The Mead

Sir John and his wife Penelope lived at The Mead between 1951 and 1972. There are many stories of their colourful lives here. His two poems about the town,
'Wantage Bells' and 'On Leaving Wantage' capture the spirit of the Place and the Man. Both The Mead Garden and nearby Betjeman Millennium Park have been especially designed in honour of the Poetic Muse. The Mead tennis court triggers memories of legendary 'Joan Hunter Dunn'. Characteristically on most Saturday mornings, Sir John clutching a bottle of sherry, shuffled along the Letcombe Brook footpath towards the Vicarage. There, he shared the contents liberally. The fate of his special Port is another of many stories.

The Mead is a delightful Georgian House of great character. The property is unlisted and has enormous potential. Whilst the roof has had extensive work completed in recent times the house does require some modernisation and refurbishment.
There are attractive views from all the main rooms over the gardens and grounds. The mature trees help to screen the neighbouring properties.
The outbuildings include two loose boxes, tack room, foaling box, potting shed, tool store and a WC.
There is also a double garage and machinery store, log store and general storage space, above which is a spacious office cum studio.
Residents of the property, extending over 5 acres, enjoy a sense of both space and place.

There are four well fenced paddocks all with water troughs that have been grazed by horses and sheep. There is a well-stocked orchard. The house benefits from a secondary access leading to the outbuildings as well as the front drive.

The mature gardens have several 'outdoor rooms', defined by yew hedges, low brick walls and green arcades. A ha-ha protects the croquet lawn from the adjacent paddocks. The terraced garden, with two special water sculptures, an arbour for climbing roses and a sunken garden of white flowering plants, was professionally designed to celebrate the works of the former Poet Laureate.

Planning
The majority of the property is within the Wantage Conservation Area and it is thought unlikely that further non ancillary residential development would be granted consent. In the past land was sold away from The Mead with benefit of Covenants that prevent development on land retained by The Mead. There will be an Overage clause on the land to share any uplift in the future. Further details available from the Agents.

Services
Mains electricity, water and drainage. Oil-fired heating and Aga.

Rights of Way
There are no public rights of way over the property but the first part of the secondary drive also provides shared access to a single neighbour. The northern and eastern boundaries are bordered by footpaths beside the attractive Letcombe Brook that give access to the town. There are metal railings on the boundary to help secure the property.

The Mead occupies an oasis-like setting near the centre of the vibrant market town of Wantage and is well screened by mature trees. The town offers extensive shopping including Waitrose, a sports centre, The Beacon Community Centre, an excellent cultural museum and 'The Betjeman Millennium Park'. Didcot, which is about 11 miles away, offers a regular 45 minute service to London Paddington.

The larger commercial centres of Oxford, Newbury and Swindon are all easily accessible and provide more comprehensive shopping and recreational facilities.

The surrounding countryside gives access to the Ridgeway, which offers a good network of bridleways and footpaths for riding, walking and cycling.

There is a full complement of many excellent Primary, Secondary and Tertiary educational facilities both in and adjacent to Wantage, including King Alfred's Academy, Abingdon, Pinewood, St Helen's and St Katherine's, Radley, St Edward's, Magdalen College School, The Cathedral Choir School, Bradfield, Marlborough College, Cokethorpe, St Hugh's, Cothill and The Manor School. Both Oxford and Reading Universities are within ea

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