests from early November. ‘Although the mornings can be misty, usually, by lunchtime, the sun is out and an alfresco lunch is possible,’ says Gemma Bruce of Casa & Country. She also recommends visiting

Properties for sale

the antique market in Arezzo on the first Sunday of every month.

Finally, remember that the Italians know how to dress up their towns and villages for Christmas. The country is not only famous for its markets, but also for nativity scenes, presepi. These spring up everywhere—in churches, squares and shops. For extra aes thetic charm, visit one in one of the more than 300 certified villages that form the Borghi più belli d’Italia, an association of the prettiest villages in Italy.

Italy boasts one of the best (and best-value) train networks in Europe, with super-fast services linking many of the major cities. Many agree that Florence is an ideal jumpingoff spot: you can be in Venice or Rome in only an hour and a half, making day trips easily achievable. There are plenty of ways to enjoy the natural environment in Tuscany, too. ‘One of the things I loved about living in Tuscany was visiting the thermal spas during the winter months,’ adds Miss Cvjetkovic. ‘In particular, the Terme San Giovanni in Rapolano,

Madonna di Campiglio, €6 million (£5.24 million)

A spacious nine-bedroom chalet with a spa in a popular resort offering panoramic views of the Dolomites. Agenzia Romolini Immobiliare Srl/Christie’s International Real Estate (00 390 57 578 8948; www.romolini.co.uk)

Florence, €4 million (£3.5 million)

A recently renovated, seven-bedroom villa with a brand-new plunge pool in a quiet hillside position within 10 minutes of the centro storico of Florence.

Casa & Country (020–7993 2967; www.casaandcountry.com)

Getty

The Italians know how to dress up their towns and villages for Christmas

Vendée

Eure

Manche

In search of sunshine

Arabella Youens explores what you can buy (and how far your budget will go) in short- and long-haul destinations

Morocco, €2.8 million (£2.4 million)

Villa Elysa stands near the Palmeraie in Marrakech—known as the ‘Ochre City’ —in gardens of just under three acres. Built in a contemporary Moroccan style, the design of the main house is based on large, open-plan rooms with high ceilings and vast windows looking out over the garden. It’s ideal for hosting house parties: there are three bedrooms, including a master suite in the principal house, and further accommodation is provided in the pavilion, a two-bedroom guest house that comes with its own pool, as well as a one-bedroom cottage. The city’s medina, with its warren of streets and buzzing central market, is only 5½ miles from Villa Elysa. Kensington Luxury Properties/Christie’s International Real Estate (00 212 52 442 2229 www.kensingtonmorocco.com)

Barbados, £5.163 million

Woodland Great House was originally a sugar plantation built in 1820. The current owners carried out an extensive restoration project, completed in 2011, upgrading the house without losing the charm of the original estate. Today, it has six bedrooms and bathrooms, with a separate two-bedroom cottage used as a holiday rental. The old boiler house has been converted into a onestorey home office. The house is set in landscaped gardens of more than three acres, including a spacious terrace and saltwater pool with a built-in barbecue area. The vendors have enjoyed raising poultry, bees and maintaining a vegetable garden and fruit orchard that provide more than half of the produce that is consumed in the house. Knight Frank (020–3640 7048; www.knightfrank.com)

Portugal, €575,000 (£500,850)

Ombria resort is a new sustainable community currently being built in the south-facing hills of the Algarve in southern Portugal, just over four miles north of the town of Loulé. Its latest phase is Oriole Village, a collection of 83 properties ranging from one- to four-bedroom apartments through to spacious villas. The resort has been planned for year-round activity, with an 18-hole golf course and a five-star hotel managed by Viceroy Hotels & Resorts, opening next spring, at which point there will be restaurants, a spa, kids club and shop on site. Further activities include beekeeping, an astronomical observatory, mountain biking and a beach club. Ombria Resorts (00 351 28 941 3901; www.ombria.com)

Dream homes

Cayman Islands, $4.25 million (£3.8 million)

This five-bedroom house is called Fruit Bowl and enjoys views of the North Sound, the largest protected bay on Grand Cayman Island and home to its only 18-hole golf course. It forms part of Patrick’s Island, one of the canal communities that make up the island and is a short drive from Seven Mile Beach, a long crescent of coral-coloured sand often included in lists of the world’s best beaches. At its centre is a large kitchen and family room, as well as two further rooms for more formal entertaining. On the ground floor is a handy guest apartment with a small kitchen and a home office. Savills (020–7016 3744; www.savills.com)

Madeira, €2.95 million (£2.57 million)

This striking modern villa was built in 2017 and forms part of a residential community near the capital of Funchal, known as a gardener’s paradise. The climate in Madeira is sub-tropical—hence the widespread inter est in gardening—meaning the temperature rarely drops below 20˚C, even in winter. Views of the Atlantic Ocean are on display from all the main rooms of the villa, which is laid out over three floors; all rooms are south facing and there are four spacious bedrooms. Outside is a small, landscaped garden with an infinity pool and lawn, fenced to accommodate four-legged friends. Portugal Sotheby’s International Realty (00 351 91 902 1919; www.sothebysrealy.com)

South Africa, R15.95 million ZAR (£790,000)

Constantia, a 20-minute drive from downtown Cape Town, is among the most popular and prestigious suburbs of the Western Cape. No 26, a three-bedroom single-storey house, stands in the centre of Constantia, with 24-hour guarded security. All the living spaces are focused on the central terrace, which has a pool and selection of raised beds. A third bedroom is in a wing opposite leading off the main property, making it ideal for older children or for guests. Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty (00 27 21 701 2446; www.sothebysrealty.com)

Malta, €1.96 million (£1.7 million)

The Santa Maria estate stands in a hilly area in Mellieha, a large village in the north of Malta surrounded by fertile valleys. It also boasts one of the largest sandy beaches in the country, Ghadira Bay. The island enjoys some of the highest average hours of sunshine in Europe and, during the winter months, temperatures can rise to 20˚C. This modern three-bedroom villa has a good-sized garden, with an oval-shaped swimming pool. Oyster/Christies International Real Estate (00 35 62 138 4545; www.oystermalta.com)

For love of Florence

AS an artist based in Florence, albeit with a toe in London, Tom follows in a long line of Britons who have been drawn to the city’s domes and ravishing frescos since the days of the Grand Tour. Having established a home for himself nearly 20 years ago, he’s amassed a following from the UK to Hong Kong. Many commissions are private, but he has done work for Balliol College, a former Lord Chief Justice and the shoe designer and founder of Aquazzura, Edgardo Osorio. And it was Florence—in particular a visit when a young teenager—that encouraged these skills to flourish.

Tom was born in 1982. ‘I grew up in a house in west London where most of the walls were covered with pictures and if they weren’t they had bookshelves on them,’ he explains. ‘My parents are professionals, but my mother would take us to see a painting in the National Gallery regularly—just the one at a time—from when we were little. It’s the best way to introduce children to art without overwhelming them. Music was another constant.’

He started painting at school. ‘I always loved drawing as a child. Then I went through a phase where I wanted to play cricket for England, but, by 13, I took up painting again.’ At Eton, he was encouraged to pursue art and taken on a school trip to Casa Guidi, the home of Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning owned by the college; it’s now administered by the Landmark Trust.

This had a lasting impact. ‘We’d wake up early to go and paint and then meet up in the evening over glasses of wine. Our head of art introduced us to professional artists. I knew then that I wanted to paint and live in Florence.’

Both before and after completing a History of Art degree at St Andrews, Tom studied with the renowned American painter Charles Cecil, who was taught by a pupil of John Singer Sargent. For Tom, Italy then became a regular feature. Fast forward several years and, today, he is assistant head of Florence Academy of Art (head, as of January 1, 2023) which offers teaching in painting, drawing, sculpture and etching. In a former customs

where possible. ‘The potential for things to go wrong with a sitter is high. When I was painting the Lord Chief Justice, he received frequent calls from Downing Street, but seeing a face move can also be useful.’ The same is true of landscapes, he explains. ‘Imagine a valley in Wales. There’s a town at the foot with a church spire that gives the view scale and meaning. You might take a snapshot when a passing cloud hides the church and so miss the character. Photographs miss the bigger truth.’

Although Tom travels to the UK frequently, he’s ‘happier’ in Florence, where the attitude to art and artists is more forgiving. Sometimes, he will ask strangers on the streets to sit for him and few flinch at the request. ‘There’s something about the beach culture in Italy that means everyone is used to being scrutinised physically.’

house just outside the city, it was founded by Daniel Graves, a former colleague of Mr Cecil and another American responsible for reviving the tradition of figurative art; there are currently 100 full-time students from 37 countries.

Tom’s studio is a purpose-built 1870s space with 20ft-high ceilings and northfacing windows, near the English cemetery. ‘I paint all the time,’ says Tom—from life,

Artists will always find a home in Florence, but, to be successful, travel is fundamental. ‘There’s no market for contemporary art in Florence—no one comes here to buy paintings, so London remains the marketplace for me.’ Having said that, the attitudes towards the kind of art he produces have performed something of a U-turn in the past 50 years. ‘The city has changed a lot from when Charles and Daniel first began,’ explains Tom. ‘In the 1970s, you were considered a fascist in Italy if you painted figuratively—they had their battles to fight.’

www.tawrichards.com;

Tom Richards will soon be head of the Florence Academy of Art. He speaks to Arabella Youens

He will ask strangers on the street to sit for him and few flinch at the request

Grade I-listed medieval hall house Knightstone Manor is set in 18 acres, nestled in a valley near Ottery St Mary in Devon. Excess £4.5m

TODAY sees the launch onto the market of Grade I-listed Knightstone Manor at Ottery St Mary, Devon, described by Christopher Hussey in C OUNTRY

L IFE (September 8 and 15, 1950) as ‘one of the most complete surviving examples of a 14th century manor house’, now for sale through Knight Frank (01392 423111) for ‘offers over £4.5 million’.

For the past 20-odd years, Knightstone has been the much-loved family home of the charismatic Jan-Eric Osterlund, a man of boundless energy and wide-ranging interests,

who chaired a public investment company in his native Sweden before moving, in 1983, to England, where he built up a venture capital group investing mainly in medical technology and biotech. Second only to his love of sailing and photography, a passion for historic houses led him, in 2000, to deepest Devon, where he was introduced by prop erty adviser Martin Lamb to a little-altered medieval hall house set in 18 acres of magical gardens, parkland and paddocks in a peace ful hidden valley, a mile from Ottery St Mary and 13 miles from Exeter.

Research compiled by Mr Osterlund reveals that Knightstone Manor was built in 1380 by Thomas de Bittlesgate on land sold to him by Richard de Knightstone. It remained with the Bittlesgate family until 1494, when the last Bittlesgate died without issue, leaving the property to Lady Cicely Harington, the wife of Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset. Her estates eventually passed to their grandson, the Duke of Suffolk, who was attainted and beheaded in 1554, following his unsuccessful attempt to establish his daughter, the equally ill-fated Lady Jane Grey, on the English throne.

Two centuries-old manor houses wear their history well–one is connected to our Nine Days’ Queen, Lady Jane Grey

Manors maketh Man Property market Penny Churchill

The Grey estates then passed to the Crown and, in 1554, Knightstone was acquired by a wealthy Ottery merchant, William Sherman, who undertook a substantial restoration of the manor, adding new windows and a new fireplace in the Great Hall. He was succeeded, in 1618, by his grandson, Gideon, who married a Coplestone, to a branch of which Knightstone passed in 1627 and belonged until about 1800. It was then acquired by Stephen Hawtrey, scion of a well-known family linked to Eton College, before being bought, in 1803, by the Revd Dr Drury, headmaster of Harrow, in whose family it remained until 1886.

As Mr Osterlund points out, Knightstone has never been extended, although windows and staircases have been changed and two gatehouses were removed in about 1700. As a typical medieval hall house, it has a central Great Hall surrounded by other living and service areas. Together with the main house, two wings create a central courtyard, at one end of which is a former chapel consecrated by the Bishop of Exeter in 1381. He adds: ‘It’s worth remembering that Knightstone was built before Britain’s greatness, when manor

houses were smaller and less imposing. The Great Hall was the centre of life, where the household slept, ate and entertained. Only the knight and his wife had their own bedroom; they slept in the solar overlooking the entrance and the Great Hall. People were smaller, too, and while the Great Hall meas ures nine metres [30ft] to its ceiling, you can hit your head on the ceiling beams in several of the other rooms’.

During their tenure, the Osterlunds, with advice from English Heritage, have installed new heating systems, with underfloor heating in many of the rooms. Pine floors have been replaced by 300-year-old wide oak planks, nine modern bathrooms created and a new

kitchen built in what was originally the chaplain’s room on the ground floor of the chapel. They also built a new staff cottage to the north and a new stable block with a curved roof planted with sedum, which houses the estate office, workshop and storage.

In all, today’s Knightstone Manor offers some 9,300sq ft of family-friendly living space, including four main reception rooms, a kitchen/breakfast room, various utilities, principal and guest bedroom suites and four further bedrooms in the main building, with two further bedrooms, a media room and wine cellar in the north wing. Further accommodation is available in the three-bedroom Knightstone Cottage.

According to Hussey, Knightstone owes its rediscovery and preservation to Col Reggie Cooper, who bought the manor in 1941 and laid out the gardens with his signature yew hedges and garden rooms that same year. Cooper was a bachelor diplomat who, in 1914, with Harold Nicolson of Sissinghurst in Kent and Gerald Wellesley of Stratfield Saye, Hampshire, was stationed at the Istanbul embassy. Apparently, ‘they dreamed of English manors, of old stone, rich wood, grey-green tapes tries and flickering candles’—a description that fits Knightstone Manor like a favourite gardening glove.

All were passionate gardeners who, after the First World War, created famous gardens and shared their ideas with the COUNTRY L IFE circle, including Hussey and the magazine’s founder, Edward Hudson. Thanks to Lewis Atkin, Knightstone’s dedicated estate man ager, the gardens and grounds have been restored to their ‘Reginald Cooper glory’,

The Great Hall is at the heart of the little-altered layout at historic Knightstone Manor

A new kitchen occupies the former chaplain’s room on the ground floor of the chapel

They dreamed of English manors, of old stone, rich wood, grey-green tapestries and flickering candles

Property market

Above: Grade II*-listed Fawley Manor in Berkshire. £4.75m. Right: The wonderful Old Hall with its 17th-century fireplace

with the planting of only trees and bushes that existed in medieval times.

Over in west Berkshire, Alex Barton of Strutt & Parker (01635 521707) quotes a guide price of £4.75m for Grade II*-listed Fawley Manor at South Fawley, five miles from Wantage, a splendid Jacobean manor house set in nine acres of gardens and grounds overlooking the timeless beauty of the North Wessex Downs AONB.

The present house was built in 1614 on the site of an earlier manor by Francis Moore, a successful barrister who was knighted in 1616, having served as MP for Reading for many years; he died at Fawley Manor in 1621. In the 19th century, Thomas Hardy is said to have visited the manor house, which pro vided the inspiration for his novel Jude the Obscure, in which Jude’s surname is Fawley.

Lovingly restored by its current owners who have lived there for 40 years, the manor is arranged over four floors around a lovely original staircase. Of particular note is the Old Hall on the ground floor—a wonderful period piece with an impressive 17th-century fireplace, original screens passage, oak pan elling and large stone mullioned windows overlooking the formal gardens. On the first floor, the Oak Room is another fine reception

room, 30ft in length with an open fireplace and high-level views over the Downs. The core of the house is essentially Jacobean, offering some 6,000sq ft of accommodation including six reception rooms, 10 bedrooms and seven bathrooms. A substantial 19thcentury wing provides a further 4,000sq ft of living space, which could be incorporated into the main house, if required. Outside, the gardens and grounds at Fawley Manor have

been designed with the history of the house in mind. The focus is on strong geometrical topiary and avenues of evergreen trees, with more formal box parterres close to the house. There’s also an old tennis court, pond, orchard and cutting garden. A run of stables complements the pony paddocks next to the formal gardens, and a row of brick-and-flint outbuildings could be converted to a cottage, subject to planning consent.

Bespoke Redefined

Absolute bliss

IT’S not our most common saying, but in the 12th century, the words ‘in Europe, the best wool is English, and in England, the best wool is Cotswold’ were oft uttered. Grade II*-listed Bliss Mill, in the rural outskirts of Chipping Norton, is a remnant of this fine tradition. Built of Cotswold stone and Victorian brick in 1872 by Lancashire-based mill architect George Woodhouse, commissioned by cloth manufacturer William Bliss, the former tweed mill used local wool and, during the First World War, supplied fabric for uniforms and horse blankets.

Enjoying a view over the rolling AONB that the mill workers probably never had time to notice, a three-bedroom apartment on the top floor is available. Original features include castiron columns, brick vaults, arched windows and exposed brick walls, with modern additions

such as an engineered-oak parquet floor and Farrow & Ball-painted bespoke cabinetry, plus a separate garage. Mill residents all have access to an indoor pool, sauna, jacuzzi, tennis court, squash court and gym, and the six landscaped acres incorporate the old mill race. Historic England calls it ‘a remarkable opulent design in a park-like setting’. £685,000 through Inigo House (020–3687 3071).

Take me to the river

LOCAL Richmond artists have contributed their paintings, drawings and sculptures for ‘Teddington Unlocked’, a selling exhibition at the Teddington Riverside, TW11 development, curated by BobCat Gallery. Featuring work by artists such as Julia Sukhanova (above), Anne Hetherington and Caroline Gallop, the exhibition runs to the end of the month by appointment only (email rsvp@teddingtonriverside.co.uk).

‘Teddington and the wider Richmond area feature so many wonderful landscapes and river views, historic street scenes and the wide open spaces of the Royal Parks at Bushy Park and Richmond Park,’ says Eugenie Ropner, head of sales and marketing. ‘We want to celebrate this very special area… [which] has a long tradition of attracting many great artists such as Turner, Gainsborough, and Constable.’

It’s been 300 years since Nunnykirk Hall, Northumberland, was last sold, having been owned by the Orde family since 1716; it was remodelled in 1825 by John Dobson. In a valley beside the River Font and with 7½ acres, it has been a school for the past 45 years. £1.5 million through Galbraith (01434 693693) and Savills (01904 617800)

Next door to The Lensbury— a private members’ club on the river with tennis and squash courts, gym, studios, pool and watersports centre in 25 acres—the first residents moved into Teddington Riverside in 2019. New homes range from onebedroom apartments to four-bedroom townhouses; from £610,000 (www. teddingtonriverside.co.uk).

‘We are seeing a wide range of buyers from young professionals and couples, some young families from London and internationally, who are attracted by the excellent schools in the area,’ adds Miss Ropner. ‘We have one of the best spots on the Thames… It is easy to see why The Sunday Times ranked Teddington in the top five Best Places to Live in 2022.’

News

Sellers jump at the chance

APPARENTLY, rising interest rates and a tighter borrowing climate are motivating more people to think about selling their properties now instead of waiting until next year. Housing stock—which has been at record-low levels since the property market reopened following the first lockdown—has been boosted, helping to balance supply and demand, says Jackson-Stops.

Interest rate rises are now the ‘top motivator’ for 61% of those who are either currently selling or have recently sold. Just under half (48%) believe house prices will fall soon as a result of economic uncertainty. ‘Our survey results show that 35–44 year olds are driving this uptick,’

says Nick Leeming, chairman of Jackson-Stops. ‘This, in turn, is helping replenish stock to more normal levels, which should help fluidity across all levels.’ To illustrate this point, the firm’s office in Truro reports double the number of listings compared with May 2022, ‘with a return to much more normal levels than the frenzied buyer numbers that previously circled each sale,’ adds director Ben Standen. Arabella Youens

Good week for Deep breaths

The Bryanston, Hyde Park W1— ‘the finest address in Europe’, by Rafael Viñoly Architects—is the first luxury residential development to gain an AirScore Gold rating, with some of the cleanest air in London

Net-zero homes

Blenheim estate in Oxfordshire hopes to create the largest rural development of Passivhaus homes in the UK, with 180 net-zero properties; 50% will be affordable

Off-duty living

A capital view

QUIET and unloved some 20 years ago when dubbed ‘London’s Empty Skyscraper’, Brutalist, Grade II-listed Centre Point, WC1—built as offices in 1966 by British architect Richard Seifert—has been beautifully reimagined by owner Almacantar and architects Conran & Partners.

The former Chelsea police station where actor John Gielgud was taken after his 1953 arrest for ‘importuning’ an undercover officer has been transformed into The Lucan, by Rive Gauche London, with 31 apartments

New beginnings

In vino veritas

WITH 2022 looking like an excellent harvest year, Cheffins (01223 213777) is marketing one of the country’s oldest established commercial vineyards, with a guide of £2 million.

Award-winning Chilford Hall Vineyard was established in 1972 and produces Müller-Thurgau, Schönburger, Otega, Reichensteiner, Pinot Noir, Rondo, Regent, Dornfelder and Siegerrebe varieties and some 18,000 bottles a year. There are 22 acres, excellent equipment and 45,000 bottles in store; tours and tastings are popular and the winery comprises a courtyard, timberframed building, converted Dutch barn and a bonded cellar with white marble pillars originally from Waterloo Station.

‘Whilst there are believed to be over 700 vineyards in England and Wales, few of these are as well established as Chilford Hall, and with its free-draining soil, it has conditions similar to those found in the Champagne region of France,’ enthuses Simon Gooderham, joint managing partner at Cheffins.

With a mix of 82 one- to three-bedroom apartments, residents (who first arrived in 2018) have access to a spa, treatment rooms, gym, cinema room and 30-metre infinity pool overlooking Oxford Street. They need also walk a mere five minutes to reach Soho, Fitzrovia, Covent Garden or Bloomsbury.

The West End landmark has become a focal point for the wider regeneration of the St Giles’ Square area, where, last month, 10 strange and multicoloured swivelling stone seats were installed as part of the London Design Festival.

And at 384ft tall, the views are extraordinary, not least from the Penthouse. The highest in the West End, Number

One covers the 33rd and 34th floors, with a 1,889sq ft terrace—the only full wrap-around residential terrace in the capital, at points peeping through the iconic Centre Point letters (below), over the London Eye and the ‘rarely seen green trampoline-like roof of the British Museum’. A doubleheight bar seats 24, the walls are laden with specially commissioned artwork worth £2 million and there can be between three and five bedrooms, depending on preference; £55 million (www.centrepointresidences.co.uk).

In a Knight Frank first, the Harrogate office team has bought out the practice and rebranded as North Residential, but the two will continue to collaborate

Bristol vendors

According to a survey, the best place to sell property is Bristol, with an average 40 days on the market; worst is Mayfair, with 202

Bird of Bath

A great opportunity has arisen in Bath where The Bird, a boutique hotel owned by award-winning Ian and Christa Taylor of Kaleidoscope Collection, has come up for sale. It has 29 bedrooms and exceptional views of the abbey, ‘with unique interior design features in keeping with the owners’ mantra “luxury for the curious”,’ says partner Henry Jackson. £8.5 million through Knight Frank (07976 730719)

Alamy; Kate Martin