Barnham Court

An exceptional Grade I listed property offering 21st century living within restored 17th century historical architecture.


Description

Barnham Court is an exceptional West Sussex Grade I listed property built in the first half of the 17th century. Pevsner described it as 'the best of its date in the county'. It was probably built for a rich Merchant rather than the landed gentry. This new cosmopolitan Merchant class commissioned their houses to be built in the early English Baroque architecture Artisan Mannerism style. Pevsner also highlights that its proportions 'are more effective than many palaces' with 'an effect of all-over magnificence combined with precision and elegance in the detail'. He also confirms Barnham Court 'is so similar to Kew Palace... that the same designer must have been responsible'.

Its internal design and formal Anglo Dutch gardens were commissioned to create a residence ideal for entertainment in a very private setting, close to London (approximately 61 miles) and just a few miles to the sea. Its stature as a building of national importance and its location at the centre of the Barnham historical Conservation Area protect the privacy and tranquility of Barnham Court.

The house and garden have undergone a comprehensive and in-depth, award-winning restoration. The internal space offers 21st century living within the restored 17th century historical architecture. The main house contains four large self-contained bedroom suites and a selfcontained butler’s suite separately connected to the kitchen and adjacent sitting rooms.

The formal Hall Room, library and dining room are complemented by an impressive Great Room and two recently renovated 17th century orangeries. These spaces are ideal for entertaining on a grand scale. The seemingly perfect proportions of the internal rooms, the light afforded by the elegant fenestration and the vistas over the formal and informal gardens are wonderfully complimentary in combination. There is also extensive storage and wine cellars.

The property is connected to mains gas and equipped with a back to base burglar alarm and CCTV monitoring system for security. The house is also equipped with a room-by-room smoke and heat alarm detector system. The modern under floor and radiator heating, hot water and pool filtering/heating is contained in the boiler room, separate from the main house. There is a next generation carbon neutral solar energy solution in place for the future of Barnham Court.

The now restored formality of the Anglo-Dutch parterre garden design is complimented by the informal tree scape that surrounds it. An orchard, pond, island, and woodland area is a haven for wildlife. The grounds and formal gardens extend to approximately 6.2 acres. There is a heated swimming pool in the grounds.

Ancillary buildings include a self-contained one-bedroom cottage and the recently built Courtyard buildings that comprise garaging with a mezzanine first floor and a gardener’s shed. The Courtyard buildings may have potential for use as office space or additional accommodation, subject to planning permission.

Location

The adjacent Grade I St Mary’s Church dates to 1020 and is mentioned in The Domesday Book of 1086, which pertains to the extensive history of the Barnham Court site and association to a monastic Order based in Siena in Italy. The geographical location of Barnham Court on the Chichester plain offers frequent direct 90min rail services to London and easy access to the coast. The local beaches are a few miles away. Barnham Court is near the cultural activities of the cathedral towns of Chichester and Arundel and has historical affiliations with the Goodwood estate and its current classic car and horse racing events.

Square Footage: 9,380 sq ft




Acreage: 6.2 Acres


Additional Info

Utilities: Mains Gas, Water, Electricity and Drainage

Tenure: Freehold

Local Authority: Arun District Council; Tax Band E

Marketed by: Savills, Petworth