A 21st-century architectural masterpiece: The Pavilion, Esmond and Susie Bulmer’s new house in the grounds of Redlynch Park, near Bruton, Somerset, was memorably described as ‘a West Country Ziggurat’ by Marcus Binney in Country Life (May 28, 2014) following its completion.
Currently for sale through Savills and Knight Frank at a guide price of £6.5m, The Pavilion was designed by the architect William Bertram, best known for his work for The Prince of Wales and who worked closely with the owners at every stage of its construction.
The house stands on a steeply rising hillside above the site of one of England’s lost country houses, Redlynch Park, which was dramatically burnt down by Suffragettes in 1914. Set in two acres of gardens on three levels, it appears to cascade down the hillside in a series of terraces, each one overlooking the gardens and smaller than the one below, a design that makes the most of the surrounding panoramic views.
The ground floor, which incorporates an earlier 1990s house built in what Mr Bertram wickedly describes as ‘the neo-Georgian telephone-exchange idiom’, has been transformed into the main living area, comprising a dramatic entrance hall, three reception rooms, a study, kitchen breakfast room and butler’s pantry.
The lower-ground floor houses the library, two bedroom suites, three further bedrooms and bathrooms, an integrated double garage, plant room and store rooms.
The base of the ‘ziggurat’ is the garden floor, which boasts a spectacular indoor swimming pool opening onto the gardens, together with changing rooms, therapy room and bar. The nearby former engine house to Redlynch Park has been converted to a cinema, store rooms and boiler room, behind which a generator is concealed.
A secluded country house in miniature, for Crispin Holborow of Savills, ‘The Pavilion is the ideal Londoner’s weekend retreat—easily managed with little or no need for staff, and perfectly protected by the surrounding Redlynch Park estate’.
The Pavilion is currently on the market via Savills and Knight Frank with a guide price of £6.5 million — see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for further details.
Bruton: What you need to know
Location: In Somerset, about 17 miles east of Glastonbury, about 8.5 miles south east of Shepton Mallet and close to the Cranbourne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Castle Cary train station is about 7 miles away which runs services to London Paddington.
Atmosphere: The highly sought-after market town has become increasingly popular in recent years, helped by restaurants such as Osip, The Chapel and Matt's Kitchen. Joining the line up is The Hauser and Wirth Art Gallery, Durslade Farm Shop, a doctor's surgery, plus a selection of independent shops and a supermarket.
Things to do: The renowned Newt Hotel is just a few miles away, and the Roman town of Bath is just under 30 miles with its wider range of shops, restaurants and theatres. A visit to The Hauser and Wirth Art Gallery should be high on your list, as well as exploring the surrounding rolling Somerset countryside.
Schools: King's Bruton, Sexey's School, Millfield School and Bruton Primary School are all local to the area.
See more property for sale in the area.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
-
18 country houses across Britain, from £400,000 to £4 million, as seen in Country LifeOur look at the homes to come to the market via Country Life this week picks out a charming Kent cottage and an Arts and Crafts house in Leicestershire.
-
The greatest flowers make the greatest artA search for still-life subjects led Kate Friend to some of the greatest gardens and gardeners in the country
-
Can you buy happiness? The latest list of Britain's happiest places, and what you could end up with if you moved thereCan you buy happiness? Of course not, but you can buy a nicer house in a better town... and, well, that's probably going to help quite a bit.
-
The wave of downsizing about to hit the property market in the UKThe Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget — and specifically the 'Mansion Tax' — has fired a starting pistol for downsizers, and the waves will wash across the entire property market. Annabel Dixon spoke to property experts across the country to gauge how it will play out.
-
A Georgian farmhouse that's an 'absolute gem' in an ancient village on Salisbury PlainJulie Harding takes a look at the beautiful West Farm in a gorgeous Wiltshire village.
-
It'd be crazy to buy this 500-year-old farmhouse just because of its utterly gorgeous Aga — so thank goodness that the rest of this place is also really nicePerry Mill Farm is an immaculate yet characterful four-bedroom dream home in the country at a price that will make city dwellers immediately start Googling 'working from Worcestershire'.
-
'A masterpiece of timeless elegance' for sale on the charmed Surrey estate once owned by Henry VIII and the Guinness familyThe Manor House in Burwood Park is a grand, enormous and undeniably impressive. Annabel Dixon takes a look.
-
A grand hall in Yorkshire with 400 years of historyCarlton Hall is a wonderful family home amid glorious gardens in a quaint village location. Penny Churchill looks inside.
-
Why don't more of us live in brightly coloured homes?It's not often that you see a home sporting the colour palette that you'd get if you hired a four-year old as your interior designer. But why not? The Blue House in Bethnal Green asks this and many more questions.
-
Five magnificent mansions, from a former monastery to an Art Deco wonder in the South Downs, as seen in Country LifeWonderful homes, including a superb beach home in Cornwall, all fresh on the market via Country Life.
