Location

The Laverstoke Park Estate is situated in the heart of the rolling landscape of the Hampshire Downs, an area renowned for its large scale, open farmland and ancient woodlands, all of which are linked by large tracts of chalk downland. From its elevated position, Laverstoke House enjoys panoramic views over its extensive gardens and glorious Grade II Listed parkland and riverine landscape.

The Estate lies adjacent to the picturesque and historic village of Overton which is centred on the River Test chalk stream, the source of which lies one mile to the east with the river flowing southwest through Estate's parkland. The village offers a number of boutique shops and cafés, village shops and highly regarded pubs. The Bombay Sapphire Distillery is housed in the original Laverstoke Paper Mill on the west side of the lake and the popular towns of nearby Winchester and Newbury provide an extensive range of shopping, professional and cultural facilities.

The Estate affords the perfect combination of peaceful rural living with exceptional transport links into central London. There are a number of railway stations in the area including Overton, Basingstoke and Newbury, all providing direct access into London Waterloo and Paddington within 60 minutes. The M3 is within 9.5 miles of Laverstoke Park and the M4 within 18.5 miles, with both providing easy access to Central London. Farnborough Airport is only 27.5 miles to the east.

Laverstoke Park is ideally positioned to take advantage of all the diverse recreational activities that Hampshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire have to offer. There is horse racing locally at Newbury and further afield at Ascot and Royal Windsor whilst polo can be played or spectated at Tidworth, Cirencester and Cowdray Park.

The area offers an excellent choice of schools including Winchester College, St Swithun's, Downe House, Bradfield College, Cheam, Horris Hill, Prince's Mead, Farleigh and Twyford.

Description

Summary

The Laverstoke Park Estate can be described as one of the finest country estates in southern England. The Estate is located within the rolling landscape of the Hampshire Downs which provides an idyllic setting for Laverstoke House, a magnificent Grade II* Listed manor house which is at the heart of the traditional mixed rural Estate. The manor house is surrounded by wonderfully mature Grade II Listed parkland which is scattered with both native and exotic specimen trees. There is approximately 1,279 acres of certified organic farmland, with the farm renowned for its famous herd of water buffalo. Areas of strategically planted, mature woodland afford great amenity to the Estate as well providing a fantastic shoot. There is a diverse portfolio of 17 houses and cottages and a range of different development opportunities across the Estate.

The sale offers a highly rare opportunity to acquire one of England's most historical and architecturally important mansion houses surrounded by a comprehensive agricultural and sporting estate providing complete privacy, protection and tranquility.

The Estate is being offered for sale as a whole or in three lots.

History

The Laverstoke Park Estate has a fascinating and distinguished history. Richard Andrews of the neighbouring Freefolk Estate acquired Laverstoke Park in 1539, uniting the estates of Laverstoke and Freefolk for the first time following the dissolution of the monasteries. The estates remained in common ownership until they were divided again in 1582 with Laverstoke passing to Thomas Lambert who conveyed the property to John Trot in 1651. The Estate passed by marriages through the Stukley and Shuckburgh families until it was bought by Mr Dawkins in 1754.

In the early 18th century, the Laverstoke Mill was bought by the Portal family who, originally from Languedoc, were establishing a successful paper making business. Henri de Portal had the mill rebuilt in 1719 and, following his success at pioneering the use of the watermark in paper currency for the Bank of England, bought Freefolk Manor in 1747. This was subsequently demolished in 1852 by Melville Portal.

Jane Austen lived nearby and was a frequent visitor to Laverstoke, with two of her nephews marrying two daughters of the Portal family.

In 1759, Henri's heir, Joseph, bought the Laverstoke Estate from Mr Dawkins, thus reuniting the two estates. In 1798, Harry Portal commissioned a new Palladian mansion in a neo-classical style, designed by architect Joseph Bonomi the Elder, known today as Laverstoke House. The house was remodelled in the mid-19th Century by Melville Portal. Very much complementing the house, the additions include an Ionic Order of coupled columns to the east elevation, a campanile water tower and less formal additions to the northern elevation.

The Freefolk and Laverstoke Estates, including the paper mill, remained in the hands of the Portal family until the business was acquired by De la Rue in the 1990s. Laverstoke House and the surrounding parkland were purchased by the current owners in 1996 who sympathetically invested and undertook an extensive scheme of restoration, creating the fine sporting and agricultural Estate it is renowned for today.