BEECHWOOD HOUSE is understood to have been built around 1830, designed by the architect James Lewis who also designed Lavington House and what is today, the Imperial War Museum, London.

Originally the Rectory for the Lavington Estate (now Seaford College), the house was occupied at different times by such church luminaries as Samuel Wilberforce and Archbishop (later Cardinal) Henry Manning. In 1936, the property was inherited by Mrs Barbara Wallace, the daughter of Sir Edwin Lutyens, who later altered the property for her, in particular the octagon room and pillared porch, and is believed to have lived there for several years.

Coming to the market now for the first time in some 37 years, the property offers a new owner the opportunity to enjoy all those classical period features including the high ceilings, multi pane sash windows and spacious light rooms for which the Georgian era is so well known.

Gardens and grounds

Beechwood House is approached from the lane via a short drive into a sizeable, enclosed, paved courtyard and forecourt with space for numerous vehicles. The drive continues to a four car garage, workshop and further parking space. The attractively landscaped formal gardens surround the house on three sides and comprise areas of lawn with well-planted beds, herbaceous borders and a Yorkstone paved laburnum walk. Several specimen trees include a huge Turkey Oak, Acers, Ornamental Cherries, Handkerchief tree and Magnolia, while rafts of spring flowers include daffodils, bluebells and primroses.

Further informal grounds (Lot two) extend to approximately 14 acres and are located across the lane, where a delightful wild garden enclosed with mature beech hedges provides a further range of specimen trees and is a haven of tranquillity and birdsong. A path leads through to a vegetable plot with a large cedar wood greenhouse (now in need of restoration), soft fruit cage and two orchards, including apple, pear and mulberry trees. Beyond this garden the remaining grounds rise gently up the slope of the Downs and consist of pasture and two blocks of woodland (Lots 3 & 4),comprising approximately seven acres and 19 acres respectively.

Outbuildings

Beechwood House benefits from an extensive collection of outbuildings, including a three bedroom Coach House (with four oven AGA), a double garage, a two stall stable with original partitions and block floor, additional four vehicle garage, spacious workshop with store and shower room, original game larder, log store, generator room and further stores.

Whilst the property would be enhanced by some tasteful upgrading and redecoration, it has the potential to provide a spacious, elegant and uniquely individual family home in a wonderfully tranquil yet convenient location.

Property agent, Lottie Geaves said: “Beechwood House is a very special find, an extremely impressive Georgian house in a stunning setting. The house has a rich history tied intrinsically to Sir Edwin Lutyens and offers beautifully proportioned rooms, ideal for entertaining.”

Local information

Idyllically situated on a country lane with no through traffic and surrounded by its own spacious grounds, Beechwood House occupies a tranquil and sheltered location at the foot of the Downs. Lying in the heart of the South Downs National Park with the protection that implies; whilst quietly located, Beechwood House is not isolated.

Just four miles away at Petworth there is a good selection of local shops for daily needs, restaurants, speciality shops, pubs and the numerous antique dealers for which the town is well known. There are further shops and restaurants nine miles away in Midhurst. At Pulborough there are two major supermarkets and a main line station offering a regular service to Gatwick Airport and London Victoria. Haslemere station provides a frequent service to London Waterloo taking from 49 minutes. To the south, the major centres of Arundel and Chichester offer between them a full range of shopping, leisure and cultural amenities such as the Festival Theatre and the Pallant House Gallery.

Guide price: £3,350,000. For more information, please contact James Machell at Savills on 01798 345980.

www.savills.com