THE expansive hills of England's most wooded county have long attracted those who want to live in the country side, yet be within a taxi ride of the capital, which is possible to do from these four Surrey houses currently on the market.
Anyone heading south from Guildford will notice that the hills quickly start to rise and, once you're beyond the market town of Haslemere, set in a fold of high woodland, you enter the South Downs National Park. One route goes up to Marley Common, an area of mixed broadleaf woodland and open heath that is owned by the National Trust; it was one of their first countryside acquisitions (in 1911). Together with neighbouring Black Down, where Alfred, Lord Tennyson built a home in the late 1860s, the area is famous for its spectacular views.
Marley House, which is on the edge of the common, is being launched in COUNTRY LIFE this week at $9.5 million and selling agent James Crawford of Knight Frank (020-7861 1065) says it enjoys views like no other house he's seen in his long career. 'They are extraordinary,' he explains, likening the setting to something more akin to the Scottish Highlands than commuter-belt Surrey. 'You have a 180-degree perspective that stretches 15 miles over the Cowdray estate and beyond, with wonderful sunrises and sunsets in the mix.'
Marley House, which is unlisted, is believed to date from about 1880 and was one of the first houses to be built on the common. It has been arranged to take advantage of its commanding position: the living rooms, including a vast kitchen/breakfast room, look out over the valley and are flooded with natural light. The main bedroom has an enclosed terrace on which to sit out and enjoy the setting, too; a further eight bedrooms are located on this floor and the one above. The basement level houses an indoor swimming pool, games room, entertainment room and what Mr Crawford describes as an 'excellent wine cellar'.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April 17, 2024-Ausgabe von Country Life UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April 17, 2024-Ausgabe von Country Life UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
