We have had churches, we have had water towers, we have had windmills, banks and warehouses. What we have not had, until now, is Cold War testing sites that are now family homes.
There is a first-time for everything and it is somewhat exciting to be able to (hopefully) entertain you, the reader, about Rotunda in Bushy Park, London. It is for sale with Savills for £7.5 million and is, as the name suggests, quite round.
In fact, you are probably looking at Rotunda and thinking that it looks a bit like the BBC Television Centre in west London. You would be right to think that because it was converted by the same architects, Norman & Dawbarn. Famous for their brutalist modern architecture, they have done some of their best work turning Rotunda into a six-bedroom, six-bathroom, family home.
r best work turning Rotunda into a six-bedroom, six-bathroom, family home.
The Rotunda is surely a Bond villain's lair in the making. In a good way, of course.
So what were the navy (for it was the navy) testing at Rotunda before it became a house? The answer appears to be torpedoes, of which the Royal Navy has some of the best, so clearly there was some decent work going on there.
Much of that history was demolished when the house was converted, but remnants remain, such as the two subterranean levels of the home, which so far remain undeveloped but provide ample opportunity for use as a swimming pool, gym complex, basketball court, and so on.
The rest of the home has been developed, as discussed, and is set over two floors. The ground floor is mostly an open entertaining space, comprising a vast kitchen/breakfast/dining/living room area which stretches to most of the length of the building. There is a separate study, playroom and conservatory. The interiors feature a host of modernist touches, from floating beds to sunken baths and beyond.
Upstairs, you will find six bedrooms and six bathrooms, including the master suite, which also features a small terrace with views over the 1.3 acres of gardens. In total, the property offers more than 10,000sq ft of living space.
And where is that living space? In the middle of Bushy Park, one of south-west London’s finest green spaces. Just a few hundred yards separate the property and the ‘villages’ of Hampton Hill and Teddington, which provide ample amenities.
No doubt in its former life, the activities occurring at the Rotunda were top secret. Well the secret is now out.
Rotunda is for sale with Savills for £7.5 million. For more information and pictures, click here.
-
What everyone is talking about this week: 'People who tended to be more obedient about lockdown are now its fiercest critics'Week in, week out, Will Hosie rounds up the hottest topics on everyone's lips, in London and beyond.
-
From the archive: 'This retina-awakening advert for British Nylon Spinners Limited sums up the swinging 1960s perfectly'Every Monday, Melanie Bryan, delves into the hidden depths of Country Life's extraordinary archive to bring you a long-forgotten story, photograph or advert.
-
Four country houses with their own tennis courts, as seen in Country LifeIf Wimbledon has put you in the mood for more tennis, Annunciata Elwes is here with a selection of homes with their own tennis courts.
-
The majestic New Forest estate formerly owned by a billionaire adventurer — famous for driving 'the world's fastest kettle' — has come up for saleGreat estates in the unspoilt setting of the New Forest are always a welcome sight on the market, and Newton Park is a wonderful example with a sad story to tell. Anna White tells more.
-
A Hampshire Manor for sale that dates back to the days of Alfred the Great, with the most beautiful staircase we've seen in yearsThe ten bedroom property features an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, spa complex and stables, and it was restored by the same architect who worked on Downing Street.
-
The new property hotspots where you can have it all: Beautiful houses, great schools and idyllic lifestyleAcross the country people are selling up and heading to the towns where there's no compromise on dream homes, outstanding schooling and the good life, according to analysis from two of Britain's top estate agents. Anna White explains.
-
Where Venice once ruled: The roving Venetians left handsome imprints across the Greek world, from its religion to its rambling villasMatthew Dennison explores the lingering traces of Venice's vanished empire — and the best places to buy where it once stood.
-
A delightful 16th century home with some of Kent's most beautiful gardens has come on to the marketThe Grange puts the 'garden' into the Garden of England.
-
A pristine Scottish island for sale at the price of a garage in FulhamA dot on the map of the west coast of Scotland has come on to the market, where you'll be surrounded by sea, living off grid and be neighbours with the local seal colony.
-
18 beautiful homes, from charming cottages to a Highland mansion with unbeatable views, as seen in Country LifeOur 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.
