Exotic, grand and beautiful, this Nash-style villa in Hertfordshire is up for sale for the first time in its history
You might well assume that this villa is located somewhere on the French Riviera, however, Woodlands offers a little bit of escapism close to Potters Bar.
In the Home Counties, Strutt & Parker and Savills are joint agents in the sale, for the first time in its history, of the imposing Woodlands. This remarkable Nash-style villa is set in 106 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, parkland, woodland and paddocks on The Ridgeway, part of Britain’s oldest road, three miles from Potters Bar, Hertfordshire.
The agents quote a guide price of £12m for the elegant, white-rendered house, which is unsurprisingly unlisted, given that it was built 45 years ago on the site of an earlier house by a residential developer with a passion for Classical architecture.
‘He put everything he loved about property into the house, which was designed as a manageable country home with his own family very much in mind. He even designed the majestic reception hall with its grand sweeping staircase as the perfect setting for his daughter’s wedding,’ Mark Rimell of Strutt & Parker says.
Certainly, the symmetry and layout of the house is strongly reminiscent of the work of Nash, notably in the bow windows of the drawing room and dining room — two of an enfilade of three grand reception rooms that overlook the lake in front of the house.
In all, Woodlands offers 6,908sq ft of accommodation, including three main reception rooms, a study, kitchen/breakfast room, master-bedroom suite with twin bathrooms and dressing rooms and four principal bedroom suites. It also comes with a traditional coach house and three self-contained cottages.
Woodlands is currently for sale via Strutt & Parker and Savills — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.
Northaw: What you need to know
Location: Northaw is located on the Ridgeway — known as Britain's oldest road. It is just 2 miles from Potters Bar and Cuffley Village. The closest train stations are at Potters Bar, Brookman Park and Cuffley which offer fast links into London Kings Cross and Moorgate. Heathrow airport is also 35 miles away.
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Atmosphere: Northaw is a small, historic village with excellent transport links. Nearby Cuffley village has shops, a doctors surgery, post office and primary school, whilst further facilities can be found in Potters Bar.
Things to do: Keen walkers and mountain bikers will enjoy the various walks and routes along the Ridgeway, as well as the green open spaces in the area. With excellent links into London, world-class shopping facilities, theatres and restaurants are well within reach.
Schools: There are a number of good schools in the area, including Lochinver, Queenswood School, Little Health Primary School, Rhodes Wood Hospital School and Northaw Church of England Primary School.
See more property for sale in the area.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
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