Rowing past dreams: An idyllic riverside home with a boathouse, croquet pitch and Olympic pedigree

A long time ago, when I was a younger man with fewer commitments, my friend and I rowed down the River Thames in a Victorian skiff. You can read about it here. There was much to enjoy about the occasion, not least the very many good pubs you can find and stop in while rowing down a river, but a highlight was certainly looking at very nice houses on the bank.

It’s hard to imagine many things more bucolic than a Thames-side property in Oxfordshire, far removed from the horrors of central London. The water was crystal clear, the willow dancing in the breeze just so. Imaginations ran wild of who could live in these homes. One such person was Dick Southwood, who rowed for GB at two Olympics in the 1930s, and whose former home The Manor is currently for sale with Savills for £3.75 million.

The Manor is an absolute classic of the riverside genre. Listed Grade II, the property dates back to the 17th century, with further additions from the 18th, 19th and 21st centuries. Five bedrooms, four bathrooms and three reception rooms. Gardens that slope down to the Thames, with a central location in Long Wittenham. Many boxes ticked.

It’s important that if you have sloping gardens down to the Thames, that you can see them. No issues here, with one of the rear gables of the property made almost entirely out of glass, allowing for views from the master bedroom suite bathroom (first floor) or garden room (ground floor) year round.

This is a home that has been managed and upgraded sensitively, making the most of 21st century comforts, but with respect to the rich heritage of the structure. Nothing looks out of place in this red-brick and wooden house, and there is nothing I’d really want to change.

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The ground floor also offers a spacious kitchen, dining room, reception hall and sitting room, as well as a private study, all of which ooze period charm. On the first floor, four bedrooms and two bathrooms, including the master suite, while the fifth bedroom can be found on the second floor. There is also a garage, with a self-contained one-bedroom flat above.

The gardens are some of the more magical that have graced the property pages of this website for some time. A sweeping driveway leads to manicured front lawns, where you’ll find a croquet pitch, because nothing is more English than The Manor. There is also a vegetable garden with a greenhouse, and some light woodland.

Of course, to the rear is the river, which cannot be ignored. Approached across lawns, the property also benefits from a private boathouse with a river boat included in the sale. In total, the grounds extend to more than three acres.

Sitting and watching the river flow by, you could be forgiven for thinking that anybody was within several miles of you. But The Manor is in the sought after village of Long Wittenham, which offers a pub, restaurant, primary school and church well within walking distance. Abingdon and Wallingford are also close by.

The Manor is for sale with Savills for £3.75 million. For more information and pictures, click here