Little Horwood Manor

About the House cont'd

The property combines rural tranquillity with the convenience of being within 8 miles of a wide range of amenities in Milton Keynes including commuter trains to London in just 36 minutes.

History and Heritage

Little Horwood Manor was the last major country house built in England during the last century. It is in the Art Deco style and is mentioned in the Pevsner architectural guide as “one of the last mansions in England on such a Lutyenesque scale.” The property was built as the result of a bet between George Gee, a wealthy construction magnate, and one of the Rothschilds. During a discussion about new building methods, in particular those used in New York, these men disagreed about whether the same methods could be used for domestic buildings. For the bet, Mr Gee undertook to find a site and build a new mansion within a year and, if he succeeded, Rothschild agreed to pay the costs. The property is a butterfly hunting box design and is constructed with a steel frame with dark buff/brown brick with stone detailing and red tile roofs. It was completed in 1938 within the twelve months to win the bet for Mr Gee.

History cont'd

During World War II it was used for the officers working at the intelligence centre at Bletchley Park. Churchill visited the Manor during the war and it is believed that he stayed for a meal in the original dining room which is now the drawing room of number 2. At the end of the war the property returned to Mr Gee. At his death in 1950 it was purchased by Barclays who used it as a document store until the 1980s when it was sold to a developer.

The Manor was renovated and converted into separate dwellings during 1984. There are eleven properties in total, in the Manor and adjoining stable block, which are all accessed via a tree lined drive set amid communal grounds. A management company oversees the upkeep of these grounds, and the communal Klargester.

Ground Floor

The solid wood front door was bespoke from Hinson of Northampton about three years ago. It leads into an entrance hall which has an exposed ceiling beam, and the original servants’ staircase which curves in a gentle spiral to the upper floors. A door from the dining room leads to the utility/boot room which has access to a contemporary two piece cloakroom. The original butler’s pantry is off the drawing room and is currently used for wine storage. A hatch leads to a half height cellar which is currently sealed off.

Reception Rooms

The dual aspect drawing room has windows to the side and a large window, with a window seat, to the rear with views over the garden and countryside beyond. The room has wood panelled walls with inset display shelving, a beamed ceiling and decorative carved hunt animals including a boar, a stallion and a ram. An ornate stone fireplace, with a relined chimney, houses a multi fuel stove and there is also a feature stone radiator. The dining room is also dual aspect and has solid wood flooring. It retains the two original electric servants' bell indicators which give the original room names. A built-in cupboard houses the fuse board.

Kitchen/Breakfast/Family Room

The kitchen/breakfast/family room has dual aspect windows, and French doors to the courtyard garden at the rear. The kitchen was refitted in 2012 with a comprehensive range of two tone high gloss units by Odina, including glazed display cabinets, pull out larder cupboards, magic corner cupboards and two shelved cupboards with internal power points and pull down shutter doors. The work surfaces are wood effect German laminate and incorporate a one and a half bowl ceramic sink with a flex tap, and there is a glass breakfast bar to seat four. There is space for a range cooker with a Rangemaster extractor over, and space for an American style fridge/freezer. Integrated appliances include a Bosch combination oven and microwave with a warming drawer, and a Smeg dishwasher. Tiled flooring with underfloor heating continues into the breakfast/family area which has space for a breakfast table and chairs as well as a sofa.

Utility/Boot Room

The utility/boot room has a door to the rear garden, original panelling incorporating a settle, a Belfast sink, and space and plumbing for a washing machine. A large built-in cupboard houses the boiler and the megaflow tank.

First Floor

The principal bedroom is accessed via a dressing room which has a built-in wardrobe. The bedroom is light and airy with dual aspect windows with far reaching views over the rear garden and the Vale of Aylesbury beyond towards the Chilterns. There are two further built-in cupboards. The en suite bathroom is almost fully tiled and includes a corner bath and a double shower cubicle.

There are three further bedrooms on the first floor. One has a bay window and exposed wall timbers, and is currently used as a study/sitting room. It has four built-in and walk-in wardrobes, a fitted dresser unit, and an en suite bathroom. The other two bedrooms both have en suite shower rooms, one of which has an original inset mirrored vanity cupboard. One of these bedrooms has two built-in wardrobes and both have windows to the rear with far reaching countryside views.

Second Floor

There are two further en suite bedrooms on the second floor, one with built-in wardrobes and an en suite bathroom and the other with an en suite shower room which includes an original inset mirrored vanity cupboard. The spacious L-shaped landing between these bedrooms is currently used as a sitting/TV room. The whole floor could be used as a separate suite for extended family, staff or guests.

Each bedroom has a nameplate using one of the names on the servant’s bells.

Gardens and Grounds

The garden is a particular feature of the property and are almost entirely the work of the current vendors who have landscaped them to create separate areas combining formal gardens and entertaining areas with areas left for wildlife.

Adjoining the house there is a courtyard garden which has original store cupboards which are now used for logs, paved and slate areas, and a hexagonal pond with a water feature. The hexagonal motif is continued throughout the garden including in the openings in the walls of the walled garden which has apricot, morello cherry and peach trees, and a Shirotae “Mount Fuji” cherry tree.

Garden cont'd

The bespoke timber garden room has a built-in dining area to seat eight as well as a seating area, with doors to a further paved and gravel area with space for outside dining and entertaining. The garden pod may be available subject to separate negotiation. Steps down from this patio area lead to a formal lawned garden with established shrub and herbaceous borders. This formal garden is separated from the rest of the garden by a Ha Ha which has been flooded as a feature. To the side is a slate garden, designed to resemble a dried out stream bed, which leads down to a decked seating area with panoramic views over the surrounding countryside. There is also an Acer garden, and a vegetable garden with a greenhouse and raised beds including an asparagus bed.

Grounds cont'd

The rest of the garden is rolling lawns with mature trees interspersed including two maples, lime trees, a silver birch, a horse chestnut and several willow trees around the pond which is fed by underground springs and has a weir to prevent flooding. This area is left natural and is a haven for wildlife including kingfishers and a heron. There is also an orchard which has a cherry tree, a pear tree, three plum trees and numerous varieties of apple tree.

The trees provide screening and there is also a mature hedge for privacy. There is a large timber shed, with power and light connected, at the bottom of the garden where there is a compost and bonfire area.

Little Horwood

Little Horwood is a village in Buckinghamshire located between Aylesbury, Buckingham and Milton Keynes. The village has The Shoulder of Mutton public house, and a village hall that was once the primary school. Early years education is now provided in Great Horwood.

Milton Keynes, which has one of the largest covered shopping centres in Europe, a wide range of leisure facilities, and commuter services to London, is only 15 minutes’ drive away.