Dilton Marsh, Westbury, Wiltshire

Chalcot House is the ideal country house. An architectural delight providing appealing accommodation in terms of size, appointment and proportion, which overlooks its Park. The parkland is bordered by mature woodland ensuring privacy whilst the approach is over a long drive, which offers occasional glimpses of the stunning façade. The exquisite south front (façade) holds instant appeal. Described in Nikolaus Pevsner The Buildings of Britain (Wiltshire edition) as ‘unusually animated’ , which must refer to the rare combination of Doric, Ionic and Corinithian pilasters flanking the large sash windows. These in turn are capped by triangular or segmental pediments, which combine with the central front door and its semi- circular niche and urn above to provide a pleasing symmetry. This is further enhanced by the use of Flemish bond brick elevations with Ashlar stone dressings which are immediately bordered by lawns, without the need for floral or shrub colour or embellishment. Dating from the late 17th century, today’s house incorporates an earlier dwelling. The drive leads to an enclosed gravel forecourt on the north front of the house. A turning circle fronts the porch, with the Cottage and garages to the east and the pool house and a brick wall to the west providing enclosure. The half-octagonal porch makes a most welcoming entrance and displays the heraldic arms of the Phipps family above the front door.

The porch opens into the vestibule, which in turn has a pair of half-glazed doors, which lead into the central stair hall. The stair hall is the hub of the ground floor accommodation, from which all of the ground floor rooms can be accessed. The stone floor and staircase are complimented by the ornate iron balustrade and fine oak doors and architraves. The elegant drawing room and dining room stand to either side of the stair hall. The drawing room is west facing, overlooking the garden and benefits from full height windows including a central bay window and French doors to the garden. The decorative features of note include the Adam style ceiling decoration of moulding and cornice with fine marble chimneypiece. The dining room is of similar proportions and has a fine chimneypiece, as well as a trio of sash windows facing east. There is a door to the kitchen/breakfast room and a door to the study, which ensure the appropriate flow of accommodation. The south front of the house contains the library/sitting room and study, both benefitting from a double aspect. The library is arranged as a sitting room with extensive bookshelves to all sides and a marble chimneypiece with open fire. A glazed door provides access to the garden through the earlier William and Mary front entrance and a door leads to the study. The study overlooks the park and the drive, whilst being ideally placed for access to the library/sitting room and the dining room. The comfortable kitchen/breakfast room is ideal for modern family life and incorporates a large bay window with three floor to ceiling windows and French doors to the garden. Hand built cabinets incorporate cupboards, drawers and appliances with the large Aga (electric) sitting beneath a tall canopy. The handmade tiles were made locally and compliment the granite work surfaces and tiled floor.

On the first floor an elegant skylight provides natural light to the landing and stairs. The principal bedroom is above the drawing room with a westerly aspect and incorporates fitted wardrobes designed by Ashley Hicks flanking the fireplace, a dressing room and bathroom with roll top bath and separate shower. There is a guest bedroom suite, which also provides a children’s bedroom and ensuite bathroom with an easterly aspect. In addition there are three further guest suites with ensuite bathrooms on the first floor. The second floor provides two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms plus a further four bedrooms and a family bathroom. The cellars are arranged as laundry room, wine cellar/gunroom, boiler room, playroom/fitness room and shower room.

The present owners have greatly improved the house, most notably by their intuitive design and decoration of the interiors with the commission of bespoke colours and paint effects such as the classical marble effect on the walls in the dining room. As well as being beautiful, Chalcot House is enjoyable. The rooms differ, but each one is rewarding, perhaps due to its elegance or its intimacy, its views or its antiquity.

The Cottage
The cottage is well appointed and situated to the north of the house. It is attached to the workshop and garaging. The accommodation includes entrance hall, stair hall, fitted kitchen, sitting room with fireplace and French doors to the garden. There are two double bedrooms and a bathroom on the first floor.

Garaging and Workshop
Single storey buildings attached to the cottage. Equipped with power and water. The two garages each have a pair of double doors and extend to 20’ in length.

Pool Room
The pool room provides a sauna, changing room with shower and a separate WC. This can be accessed from the forecourt or the swimming pool.

Stables
Situated in the walled garden and constructed of brick elevations under a slate roof. Arranged as tack room or store at either end with seven loose boxes of varying sizes with a large central ‘double’ box (37’10’’ x 12’) with two doors. Power and water.


Gardens
Chalcot House it bordered by open lawns, which extend to the parkland. There are magnificent trees within the gardens including chestnut, limes, wellingtonia, beech, oaks and of particular note the third largest Turner’s oak in the country. Four others are listed as champions in the Tree Register. A formal garden has been established around the swimming pool with low beech hedging and fine box parterre garden situated between the swimming pool and the pool house.

A path forms a laurel walk leading to the walled garden. The walled garden is enclosed and houses the tennis court. Beyond the walled garden are the stables and a paddock, which incorporates the kitchen garden and an orchard.

Parkland
The parkland is arranged as permanent pasture and remains true to the original Park. Mature strips of woodland border the Park and form a defined boundary, which ensures privacy and delightful views.

The property is well situated on the Wiltshire and Somerset border. The Georgian City of Bath is 14.5 miles to the north and the fashionable Somerset town of Frome is 5 miles to the west. Frome meets all of todays needs with its supermarkets and suppliers as well a popular creative and independent range of shops, cafes and facilities. Bath has a wealth of cultural, sporting, leisure and educational activities with music, art and literature festivals, Premiership Rugby, two universities and five independent schools. The arts are also catered for at Hauser and Wirth at Bruton, Messums at Tisbury and opera at Bradford on Avon. Westbury mainline station (3.5 miles) provides a regular service to London Paddington. The A303 (M3) 14.2 miles links London or Devon and Cornwall and the West Country. Longleat Estate provides further leisure opportunities including dinghy sailing on Shearwater lake and Salisbury Plain provides extensive bridle paths and areas for riding out.