Eling, Southampton, Hampshire, SO40 9FY Guide price £1,250,000

Situation

Eling is a quaint village at the head of Southampton Water and home to a working tide mill, a sailing club, two pubs, and one of the oldest churches in the New Forest – its origins date back to Saxon and Norman times. Local amenities are available at nearby Marchwood and Totton whilst the comprehensive facilities at Southampton city centre are within five miles. Nearby is access via the A35 to the New Forest and West Country, with the M271 connecting with the M27/M3 network for London and Winchester. Mainline stations at Totton, Southampton, and Southampton Airport Parkway offer regular services to London Waterloo with journey times of between 70 and 90 minutes.

Description

Colbury Manor is an elegant Victorian manor house of impressive proportions with accommodation that covers over 8,000 square feet, sitting in grounds extending to around two and a half acres. It has the potential to make a grand family home although would be suitable, subject to planning, for use on a more commercial basis. Indeed, part of the ground floor has been converted into private recording studios that have been used by a number of well known artists including the Southampton-born singer Craig David.

Accommodation

The interior is arranged over two floors although there is a small cellar ideal for wine or general storage. The main entrance to the house opens into the reception hall, whose original staircase sweeping up to the first floor gives an immediate impression of Colbury Manor’s grandeur. Two separate doors from the hall lead into the drawing room, a magnificent room with ornate high ceiling, feature fireplace, and two full-height sash windows with shutters overlooking the garden. The kitchen has been refitted by Rivendell of Winchester with an attractive range of light oak units incorporating stainless steel appliances; two pairs of double doors open onto a south facing patio.
The other principal reception room has a feature fireplace and two shuttered windows to the front, and is currently equipped as a cinema/viewing room with Dolby 5.1 surround sound ideal for private home use but suitable also for conferencing/business meetings and the like. This room adjoins the main hall but also gives access to the inner hall from which is access to the remaining ground floor rooms. These include a family/playroom, soundproofed recording studios, cloakroom with wc, a dining room, utility/boot room, and two large store rooms. The rear hallway has a door to the garden, access to the cellar, and ‘servants’ staircase to the first floor.
The first floor is equally spacious with, effectively, eight bedrooms although can easily be made into a number of bedroom suites if preferred. The master bedroom is of a generous size and, as you would expect, has a walk-in dressing room and luxurious en-suite bathroom with bath and separate shower cubicle. The remaining first floor rooms presently comprise an additional six double bedrooms, an office/bedroom eight, and a family bathroom. Provision has been made for additional bathrooms and/or en-suites if required.
Gardens and grounds
Colbury Manor occupies grounds extending to just over two and a half acres. The majority of the gardens are to the south and west of the house and therefore enjoy a high degree of sunshine, ideal for those who enjoy an outdoor al-fresco lifestyle. The gardens are principally laid to lawn so ideal for young children, with the outer south and west boundaries planted with mature trees creating a lightly wooded backdrop to provide privacy and, again, a wonderful environment in which children can play and explore.
The property is approached off the lane onto an expansive gravelled drive with parking for numerous vehicles. There is a right of way over the adjoining drive serving The Coach House to the rear, which provides useful in-and-out access as well as vehicular access to the detached double garage/workshop with adjoining hard standing.

Directions

Proceed away from Southampton in a westerly direction along the A35 towards the New Forest. At the Rushington roundabout turn left onto the Marchwood bypass and left at the first set of traffic lights into Jacobs Gutter Lane. After about a quarter of a mile take the first turning on the left and the property will be found a short distance along on the left. Approaching off the A35 via the toll bridge adjacent to the tide mill is a pleasant alternative.