Harpsden, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9

A Striking Arts and Crafts style Country House, tucked away amidst c.18 acres of manicured gardens and parkland.

Description

Designed and built by the present owners c.12 years ago, Mays Green Park had been a working farm until that time. With meticulous attention to detail, the present owners set about re-purposing the land and designing a striking Arts and Crafts style family home.

The house embodies the craftsmanship and traditions of the Arts and Crafts movement with the requirements of contemporary family living. An oak framework, hand-made bricks (incorporating herringbone brickwork) and tall chimneys, combine to replicate the traditional styles of the movement. Its soft tones and low roof lines allow the house to mellow seamlessly within its surroundings

Highest quality materials have been used throughout:

• Handmade oak double glazed windows
• Mark Wilkinson cabinetry and panelling
• Limestone flags and oak floors
• Gaggenau and Miele kitchen appliances
• Villeroy and Boch and Axor bathroom fittings
• Bespoke, carved fireplace surrounds
• Vale Conservatories orangery and pool hall

The front door opens to a galleried entrance hall with views through the orangery to the gardens beyond. Open to the eaves with huge oak A-frames, beams and trusses, this is a stunning entrance, welcoming you into the centre of the house. The striking kitchen/breakfast/family room is situated just off. Mark Wilkinson painted oak units sit beneath quartz worktops. Appliances include Gaggenau oven, gas hob, fridge freezer, steam oven, microwave and warming draw, two Miele dishwashers and a Quooker boiling tap. There is also a large island unit which doubles as a breakfast bar. A fireplace with oak beam over houses a wood burning stove and three sets of fully glazed French doors open to the westerly facing terrace and gardens. The utility room, also fitted with Mark Wilkinson units, has a shower room off.

The generously proportioned dual aspect dining room features Mark Wilkinson oak panelling to the walls and an open fireplace.

From the hallway, the large Vale Conservatories orangery connects to the kitchen and living room via glazed French doors. This provides a pleasing flow to these living areas and a seamless transition to the gardens, allowing for ease of entertaining on a large scale. The study/library also lies off the hallway. This atmospheric room has full height oak panelling and bookcases by Mark Wilkinson and a lovely carved oak fireplace with green marble slips. A large cloakroom with coat cupboards is also situated off the hall.

A beautiful carved stone fireplace surround takes centre stage in the living room with a wall of full height glazed windows and doors to the terrace. From here a corridor leads on to the rest of the house with a bank of windows overlooking the pool hall. At the far end is a spacious games room with stairs to a large attic storage room, and a delightful music/sitting room. This room is open to the eaves with wonderful oak A-frames and trusses. A brick fireplace and chimney breast house a wood burning stove and bi-fold doors open to the terrace. A gym and shower room are also at this end of the house. The pool hall can be accessed from here as well as from the four sets of French doors onto the garden.

The studio annexe is accessible both from the corridor and the enclosed courtyard garden. Presently used as an art studio, this self-contained annexe features a kitchen/living room, two double bedrooms and a bathroom.

From the entrance hall, an oak staircase rises to the first floor. A half landing has oak framed full height glazed windows, flooding the centre of the house with natural light.

The principal bedroom, also open to the eaves, has three sets of double windows overlooking the gardens, with views to the lake and fountain beyond. The dressing room features bespoke wardrobes and dressing table by Mark Wilkinson. The bathroom has a freestanding slipper bath, twin basins and a shower/steam room with rain shower and limestone floor and wall tiles. There are three further bedrooms (two with en suites) and a family bathroom.

Also on the first floor is an oak framed and glass fully fitted out cinema room with bespoke oak media cabinets by Mark Wilkinson. This room could easily be converted to a further bedroom or study.

Tucked away and set amidst almost 18 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and parkland, Mays Green Park is situated within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Despite being nestled away from view, the property has easy and swift access to road, rail and airport links. The M40 and M4 motorways are nearby. Presently Reading station offers a service to Paddington from 26 minutes. Now Crossrail is complete there is a direct line from Reading to the City of London.
There is also a rail link from Shiplake, only two miles away.

There is a wide choice of schools, including Gillotts Academy School in Henley, Shiplake College, St Marys Prep School and Queen Anne’s. Wellington College, Eton, Charterhouse, Marlborough College, Downe House, Harrow and Tudor Hall are all within easy reach.

The beautiful and historic market town of Henley is just 2 miles away with its pubs, restaurants, cafés and independent shops. It is also well served for everyday shopping requirements with its weekly markets, monthly farmers markets as well as 2 large supermarkets. Binfield Heath, just over 1 mile away, has a village shop and Post Office.

Home to the prestigious Leander Rowing Club, Henley also boasts two further rowing clubs, a rugby club and two tennis clubs.

A long drive meanders through immaculate parkland, surrounded by trees and woodland, to the welcoming front of the house. Deep herbaceous beds froth with mature planting with roses rambling over the walls. A garden door opens to a delightful, enclosed courtyard that is also accessible from three rooms in the house.

The formal rear gardens have a pleasing symmetry with pleached hornbeam, structural yew topiary, rotundas, all interspersed with further stunning herbaceous beds. An off centre ‘orchard’ of ornamental cherry trees planted in rows is underplanted with spring bulbs. A sunken garden features an informal parterre with a wisteria festooned walkway.

The terrace spans the side and rear of the house with far reaching views over the gardens, parkland and lake beyond. The lake, with mature vegetation around its banks, is a haven for wildlife including black swans, Indian Tree ducks and moorhens. A central fountain provides a lovely focal point that can be seen from the house. Although most of the land is presently immaculately tended parkland, it offers total flexibility of use and could readily provide paddock land for a variety of uses.

To the side of the house is a workshop, tractor shed and gardeners WC.

No stone has been left unturned in the quest for that tucked away rural idyll, that Mays Green Park now is.

Location

Tucked away and set amidst almost 18 acres of beautifully
landscaped gardens and parkland, Mays Green Park is
situated within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Despite being nestled away from view, the property has easy
and swift access to road, rail and airport links. The M40 and
M4 motorways are nearby. Presently Reading station ofers
a service to Paddington from 26 minutes. Now Crossrail is
complete there is a direct line from Reading to the City of
London.
There is also a rail link from Shiplake, only two miles away.
There is a wide choice of schools, including Gillotts Academy
School in Henley, Shiplake College, St Marys Prep School
and Queen Anne’s. Wellington College, Eton, Charterhouse,
Marlborough College, Downe House, Harrow and Tudor Hall
are all within easy reach.
The beautiful and historic market town of Henley is just 2
miles away with its pubs, restaurants, cafés and independent
shops. It is also well served for everyday shopping
requirements with its weekly markets, monthly farmers
markets as well as 2 large supermarkets. Binfeld Heath, just
over 1 mile away, has a village shop and Post Ofce.
Home to the prestigious Leander Rowing Club, Henley also
boasts two further rowing clubs, a rugby club and two tennis clubs.

Square Footage: 9,622 sq ft


Acreage: 18 Acres

Directions

From Henley-on-Thames take the Reading road (A4155) out of Henley, at the first small roundabout take the 2nd exit onto Harpsden Rd, after 1.2 miles turn left onto Chalk Hill, after 0.8 miles the gates to Mays Green Park will be straight ahead.

Additional Info

Planning permission has been granted for:

A two-storey courtyard in-fill extension, providing a large drawing room with two further bedrooms above, both with en suite shower rooms.

A three-bay garage with boot room/lobby and laundry room connecting to the main house with a large games room above

A two-bedroom cottage circa 2,500 sq ft

In total the house would then provide 11.5/12,000 sq ft of living space with 6/7 bedrooms, five with en suite facilities.