Situated just 40 miles from Central London, a 114,996 square foot manor house in 93 acres of formal gardens and parkland has been relisted for sale freehold at a price of £20 million.
Offered on behalf of the BBC, who occupied the property between 1943 and 2018 for use as offices for BBC Monitoring and BBC Radio Berkshire, Caversham Park was built in 1850 by the architect Horace Jones. Described as “inspired by Italian baroque palace” and constructed in a “neo-Georgian style,” there is certainly potential to convert the main building back to a vast single residence suitable for an oligarch or billionaire.
In comments to the Daily Mail in July 2017, of Grade II listed Caversham, Philip Hunter of selling agents Lambert Smith Hampton remarked:
Two stories to keep beside you
A House of Hide
Grade II* listed Kent townhouse for sale for just £166 per square foot; a similarly sized property in Knightsbridge would set you back £2,000 per square foot A freehold 2,500 square foot detached 15th century timber framed house just 23 miles south of London has gone on sale for the lowly sum of £166 […]
In the Round
C-shaped glass and stone house complete with a Grade II listed set of Druid stones for sale for £7 million; it sits next door to the £140 million home of the fugitive billionaire financier Andrey Borodin A C-shaped 20th century house in 43 acres of parkland has gone on sale for £7 million ($9.2 […]
“This is an incredibly unique opportunity to purchase a prime site of such scale and location. It is 93 acres in the most affluent part of Reading, just two miles from the train station.’
More recently, in September 2018, Hunter told Berkshire Live:
“We are delighted to be advising the BBC on the disposal of Caversham Park, the former home of BBC Monitoring and Radio Berkshire.”
“It offers a truly unique opportunity, with potential for a number of alternative uses (subject to planning) including; residential, retirement, hotel, education and healthcare.”
As a result of there being no approved planning in place for any scheme, however, the BBC have been “slammed” by locals and experts alike and thus Caversham Park’s future continues to look perilous.
The Names & Numbers – Caversham Park, Peppard Road, Caversham, Reading, Berkshire, RG4 8TZ, United Kingdom
September 2019 – For sale once again for £20 million ($24.5 million, €22.2 million or درهم89.9 million) complete with 93 acres of grounds through Lambert Smith Hampton.
September 2018 – “Under offer” through Lambert Smith Hampton.
July 2017 – Placed for sale by the BBC through Lambert Smith Hampton for £20 million ($24.5 million, €22.2 million or درهم89.9 million).
1960s – Sections of the parkland sold off for housing development.
1941 – Sold to the BBC and converted into the headquarters of BBC Monitoring in 1943. During this time it was used to monitor communications with Nazi Germany and
1922 – Sold with 300 acres to the Oratorians and converted into a school.
1921 – Estate sub-divided and sold.
1914 – 1918 – Used as convalescent home for wounded soldiers during the First World War.
1850 – Replacement house burnt down and was replaced with the current building, a Victorian stately home by Horace Jones. This was built for the ‘Iron King’ William Crawshay II (1788 – 1867).
1780s – After the next house burnt down, it was replaced with a Greek temple style building by Major Charles Marsack.
1718 – William Cadogan spent £130,000 or the equivalent of £27.9 million today ($34.1 million, €31 million or درهم125.4 million) on a building programme on the site.
1660 – Elizabethan house on the site demolished and rebuilt by the architect William Winde.
1633 – Sold to Lord Craven for £10,000 or the equivalent of £2.2 million today ($2.7 million, €2.4 million or درهم9.9 million).
1542 – Sold to the treasurer of Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Knollys.
1086 – Registered in the Domesday Book as a 2,400 acre estate worth £20.
Facebook: @TheSteepleTimes
Instagram: @TheSteepleTimes
Twitter: @SteepleTimes
Readers have their say
3 comments
Who on earth would want to live in Reading? Ain’t that where Oscar Wilde got jailed?
Shame about the neighbours. Reading should be flattened.
MegMe might prefer it to that little froggy pokehole she has to endure.
And she’s probably oblivious to Reading.
She might even enjoy a bidding war with Pieces of Party types.