Mayfair mansion
French castle This magnificent limestone castle, built in the 15th century, offers nearly 100 acres of wooded land and 2km of frontage on the River Aven in southern Brittany, and is on the market for €31.5 million ($45 million). “The current owner acquired the chateau in 2000, when he fell in love with the place,” says listing agent David Bilder. “It was entirely in ruins, partly in the open air, without a roof.” The owner spent nearly 20 years rebuilding and restoring the castle, Bilder says. It took about seven years to dismantle and rebuild the structure, stone by stone, with a crew of seven stonemasons permanently on site. They even created a granite quarry on the property to acquire new stone. Original parts of the property include a chapel, a monk’s tower, a polygonal tower known as the belfry, and a monumental granite staircase, the agent says. He praises the restoration’s “successful blend of old and contemporary comfort”. Modern touches include geothermal underfloor heating, home automation and video surveillance. There is also a new open-air glass roof that illuminates the entry foyer in the main tower of the castle, which links the 15th-century element to the 18th-century structure by a glass and wrought-iron canopy. The main level of the castle features several reception rooms with fireplaces and large windows overlooking the river and the private parkland. The 1100sq m castle has eight bedrooms, eight full bathrooms and two partial bathrooms. Amenities include eight fireplaces, a natural granite swimming pool and several themed gardens, including a Zen-like Japanese garden. BILL CARY
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A historic London mansion that’s about half the size of Westminster Abbey has hit the market for £35 million ($63 million). Located in Mayfair, it is the largest mansion on the market in the city’s upmarket neighbourhood. The Georgian property, completed in 1749, has a Grade II historical listing and has been home to the Naval Club, an exclusive members-only venue, since 1946, according to the listing agencies Wetherell and Gerald Eve. It is also one of few freehold properties in Mayfair, according to Peter Wetherell, founder and chairman of Wetherell. “It is extremely rare in Mayfair to have the opportunity to purchase the freehold of an entire mansion building of this size which is still configured as a vast single property,” he says. “If remodelled into a super-prime mansion, 38 Hill Street would be one of the most valuable, largest and prestigious private homes in Mayfair.” There’s space for 16 bedrooms and two floors of reception rooms. There are six floors in total. The property is located on a wide and deep plot, and also “lends itself to a range of potential commercial or hospitality uses”, says Lloyd Davies, a partner at Gerald Eve. Designed by architect Benjamin Timbrell, the mansion was originally built for wealthy landowner Lord Berkeley. John Pitt, the second Earl of Chatham, and brother of Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger, was an early resident. In 1905 a Portland stone porch was added, as well as an entrance hall with a circular staircase and Louis XVI-style drawing room. VL HENDRICKSON
Scottish estate A 7.3ha estate on Scotland’s west coast that was a former training ground for the British army was listed last week for £2.25 million ($4 million), according to Savills. The main house dates from 1864, and is the only building in Scotland designed by Philip Webb, the father of the Arts and Crafts Movement. It was designed as a hunting lodge and rebuilt in the 1930s after a fire. In 1941, the British army requisitioned the estate to train an elite group of officers, the secret Special Operations Executive, before World War II. The property features expansive lawns that extend to the sea, a private jetty, outbuildings, tennis court, woodlands and gardens. There are 38 bedrooms. “One of the most significant and handsome Highland country houses to come onto the market in recent years … the house and estate would lend themselves perfectly to exclusive weekend/vacation use or as an events venue,” says listing agent Cameron Ewer of Savills. The main home, known as Arisaig House, was run as a boutique hotel until early 2019, and the outbuildings have been vacation rentals. The updated Orchard House has five bedrooms and water views. The main house has 12 bedroom suites and four separate apartments. It has a carved oak staircase, billiard room, and Art Deco- and Art Nouveaudetails, including plaster and woodwork, William Morris wallpaper and an Italian vaulted ceiling in the drawing room. Both the house and grounds are listed by Historic Environment Scotland. There is a walled garden, a rose garden, and mature trees. The property last sold for just under £2 million in 2010. VL HENDRICKSON
THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
| MAY 8-9, 2021
