A house for sale previously owned by one of the great crusaders who saved Bath’s world-famous architecture
No voice cried out more loudly than that of the late Major Anthony Crombie when Bath's historic city centre was threatened by the wrecking ball. Maj Crombie's own home has now come to the market, a place that holds true to the ideals he held dear.


‘When I first started selling houses in Bath in the 1990s, a Georgian house in need of renovation would come along every six weeks. Now, it’s more like one a year,’ says Andrew Cronan of Strutt & Parker, for whom Christmas has come early in the shape of 7, Sion Hill Place, one of a terrace of elegant Grade I-listed Georgian town houses built by John Pinch the elder in 1815.
The agents quote a guide price of £1.495m for the unspoilt Georgian gem, which stands in a quiet backwater on the upper slopes of Bath, with far-reaching southerly views over the city to the open countryside beyond.
For years, 7, Sion Hill Place was the home of Bath campaigner Major Anthony Crombie, who was horrified at the ease with which Georgian terraces were being demolished and replaced with poor-quality 1960s and 1970s buildings. Maj Crombie became a stalwart of the Bath Preservation Trust, castigating developers and estate agents alike over a period of 40 years.
During that time, the society – represented in court by the major himself, in order to save costs – won a landmark planning-law case in 1990/91, which strengthened the protection of architecturally important conservation areas throughout the country.
Maj Crombie believed in practising what he preached, as his much-loved Georgian home reveals. It now needs complete renovation, Mr Cronan explains, although it still retains fine Georgian features, such as ceiling cornicing, full sash windows, impressive fireplaces and staircases.
Originally arranged as three dwellings, with lower-ground floor and top-floor flats, it now offers the chance to create a splendid family home on five floors, with a superb bay window overlooking the garden to the rear.
7 Sion Hill Place is for sale via Strutt & Parker at £1.495 million – see more details and pictures.
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
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
Credit: Alamy
250 years of Bath’s Royal Crescent: From Druidic influences to big screen fame
2017 marks 250 years since the first foundation stone was laid.
Credit: Butler Sherborn
A Georgian-style house with a gorgeous walled garden in a picture-perfect Cotswolds village
In an enviable position bordering the picturesque village of Minchinhampton, Woodlands is perfect for any family looking to downsize.
A ballroom in Bath, the finest view in York, and three more incredible flats outside London
We're all used to seeing fabulous apartments in Britain's capital city – but London doesn't have the monopoly on amazing living
-
From lonely moorland megaliths to grand stone rings, Britain strains under the weight of enthralling, ancient rock
With their potent blend of wild looks and mystery, Britain’s ancient sites have an enduring magnetism — and there are far more of them than you might imagine.
By Tom Howells Published
-
You’ve got to have a lot of balls: Wimbledon by numbers
How many strawberries are consumed, how many petunias purchased and just how much racket string is required at the world’s oldest tennis championships? Lotte Brundle serves up the numbers.
By Lotte Brundle Published
-
Embrace off-grid living on this Scottish island for sale, but you'll have to share it with the local seal population
A dot on the map of the west coast of Scotland has come up for sale.
By Toby Keel Published
-
18 beautiful homes, from charming cottages to a Highland mansion with unbeatable views, as seen in Country Life
Our look at some of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life in the past week includes Georgian manor houses, charming commutable homes and the grandest home in Newcastle.
By Toby Keel Published
-
The gorgeous Somerset home of the designer behind one of Glastonbury's chicest spots
The Manor in Hinton Blewitt is a glorious Georgian home that ticks every box.
By Toby Keel Published
-
826 years of history, painstaking restoration and 'a garden like no other' at this former National Trust house which has come to the market in Kent
A blooming property in Kent showcases the original garden of England. Penny Churchill takes a look.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
A wisteria-clad delight with lawns running down to the Thames at the prettiest riverside home for sale in London today
Deodar Road, near Putney High Street, offers unrivalled views of the Thames and is characterful in excess.
By James Fisher Published
-
Five of the most majestic properties for sale in Britain today, from a 1,700-acre estate to a private island, as seen in Country Life
Our look at the best homes to come to the market via Country Life this week includes some genuinely breathtaking places.
By Toby Keel Published
-
Save me: A castle on the Isle of Wight designed by James Wyatt is up for sale
Norris Castle Estate also comes with 225 acres of gardens and grounds, and needs a little TLC
By James Fisher Published
-
The 1,800-acre estate of the man who bought Stonehenge has come up for sale at £25 million
The Bapton Manor Estate, in the beautiful Cranborne Chase National Landscape, seeks a new owner. Penny Churchill takes a look.
By Penny Churchill Published