WEST HANNEY HOUSE - WEST HANNEY WANTAGE OXFORDSHIRE - Savills
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WE ST HA N N E Y H OU SE WEST HANNEY • WANTAGE • OXFORDSHIRE
W ES T H A N N EY H O US E
WEST HANNEY • WANTAGE • OXFORDSHIRE
Oxford 14 miles, Wantage 5 miles, Abingdon 8 miles
Didcot Parkway station 9 miles (London Paddington 40 minutes)
(Distances and time approximate)
A Georgian Classic of
‘Remarkable Distinction’
(Murray’s Architectural Guide edited by John Betjeman and John Piper)
Accommodation
Drawing room • Panelled sitting room • Sitting room • Dining room • Kitchen • Cellar • Boot room
Principal bedroom suite with dressing room and en-suite bathroom
6 further bedrooms • 2 family bathrooms
Three bedroom separate cottage
Garaging • Stables • Two barns • Granary • Summer house
Tennis court • Swimming pool • Orchard paddock
In all about 2.87 acres
Summertown Oxford Country House Department
256 Banbury Road, Summertown 33 Margaret Street
Oxford OX2 7DE London W1G 0JD
Charles Elsmore-Wickens Ed Sugden MRICS
cewickens@savills.com esugden@savills.com
01865 339 702 0207 409 8885
07870 999 447 07557 337 507
2 3
S ITUA TI ON
T
he property’s flamboyant skyline, high gates and wall
dominate the Green and village cross in the quaint village
of West Hanney, ‘whose beauty lies in the balanced variety
of its buildings’ (Country Life, 1943).
A sought after and historic location that has been valued since the
Doomsday Book when it was held by Walter Gifard, a preeminent
Norman baron who helped William the Conqueror win the Battle of
Hastings, West Hanney retains its significance today.
Situated off the main Oxford to Wantage road in the Vale of the White
Horse, Wantage is five miles to the south and there are excellent
train and road links. Didcot Parkway provides an hourly, non-stop
commuter service to London Paddington and the M4, M40 and A34
are all within easy reach. Whilst London is 70 miles away, Oxford is a
mere 13 miles or 20-minute car journey to the north and offers a wide
range of recreational, educational and cultural amenities, as well as
first class shopping.
The village of West Hanney itself has a vibrant community spirit,
church, community-owned pub and numerous local sports clubs.
Local sporting facilities include golf at Frilford Heath. Lambourn, the
centre of UK National Hunt racing, is a short drive away.
The local area is renowned for its excellent choice of internationally
recognised schools including Eton, Radley, Marlborough, Abingdon
School, St Edward’s, The Dragon, Summerfield’s, St Hugh’s and Cothill
to mention a few. The local hunt is the Old Berks and the surrounding
estates all offer shooting on a commercial let-day basis.
4 5
A Vanbrugh HIS TOR Y
influenced,
symetrical Georgian
house of ‘remarkable
W
est Hanney House is an exquisite example of the
English, country house genre. Records show that the
distinction’ property was so dilapidated at the death in 1718 of
the Vicar’s of Salisbury’s tenant, Elizabeth Bowles,
(Murray’s Architectural who according to a tablet in the local church died aged 124, that the
Guide edited by John Betjeman house had to be rebuilt (Church Commissioners Records, Vicars choral
and John Piper) 6/1, Wiltshire Records Office, Trowbridge). The landlords requested
the retention of the Tudor kitchen wing for economic reasons but in
so doing spoilt the perfect ‘chocolate box’ symmetry often associated
with the best Georgian architecture.
Built in 1722 (there is a partially illegible date on the South Front),
the bulk of the existing house belongs to a select group, including
Kingston House and Ardington House that were built by a local school
of Vanbrugh-influenced masons for ‘ambitious and newly-wealthy
patrons’ or conservative, rural gentry. The nearby Blenheim Palace
naturally providing a first-class training ground. For unlike other
arts that the Baroque movement encompassed architecture required
a team to fulfil the architect’s ideas. Indeed, it was Hawksmoor who
said, referring to the workmen at Blenheim, ‘all of them together could
not stir without me’.
Having become familiarized with Vanbrugh’s architecture, the
workmen diffused into the Vale of the White Horse to build provincial
houses, copying small details and diluting the generality as a result of
their irregular wages. For after Mrs Masham succeeded the Duchess
of Marlborough as Keeper of the Privy Purse, the Treasury payments
dwindled and eventually stopped. This left the Duke of Marlborough
to finance his own prize for defeating the Franco-Bavarian army at
the Battle of Blenheim – something he naturally resented (although in
the end he did pay £60,000 out of the £300,000 build cost). The Strongs
for instance, long considered as candidates to have built West Hanney
House were owed £12,000 over an argument about whether the Duke
was exempt from crown rates or not.
However, the curves of West Hanney are also reminiscent of Italian
Baroque precedents, where curve and counter curve create a sense of
frozen drama as at Borromini’s undulating, restless walls at S.Carlo.
None of these houses have come to the open market in 50 years.
6 7
WEST HANNEY
HOUSE
8 9
WEST HANNEY HOUSE
W
est Hanney House, with its rubbed red bricks
and panels of greyish-purple bricks, prominent
keystones and curious symmetrical design provides
an opportunity to enjoy all the benefits of a grand
country house with the flexibility and manageability of a smaller
property.
The principal house with its spacious and light filled reception hall,
flanked as it is by the main entertaining rooms of drawing room,
panelled sitting and dining room (with associated Butler’s pantry) all
arranged in perfect symmetry, gives an imposing first impression.
The kitchen is fully fitted with a four door oil fired Aga, Miele four
ring conductor hob and double oven and off it there is a room which
works either as a home office or supplementary sitting room. Leading
out of the kitchen is a series of rooms including a larder, utility and
boot room.
A fine central staircase, three balusters to each step, turned and carved,
leads to a landing on the first floor with a Chinese Chippendale
pattern balustrade, two large bedrooms and associated bathroom as
well as the master bedroom suite with its large bathroom and dressing
room.
The second floor is approached via centralised, panelled double-doors
leading off the first floor landing and accommodates four bedrooms
and a bathroom.
10 11
12 13
14 15
16 17
First Floor Second Floor
Lower Ground Floor WEST HANNEY HOUSE
Approximate Gross Internal Area:
Main House: 463.7 sq m / 4991 sq ft
Cellar = 46.3 sq m / 498 sq ft
Total = 510.0 sq m / 5489 sq ft
(Including Eaves / Excluding Voids)
Not to scale. For identification purposes only.
Ground Floor
18 19GARDEN AND
GROUNDS
20 2122 23
WEST HANNEY HOUSE GARDEN AND GROUNDS
Approximate Gross Internal Area:
Pigeon House = 126.1 sq m / 1357 sq ft
Garage = 30 sq m / 323 sq ft
Barn 2 / Stables = 144.5 sq m / 1555 sq ft
Granary = 30.3 sq m / 326 sq ft
T
Summerhouse = 8.1 sq m / 87 sq ft
Store = 27 sq m / 291 sq ft he courtyard at West Hanney represents an exceptional
Total = 366 sq m / 3939 sq ft range of traditional buildings. It is a long L-shaped, two
storey block, north of the main house made of rubble stone
Barn 1 / Open Garage / Open Store = 176.4 sq m / 1899 sq ft with a stone tile roof and two louvred turrets. It offers
Not to scale. For identification purposes only. a large array of potential uses but is currently arranged as stables,
storage and garages. In addition there is a large traditional barn
and a granary, which could make, subject to planning, a fabulous
banqueting barn and separate office.
The Pigeon House is situated opposite the main house in the heart
of the courtyard and is a three-bedroom cottage that would make
excellent staff accommodation.
Not shown in actual Not shown in actual West Hanney sits elegantly in the middle of its entirely-walled,
location/orientation location/orientation three-acre garden, offering both privacy and enhanced security. An
old paved causeway runs along the outside of the east garden wall
Not shown in actual location/
orientation from the village green towards the church. On the inside, there is a
delightful sun trap, walled swimming pool and formal garden ‘room’.
To the South, lawns and gravel pathways stretch out to a set of large
white gates that in turn lead out onto a row of pleached limes, a
further low gate and the church beyond. Stretching out in a westerly
direction, a glade comes alive with snowdrops in Spring before the
next ‘room’ reveals the tennis court, paddock and adjacent woodland.
The total effect is one of a romantic garden in the classic English style
combining expansive lawns, ancient trees and a variety of sheltered
walled garden rooms. The latter provide any number of seating areas
Pigeon House - First Floor giving perspectives of the house and garden be if from the Summer
pavilion for evening drinks or one of the terraces by the house.
Pigeon House - Ground Floor
24 2526 27
28 29
A44 A34
A40
GENERAL REMARKS AND STIPULATIONS
A40 Witney Tenure
Headington M40 with vacant possession on completion.
Freehold
A40
Oxford Listing
A4142 Main House: Grade II* Listed
Cowley Stable Block: Grade II Listed
M40
Granary: Grade II Listed
A420
Garden Wall: Grade II Listed
Lechlade-on-Thames
Services
House and Cottage: Mains drainage and electricity. Oil fired central heating.
Abingdon
Faringdon
A34
Local Authority
Vale of White Horse District Council. Telephone: 01235 520202
Oxfordshire County Council. Telephone: 01865 792422
A420 W ES T H A NNEY H O US E Council Tax
Didcot House: Band H
Cottage: Band E
Wantage
A34 Overage
The vendors will reserve a proportion of the increase in value due to planning consent for
Swindon alternative uses and subsequent disposal, not ancillary to the enjoyment of West Hanney House.
Fixtures and Fittings
Items regarding as fixtures and fittings, all garden and estate statuary and pots whether
mentioned in the particulars or not are excluded from the sale although certain items may be
available by separate negotiation.
M4 A34 Directions (OX12 0LN)
From Junction 13 of the M4, take the A34 turn off to Oxford and almost immediately take the
turning to Chieveley. Drive through Chieveley, heading north past the village shop and continue
Chieveley M4 through Downend and Peasemore. Head north through Peasemore to Lilley and join the B494.
M4
M4 Continue on this road to Wantage and upon entering the town turn right, then turn left onto
the A417 and head for Oxford onto the A338. Upon entering East Hanney, take the first left
into West Hanney, Mill Orchard Lane which joins the Causeway and onto School Road. West
Marlborough Hanney House will be seen on the far side of the green.
A34
Newbury Viewing
Not to scale. For illustrative purposes only. Strictly by appointment with Savills. If there are any points which are of particular importance
to you, we invite you to discuss them with us, especially before you travel to view the property.
Important Notice: Savills, their clients and any joint agents give notice that: 1. They are not authorised to make or give any representations or warranties in relation to the property either here or elsewhere, either on their own behalf or on behalf
of their client or otherwise. They assume no responsibility for any statement that may be made in these particulars. These particulars do not form part of any offer or contract and must not be relied upon as statements or representations of fact.
2. Any areas, measurements or distances are approximate. The text, photographs and plans are for guidance only and are not necessarily comprehensive. It should not be assumed that the property has all necessary planning, building regulation or
other consents and Savills have not tested any services, equipment or facilities. Purchasers must satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise. 21.03.08.ES. Photography taken February 2021. Capture Property. 01225 667287.
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