The sheltered waters of Chichester Harbour, a West Sussex AONB since 1964 and a Special Protection Area for birdlife, are a Mecca for sailors and wildlife alike. Houses on the water’s edge rarely come to the market, reveals Mark Astley of Jackson-Stops who has launched enchanting Apuldram House at Dell Quay, near Chichester, onto the market for the first time in almost 60 years.
He quotes a guide price of £4.95m for the elegant Edwardian house, which comes with its own slipway and direct frontage to the upper reaches of Chichester Harbour, yet offers complete privacy thanks to its 2½ acres of impeccably maintained gardens and grounds.
The house has effectively only had three owners since it was built in 1900. The first was the Rev Richard Baker, who bought the land from the Church Commissioners and built the house. Rev Baker enjoyed his creature comforts and was known to get a little tiddly on occasions, leaving his groom to wonder whether he would remember to duck as he entered the stable building on his horse on returning from lunch. Often he didn’t and there was plenty of colourful language flying as he hit his head.
For the record, the stable building has since been converted to a garage and home office.
When Rev Baker died in 1936, the house passed to his widow, Ethel, who lived there for a further 25 years until she died in 1961, at which point, the Clifford-Brown family acquired it from her executors. In 1963, they bought additional land so they could plant an orchard and build the tennis court. Mr Clifford-Brown died in 1974 and his widow continued to live at the house until her own death in 1988.
The present owners, John and Sheila Perry, bought the house privately from the Clifford-Browns that same year; now, after 31 happy years, they have reluctantly decided to move on. Apuldram House offers 3,488sq ft of light-filled living space, including a reception hall, three reception rooms, a study and a kitchen on the ground floor, with six bedrooms and three bathrooms on the first floor.
In addition to the slipway, amenities include a hard tennis court and a heated swimming pool. The owners also have the use of a deep-water mooring allocated by the harbour authority.
Credit: Galbraith
Your own loch and 65 acres of Scottish countryside for the price of small flat on the outskirts of London
Credit: Platform Property
A wonderfully-bonkers Victorian bathhouse that brings all the fun of the fair — but best not to apply if you're scared of clowns...
Have you ever dreamt of running away to the circus, but were reluctant to leave the comfort of your own
Credit: Strutt & Parker
Five country homes with breathtaking sea views, from the top of Scotland all the way to South Cornwall
Stretching from the top of Scotland right down to the tip of Cornwall, these wonderful properties boast some of the
What's the most popular area for a second home?
A survey on www.countrylife.co.uk has identified the most popular choice for buying a second home
-
100 years of the photobooth, the essential piece of party paraphernalia beloved by Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol and BeyoncéOn the centenary of the photobooth, Will Hosie looks back on a hundred years of self-portraits.
-
The dream home that never was for one of Britain's greatest film stars, back on the market for the first time in half a centuryAnna White takes a look at the beautiful Wallers Mead, in the Buckinghamshire village full of links to Hollywood movies from James Bond to Star Wars.
-
The dream home that never was for one of Britain's greatest film stars, back on the market for the first time in half a century
Anna White takes a look at the beautiful Wallers Mead, in the Buckinghamshire village full of links to Hollywood movies from James Bond to Star Wars.
-
A 500-year-old cottage in West Sussex that's as beautiful as you could ever hope to see, with a pool ringed by flowers, stables and a croquet lawnJames Fisher was in need of some balm for the soul when he came across Woodshill House.
-
A Clarkson's Farm of one's own: Five properties with just enough farmland for you and your family, from under £1 millionMoving to the country is one thing; moving to the country and being able to grow and rear all your own food is another level entirely, and all these properties offer exactly that.
-
Six superb homes, from chocolate box cottages to grand Tudor mansions, as seen in Country LifeOur regular round-up includes charming home counties houses and superb grand country house in Ireland.
-
A billionaire's thatched cottage is for sale in Surrey, once owned by the oil magnate J. Paul GettyChestnut Cottage is a joyous little home — albeit one with the most unusual bedrooms to acreage to price balances we've ever seen. Toby Keel takes a look inside.
-
Medieval Italian? 19th century French? 16th century German? You're spoilt for choice if you're looking to buy a gorgeous continental castleFrom hills of Italy to a Bavarian palace, Toby Keel takes a look at three of the finest castles for sale across Europe today.
-
How to buy a house at auctionBuying at auction can mean you secure your dream property for a bargain price, but preparation is the key
-
The homes of two 1980s TV icons are both up for sale at the same timeThe houses where Bob Monkhouse and Sir Terry Wogan spent decades of their lives are currently on the market. Annabel Dixon takes a look.
