The Priory Old Windsor, Berkshire
The Priory Church Road, Old Windsor, Berkshire SL4 2JW Main House Reception Hall Drawing Room Dining Room Sitting Room Study Octagonal Music Room Kitchen/Breakfast Room Utility Room s Cellars Master Bedroom Suite with Dressing Room and Balcony Further 2 Bedroom Suites (1 with Dressing Room) 5 Bedrooms 2 Family Bathroom/Shower Rooms Ancilliary Accommodation Studio Flat Chalet Studio with Sauna Ornamental Bell Tower Lime Avenue Croquet Lawn Pergola Secret Garden Kitchen Garden Water Features Courtyard Terracing Tennis Court Swimming Pool Pool House Garaging About 5½ acres Windsor 2.8 miles, Ascot 7.4 miles, Maidenhead 9 miles, Central London 25 miles, Heathrow Airport 9 miles, M4 4.5 miles, M25 3.7 miles (All mileages are approximate)
Accommodation Ground Floor The spacious portico gives way to a wide, heavy front door. The majority of reception rooms are positioned off the elegant central Reception Hall, including the Drawing Room with its elaborate plastered ceiling bearing fruit and flower motifs. Beyond lies the opulent Octagon - now used as a Music Room - accessed via an external oak door or from the cloister corridor via an arched glazed door, very much a testament to the gothic tradition and boasting the original fireplace and plaster work. The ground floor Sitting Room, beyond the Dining Room, houses the original front door, which was used when the property was a coaching inn. The Kitchen/Breakfast Room is well equipped with appliances, including the county essential a four door Aga as well as a Siemens dishwasher, Neff electric hob with combination oven under and an American-style Amana fridge. Wall and floor units are handmade and include a central, granite topped island. The eating area is positioned by the window with a built-in wooden bench providing useful extra seating. The Utility and Laundry are found in the Upper Cellar accessed from within the main house or via the pretty Courtyard off the Kitchen. The Lower Cellar features a coal hole as well as a store with a vaulted ceiling, ideal for use as a wine cellar. Situation Located on the edge of the village of Old Windsor (which was originally the site of an important palace of the Saxon Kings, before being superseded by the Norman castle at New Windsor), it lies south of the large town of Windsor. The main house, gardens and grounds offer privacy yet all the conveniences of a superbly accessible location. Local shopping and recreational facilities can be found in Old Windsor with Windsor itself offering more extensive amenities, as well as a train service to London Paddington (from around 30 minutes). The nearby centres of Maidenhead and Bracknell all offer a comprehensive range of leisure and shopping facilities and Maidenhead operates a direct First Great Western train service to London Paddington (from 39 minutes). Crossrail, the new high speed service, is due to begin running from Maidenhead and Taplow in 2019. Good local schools are numerous and include Eton College, St Mary s School, Ascot, Heathfield, St George s, Papplewick, The American Community School and Royal Holloway. The surrounding Great Park is largely within the bounds of Old Windsor and provides wonderful walking and riding opportunities. Golf can be enjoyed at the nearby Wentworth Estate, The Royal Berkshire Golf Club and Sunningdale. There is racing at Ascot, home to arguably the most famous racecourse in the country, Sandown Park, Epsom and Windsor. Polo games can be enjoyed at Smith s Lawn, Guards Polo Club and The Royal Berkshire Polo Club, and there is rowing on the Thames (The Priory has river frontage and benefits from two points of access to the Thames. Mooring rights could be applied for). First Floor On the half landing lies one of the principal guest suites containing Bedroom 2, an en-suite Bathroom and Dressing Room. To the far right hand side lies the Master Bedroom Suite with a view over the front of the property and double doors leading to a Balcony. There is a Dressing Room as well as an en-suite Bathroom. The first floor holds two further suites as well as a double bedroom and family bathroom. Second Floor This offers two single Bedrooms and two doubles as well as a shared Shower Room. Ancilliary Accommodation Built of rendered brick elevations under a tile roof and accessed via the cobbled courtyard near the Kitchen, lies the attractive Studio Flat with a Kitchenette to one end and a separate Bathroom. Beyond the main garden, and well hidden from view, is the aptly-called Secret Garden where a Chalet style Studio lies, with a Sauna and Shower Room off it. Gardens & Grounds The Priory is guarded by two sets of electric wrought iron entrance gates and approached up a manicured, winding driveway flanked with tall evergreens and variegated acers to provide privacy. There is parking in front of the main house with a large grassed turning circle, and additional parking and garaging down a spur off to the left of the main house. In one of the many books written about The Priory, the trees planted with such care centuries ago are referred to as noble. Indeed, many of them still remain today. Of particular interest is the mulberry tree in the front garden from which it is purported, selected silk worms were fed in order to produce the very finest cloth for the King s coronation, which took place in the neighbouring church. Other specimen trees include an Indian bean tree and a large magnolia grandiflora. The Priory is surrounded by well maintained gardens and grounds which include a sunken Croquet Lawn with a Tennis Court to one side. There is a peaceful pond with a waterfall as well as a lily pond. The northern boundary is framed by an attractive Lime Tree Avenue under-planted with daffodils. There is a rose Pergola and a large outdoor Swimming Pool with a brick and tile Pool House to one end, as well as a wide, balustraded Terrace, enclosed by a well-stocked border to one side. Beyond the boundaries of the main garden there is also a Vegetable Garden and extra garaging and parking. The garden to the front of the property contains an attractive, copper roofed Bell Tower framed by four yew pillars. Additional topiary provides the ideal formal backdrop for the main house.
Historical Note Grade II* listed, The Priory is an exceptional family home with a rich architectural history. It began its life in the mid 18th century as a charming, river fronted coaching inn. In around 1730 Richard Bateman, a wellknow connoisseur and collector, fell in love with the house, and as the owner refused to sell it, became a tenant. As recorded in one of the many books written on the property, The old inn, which he [Bateman] called Grove House, its contents and grounds became one of the sights of the neighbourhood; in fact, visitors were said to come to Windsor to see Bateman s and the Castle, not vice versa. Son of the Lord Mayor of London and one of the first Directors of the Bank of England, Bateman was firm friends with Horace Walpole a man of letters and influence in 18th century England. It is not known how long Bateman occupied Grove House, but he lost little time in turning it in to an architectural shrine faithful to Chinoiserie, as was very much the fashion of the times. Bateman was actually credited with founding the movement. His devotion wavered however, and before long Walpole converted him in to a faithful follower of the gothic tradition, reflected through The Priory s tiny towers, frail battlements, pointed windows and a cloister. The latter was later demolished but then added by Richard Bentley of Strawberry Hill fame. There was also the important addition of the much celebrated octagonal dining room by Johan Heinrich Muntz (built in 1761-2). Indeed, the most complete set of drawings in existence for Muntz s renowned designs are for this house, which are described as being the most sophisticated of any designs for gothic revival architecture in the [eighteenth] century. It was at around this time that the property became a monastery and became known as The Priory. The Priory, Old Windsor Main House gross internal area = 6,980 sq ft / 649 sq m Garage gross internal area = 425 sq ft / 39 sq m Studio/Kitchen gross internal area = 309 sq ft / 29 sq m External Rooms & W.C. gross internal area = 131 sq ft / 12 sq m Total gross internal area = 7,845 sq ft / 729 sq m Music Room 6.76 x 5.89 22'2" x 19'4" Ground Floor Study 6.22 x 3.25 20'5" x 10'8" Bedroom 8 3.23 x 2.18 10'7" x 7'2" Bedroom 7 3.12 x 3.10 10'3" x 10'2" 3.05 x 2.95 10'0" x 9'8" Bedroom 6 4.22 x 4.22 13'10" x 13'10" Bedroom 5 4.90 x 3.45 16'1" x 11'4" Second Floor Kitchen 7.01 x 4.34 23'0" x 14'3" Drawing Room 7.06 x 4.65 23'2" x 15'3" Garage 6.53 x 6.10 21'5" x 20'0" Utility 3.66 x 3.25 12'0" x 10'8" Reception Hall 8.18 x 6.02 26'10" x 19'9" 5.49 x 3.66 18'0" x 12'0" Sitting Room 5.11 x 4.65 16'9" x 15'3" Dining Room 6.35 x 6.05 20'10" x 19'10" FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY - NOT TO SCALE The position & size of doors, windows, appliances and other features are approximate only. Denotes restricted head height ehouse. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited. Drawing ref. dig/8229356/ss First Floor Studio/Kitchen 6.10 x 4.52 20'0" x 14'10" Master Bedroom 6.93 x 3.96 22'9" x 13'0" Dressing Room 4.11 x 3.81 13'6" x 12'6" First Floor Above Garage Dressing Room 2.77 x 2.54 9'1" x 8'4" Bedroom 3 3.66 x 3.05 12'0" x 10'0" Bedroom 2 6.71 x 4.11 22'0" x 13'6" Bedroom 4 4.72 x 4.11 15'6" x 13'6" 5.49 x 3.66 18'0" x 12'0" 4.62 x 4.42 15'2" x 14'6" Cellar Directions From London, take the M4 to Junction 6 (signed to Windsor) and follow the A355 towards Windsor. Continue forwards and at the next two roundabouts only, follow the yellow AA signs to Legoland Alternative Route. At the third roundabout, at the junction with the A308, take the 2nd exit, following the A308 to Old Windsor. Enter Old Windsor and take the second exit at the next roundabout, towards Egham and the A308. Almost immediately afterwards, turn left down Church Road and continue forwards for 0.4 miles and the entrance gates to The Priory are found on the right hand side, very shortly after passing Ham Lane on the left. Local Authority: The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead 01628 683800 Postcode: SL4 2JW Tenure: Freehold 17.1m with vacant possession upon completion. CHURCH ROAD Sources: A variety of sources have been quoted in this brochure El Sub text, Sta including:the Priory Origins The Chalet of Gothic Revival: McCarthy M; Windsor Old End Bungalow and Chilta New : Yale University Press: 1981. Alvara Viewing: By appointment with Savills Windermere Coniston Saxon Royal Palace (site of) Crown copyright 2015 Licence Number 100022432 Kingsbury Priory The Priory The Lych Gate 1 to 4 Church House Swimming Pool Tennis Court FB The Manor House 1 to 12 The Coach House Church of St Peter and St Andrew White Hermitage The
Savills Windsor windsor@savills.com 01753 834 600 Important notice: Savills, their clients and any joint agents give notice that 1: They are not authorised to make or give any representations or warranties in relation to the property either here or elsewhere, either on their own behalf or on behalf of their client or otherwise. They assume no responsibility for any statement that may be made in these particulars. These particulars do not form part of any offer or contract and must not be relied upon as statements or representations of fact. 2: Any areas, measurements or distances are approximate. The text, photographs and plans are for guidance only and are not necessarily comprehensive. It should not be assumed that the property has all necessary planning, building regulation or other consents and Savills have not tested any services, equipment or facilities. Purchasers must satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise. DL516050