A 19th century bungalow built in the style of the Raj has gone on sale for just under £1 million.

Pleasaunce Cottage in West Sussex is an early colonial pavilion that mimicked the style of the country retreats owned by wealthy colonialists in India during the time of the British Raj, where they would go to escape the stifling heat of the cities.

It was one of the first bungalows in the country and is one of the last surviving examples that mimics the Indian originals.

It was built in 1889 by the renowned architect RA ‘Bungalow’ Briggs as part of Dormans Park, an unusual development near East Grinstead then called Ballagio – a private gated estate of weekend cottages for city bachelors.

Unlike modern single-storey bungalows, the arts and crafts-style cottage, which originally had a thatched roof and is an original design by ‘Bungalow’ Briggs, is built over two floors and features a spectacular veranda.

The term bungalow is originally from the Bengal style homes introduced in Britain in the 1800s. Single storey bungalows became popular much later - in the 1900s.

The double-height drawing room has a ceiling criss-crossed with timbers, and a carved dark wood staircase leading to an upstairs gallery.

It overlooks a mezzanine study below, a spectacular u-shaped window seat and an open fireplace.

The house, which has four bedrooms, four reception rooms and two bathrooms, also shows the influence of the American shingle style popular in this country in the 1890s.

Owner Marian Parker, 62, is selling Pleasaunce Cottage because it is now too big for her. She and her husband have been there since 1983. The Parkers brought up their family here and their children are now grown up.

“For most of the time we lived here, I had no idea it was so important,” she said. “I loved it when we bought it and I still love it now because it is so beautiful.

“My favourite bits of the house change with the weather and the time of year.

“I love the kitchen in the mornings because the sun streams in through the windows and in the summer, I love to sit on the veranda and look out over the garden.

“The drawing room is a lovely room with lots of light in summer but it also has an open fireplace and is really cosy in winter.”

“When it was built, I think everyone was entranced by the expat Indian lifestyle and sitting on a veranda in the evening as the sun set.

“This development of chalets and bungalows created a kind of Victorian ‘glamping’, where rich Victorian gentlemen would come down to meet at The Club, a big gothic hotel at the centre of the development, and go to the races. They would come down here with a servant and have meals delivered to them.”

Background

THE bungalow was introduced to Britain in the late 1860s, and while today it is more synonymous with the single storey home, it had far more elaborate connotations in the Victorian era.

The bungalow was appropriated by colonial officials in Bengal and, on its arrival on the Kent coastline, was transformed into a new type of holiday home, complete with veranda and servant quarters.

Both Queen Alexandra and David Lloyd George owned bungalows.

Bungalows became popular in this country as one-storey prefabricated buildings built to rehouse returning soldiers and their families after the two world wars.

Hardly changed since 1889

MARIAN Parker was introduced to the history of her home by East Grinstead-based architectural historian Dr Kathryn Ferry, who visited the cottage during a gardens open day while she was writing a book on bungalows.

“Pleasaunce Cottage is important because at the time this kind of development was a phenomenon and the cottage is one of the finest surviving examples,” said Dr Ferry, whose book Bungalows was published last year.

“There are a couple of bungalows left in the development but this one is the most original.  “What is remarkable is that it has hardly changed since it was built – we know this because there are three illustrations of it in a book published by RA Briggs, called Bungalows and Country Residences, which was published in 1891.

The cottage has had few owners and each has lovingly preserved the wonderful interior, with only minor changes. It ought to be listed.”

Pleasaunce Cottage is for sale at £985,000 through the Caterham office of Hamptons International.