The Steeple Times

Tag: £1.3 million

  • Mocking The Dockers

    Mocking The Dockers

    Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85m; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3m today of company money on the place without permission

    • Alleged inspiration for ‘The Pink Panther’ film, Norah Docker (AKA ‘Naughty Norah’ and ‘Lady Muck’) described herself as “an artificial blonde, among thousands of artificial blondes searching for stardom.”
    • Of her second husband, Sir William Collins, chairman of Fortnum & Mason, she announced: “He was 69, I married him for his money.”
    • Lady Docker used her third husband Sir Bernard Docker’s company money to create Daimler cars upholstered in zebra hide – “because mink is too hot to sit on.”
    • The couple also plundered the company to buy Glandyfi Castle in Wales and spent an equivalent of £1.3 million of today’s money on it.
    • The Grade II listed, early 19th century ‘mock castle’ became a small hotel and is currently for sale for £2.85 million.

    The best known ‘occupants’ of Glandyfi Castle, an early 19th century ‘mock castle’ eleven miles from Aberystwyth in Mid Wales, were Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) managing director and Daimler chairman Sir Bernard Docker and his notoriously decadent wife, ‘Naughty Norah.’

     

    The Dockers, a “spendaholic” pair said to be the inspiration for the 1963  film The Pink Panther, lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million of today’s money buying and altering the castle in 1949 – the very same year they were robbed of £1.9 million of diamonds in today’s money at their Mayfair home also.

     

    Sir Bernard and Lady Docker lived at Glandyfi until 1956 when it was discovered that they’d plundered the company through the presentation of vast expenses. Aside from the castle, Lady Docker had lavishly created five show ‘Docker Daimler’ show cars covered in gold and upholstered with amongst other things zebra hide. When asked why she had done such, she coyly responded: “Because mink is too hot to sit on,” but subsequently after these and the castle had to be returned, the couple bought a Bentley Continental as revenge.

     

    Now, today, Grade II listed Glandyfi (pronounced ‘Glandovey’) is for sale for what seems like a comparatively reasonable sum of £2.85 million, but it now comes minus the “glitzy” additions made by the Dockers. The Regency Gothic style stone and slate main building extends to 8,280 square feet over four floors and provides 5 reception rooms, 10 double bedrooms and 10 bathrooms and in addition comes with a courtyard with guest accommodation, a 1 bedroom lodge and a range of disused barns.

     

    Externally, aside from a mature landscaped garden, the 31.43 acre plot includes a walled former kitchen garden, grazing land and woodland, but what is most impressive is the setting of what James Delingpole termed “not so much an austere, toff’s castle as a theme-park recreation of one” with “undoubtedly the most magnificent view from any house I know in Britain.”

     

    Speaking to Anne Ashworth of The Times last time the allegedly haunted castle was placed for sale in July 2019, current selling agent Belinda Hutchinson-Smith of Strutt & Parker – whom also was involved in marketing the property to the current owners, the Holmes family, back in 2007 when she worked at Savills – stated:

     

    “It was surreal [in 2007]. We were in a time warp. Almost nothing had changed since the Dockers moved out in the 1950s. There were 1950s newspapers strewn across the dining tables and in the bedrooms, books were left open on bedside tables. But, at the same time, the house had a magical feeling.”

     

    In comments to the BBC in September 2014, when the former Docker one-of-one 1954 Daimler ‘Stardust’ was sold at auction for £110,000, Glandyfi’s current owner Maureen Holmes remarked:

     

    “[Sir Bernard and Lady Docker] were clearly living the dream. From the red and white marble fireplaces to a path through the woods made entirely of upturned gin bottles, the castle oozed excess.”

     

    “The older people around here who remember them say they were unbelievable, almost mythical figures. At a time when everyone else was still on rationing, the Dockers were thundering through the lanes in limousines made out of gold and silver.”

     

    “The irony is, that whilst the locals felt the Dockers’ perceived wealth meant that they were utterly removed from the community, in actual fact they probably had no more money than anyone else in the area.”

     

    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    Lady Docker pictured in one of the opulent ‘Docker Daimler’ show cars she commissioned her husband’s company to create; the most famous of the examples was known as the ‘Golden Zebra’ – this 1955 Daimler two-door coupé based on the DK400 chassis featured metal trim pieces plated in gold instead of chrome, an ivory dashboard and zebra-skin upholstery.
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    Thrice married Lady Docker (1906 – 1983), born Norah Turner and also variously Norah Callingham and Lady Collins, was born in Derby and began her career as a hostess at the Café de Paris in London. In Lancashire, her name is still used as a derogatory substitute for ‘Lady Muck’ and in spite of her once extravagant lifestyle, she died in poverty at the not so chi-chi Great Western Royal Hotel in Praed Street, Paddington, London.
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    In one of her last interviews, Lady Docker remarked: “I have always had the persistence to march on. I will continue to do that, until the day I die.” In spite of her reduced circumstances, she is said to have “retained a remarkable joie-de-vivre, downing glasses of pink champagne to the last.”
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    English poet Thomas Love Peacock got married at Glandyfi Castle in 1820; Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan stayed at the property whilst filming ‘Springwatch’ in 2012.

    The Names & Numbers – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom

     

    October 2020 – Relaunched for sale for £2.85 million ($3.69 million, €3.15 million or درهم15.54 million) through Strutt & Parker.

     

    June 2019 – Listed for sale for £2.85 million ($3.69 million, €3.15 million or درهم15.54 million) through Strutt & Parker with 31.43 acres of land.

     

    2012 – Whilst filming the BBC’s Springwatch, presenters Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan stayed at the castle. Strachan wrote in the guest book: “I couldn’t imagine a nicer, more comfortable place to stay… I felt like a princess in my amazing room.” Packham added: “Staying at the castle has been a total treat. Hospitality, fine food, wonderful environment, views to die for and history.”

     

    Late 2000s to September 2019 – Operated as an 8 bedroom “informal and relaxed [hotel and wedding venue] without any stuffiness or restrictions” by a theatre designer named Maureen Holmes and her family.

     

    May 2007 – Offered for sale for £1.25 million ($1.62 million, €1.38 million or درهم5.94 million) through Savills with 43 acres of land on behalf of the late owner, one Mrs Betty Piper (1914 – 2006).

     

    January 1964 – The building is given a Grade II listing, reference 9874, and is described as “the only example [of a] Georgian country house in picturesque castellated style in the county.”

     

    1956 – Following discovery of the Dockers’ “profligacy” and their removal from BSA, the castle is sold.

     

    1949 – Purchased by Birmingham Small Arms Company Limited for the use of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker for the sum of £12,000 or the equivalent of £427,000 ($552,000, €471,000 or درهم2 million) today. The company then lavished £25,000 or the equivalent of £890,000 ($1.2 million, €983,000 or درهم4.2 million) today on “opulent renovations of the home.”

     

    1906 – Following the death of Charles Jeffreys, the castle and its lands pass out of the hands of that family after 114 years.

     

    1820 – English poet Thomas Love Peacock (1785 – 1866) married Jane Griffith (also known as Jane Gryffydh) at the castle. His fellow poet and friend Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792 – 1822) referenced Peacock’s wife “the milk-white Snowdonian Antelope.”

     

    Early 19th century – Built to the designs of an unknown architect for George Jeffreys, High Sheriff of Cardiganshire in 1819 on an estate acquired by his great uncle, Edward, in 1792.

     

    Some of Lady Docker’s Notable Remarks

     

    Of herself, as she moved to London to seek fame and fortune:

    “An artificial blonde, among thousands of artificial blondes searching for stardom.”

     

    Of her vision in life:

    “[To] bring some happiness back to a world left hollow by the horror of two world wars… We bring glamour and happiness into drab lives. The working class loves everything I do.”

     

    Of her father:

    “A self-made man.”

     

    Of her male “targets” and those she viewed to be husband material:

    “Through my life, I set both my sights and my price high.”

     

    Of her chairman of Fortnum & Mason second husband, Sir William Collins:

    “He was 69, I married him for his money.”

     

    Of her third husband, Sir Bernard Docker:

    “I deliberately trapped him.”

     

    When asked to justify why she covered the seats of a 1955 Daimler in zebra skin:

    “Zebra, because mink is too hot to sit on.”

     

    On the loss of the ‘Docker Daimlers’ when they were taken away from her and her husband:

    “It’s not the loss of the gold cars that makes me feel like this… And weren’t they fun? They were like my children… No, it’s that lovely party I was planning for 25,000 of the company’s workers for my 50th birthday. A tiptop affair – and now it’s all off. How could they do this to [Sir Bernard] after 17 years? Why, he’s such a hard worker that he even had a direct line to the firm from our yacht.”

     

    Of Prince Rainier of Monaco after her son was banned from his son’s christening and she decided to burn the Monacan flag:

    “I’m at war with Rainier.”

     

    To the captain of the liner the Queen Elizabeth:

    “This ship is being run by a bloody Communist! Don’t you dare touch me, you bloody Communist!”

     

    Of some miners she invited on her yacht:

    “The dear boys, I just loved them! It proved conclusively to me that the social barrier only exists in the mind.”

     

    Of a Monaco casino employee she had allegedly assaulted:

    “It was a good sock I gave that man, and he deserved it.”

     

    Of the people of Jersey:

    “They are the most frightfully boring, dreadful people that have ever been born.”

     

    PICTURED TOP: Glandyfi Castle and the estuary beyond; Sir Bernard and Lady Docker at the castle.

     

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    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
    Mocking The Dockers – Former home of Sir Bernard and Lady Docker – Glandyfi Castle, Glandyfi, near Machynlleth, Ceredigion, Powys, Mid Wales, SY20 8SS, United Kingdom for sale through Strutt & Parker – Welsh ‘mock castle’ once occupied by notorious spendaholic Lady Docker for sale for £2.85 million; the Dockers were turfed out in 1956 after it was discovered they’d lavished the equivalent of £1.3 million today of company money on the place without permission.
  • Grosvenor Grabs The Ground Rent

    Grosvenor Grabs The Ground Rent

    Vast Belgravia artists’ studio goes on sale for just £1.3 million, but of course, there is a catch and that is the extorionate ground rent

    A 2,124 square foot artists’ studio in Belgravia has gone on sale for just £1.3 million or the equivalent of £612 per square foot. There is, of course, a catch and that is that the ground rent is a staggering sum of £58,000 per year.

     

    Featured in The Steeple Times when last offered for sale for £995,000 in November 2017, the opulently decorated ground and first floor property available provides not only a double height 23’9” by 20’6” reception room but also a dining room and kitchen. There are also 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and the space is described as being “for those involved in arts and media.”

     

    The lease on the space is described as having been “renewed for 15 years with the Grosvenor Estate and agents Lurot Brand remark: “The grandeur and scale of this property is extraordinary in both charm and character.”

     

    The Numbers – Ground and First Floor Apartment, Bradbrook House, Kinnerton Street, London, SW1X 8EL, United Kingdom

     

    • August 2020 – Offered for sale for £1.3 million ($1.7 million, €1.4 million or درهم2.4 million) by agents Lurot Brand.

     

    • August 2020 – Ground rent of £58,000 per year ($76,000, €64,000 or درهم278,000 per year), an increase of 9.4% on the sum in 2017.

     

    • November 2017 – Marketed for £995,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.8 million) by Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward.

     

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    Grosvenor Grabs The Ground Rent – Studio Place, London, SW1 – Vast Belgravia artists’ studio goes on sale for just £1.3 million, but of course, there is a catch and that is the extortionate ground rent – Ground and First Floor Apartment, Bradbrook House, Kinnerton Street, London, SW1X 8EL, United Kingdom for sale through Lurot Brand for £1.3 million ($1.7 million, €1.4 million or درهم2.4 million).
    Grosvenor Grabs The Ground Rent – Studio Place, London, SW1 – Vast Belgravia artists’ studio goes on sale for just £1.3 million, but of course, there is a catch and that is the extortionate ground rent – Ground and First Floor Apartment, Bradbrook House, Kinnerton Street, London, SW1X 8EL, United Kingdom for sale through Lurot Brand for £1.3 million ($1.7 million, €1.4 million or درهم2.4 million).
    Grosvenor Grabs The Ground Rent – Studio Place, London, SW1 – Vast Belgravia artists’ studio goes on sale for just £1.3 million, but of course, there is a catch and that is the extortionate ground rent – Ground and First Floor Apartment, Bradbrook House, Kinnerton Street, London, SW1X 8EL, United Kingdom for sale through Lurot Brand for £1.3 million ($1.7 million, €1.4 million or درهم2.4 million).
    Grosvenor Grabs The Ground Rent – Studio Place, London, SW1 – Vast Belgravia artists’ studio goes on sale for just £1.3 million, but of course, there is a catch and that is the extortionate ground rent – Ground and First Floor Apartment, Bradbrook House, Kinnerton Street, London, SW1X 8EL, United Kingdom for sale through Lurot Brand for £1.3 million ($1.7 million, €1.4 million or درهم2.4 million).
    Grosvenor Grabs The Ground Rent – Studio Place, London, SW1 – Vast Belgravia artists’ studio goes on sale for just £1.3 million, but of course, there is a catch and that is the extortionate ground rent – Ground and First Floor Apartment, Bradbrook House, Kinnerton Street, London, SW1X 8EL, United Kingdom for sale through Lurot Brand for £1.3 million ($1.7 million, €1.4 million or درهم2.4 million).
    Grosvenor Grabs The Ground Rent – Studio Place, London, SW1 – Vast Belgravia artists’ studio goes on sale for just £1.3 million, but of course, there is a catch and that is the extortionate ground rent – Ground and First Floor Apartment, Bradbrook House, Kinnerton Street, London, SW1X 8EL, United Kingdom for sale through Lurot Brand for £1.3 million ($1.7 million, €1.4 million or درهم2.4 million).
    Grosvenor Grabs The Ground Rent – Studio Place, London, SW1 – Vast Belgravia artists’ studio goes on sale for just £1.3 million, but of course, there is a catch and that is the extortionate ground rent – Ground and First Floor Apartment, Bradbrook House, Kinnerton Street, London, SW1X 8EL, United Kingdom for sale through Lurot Brand for £1.3 million ($1.7 million, €1.4 million or درهم2.4 million).
    Grosvenor Grabs The Ground Rent – Studio Place, London, SW1 – Vast Belgravia artists’ studio goes on sale for just £1.3 million, but of course, there is a catch and that is the extortionate ground rent – Ground and First Floor Apartment, Bradbrook House, Kinnerton Street, London, SW1X 8EL, United Kingdom for sale through Lurot Brand for £1.3 million ($1.7 million, €1.4 million or درهم2.4 million).
    Grosvenor Grabs The Ground Rent – Studio Place, London, SW1 – Vast Belgravia artists’ studio goes on sale for just £1.3 million, but of course, there is a catch and that is the extortionate ground rent – Ground and First Floor Apartment, Bradbrook House, Kinnerton Street, London, SW1X 8EL, United Kingdom for sale through Lurot Brand for £1.3 million ($1.7 million, €1.4 million or درهم2.4 million).
    Grosvenor Grabs The Ground Rent – Studio Place, London, SW1 – Vast Belgravia artists’ studio goes on sale for just £1.3 million, but of course, there is a catch and that is the extortionate ground rent – Ground and First Floor Apartment, Bradbrook House, Kinnerton Street, London, SW1X 8EL, United Kingdom for sale through Lurot Brand for £1.3 million ($1.7 million, €1.4 million or درهم2.4 million).
  • The Modern Macnab

    The Modern Macnab

    6,000 acre Scottish estate that offers the perfect opportunity to bag a ‘Macnab’ for sale for less than a price of a poky Knightsbridge flat

     

    John Buchan’s 1925 novel John Macnab is a must read and centres on three successful but bored friends – lawyer Sir Edward Leithen, Conservative politician John Palliser-Yeates MP and former adventurer the Earl of Lamancha – who decide to turn to poaching. Under the collective name of ‘John Macnab,’ they set themselves the challenge of within 48 hours they will remove a salmon or stag, undetected, and present it at the door of the three estates they warn.

     

    Revisited more recently by Robert Harris in  his recently published second ‘Richard Hannay series’ novel, Castle Macnab, an opportunity for anyone wishing to partake in the The Field magazine’s modern day ‘Macnab Challenge’ has arisen as a result of the 5,885 acre Achnabourin Estate, near Bettyhill in Sutherland coming to the market.

     

    Offered for just £995,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million) – the price of a poky 580 square foot one bedroom flat in Knightsbridge – Achnabourin is split between coastal dunes, pastureland, semi-ancient natural woodland and heather clad hills.

     

    As well as five bedroom lodge and a two bedroom housekeeper’s cottage, the estate provides stalking, grouse, woodcock and duck shooting potential and wild brown trout fishing on thirteen lochs. Salmon fishing is possible through a local permit also and selling agents Goldmsith & Co. describe the property as “a wonderfully diverse coastal estate offering mixed sport and fantastic views… A true gem.”

     

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    The Modern Macnab – Achnabourin Estate, Bettyhill, Sutherland, Scotland – For sale for £995,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million) through Goldsmith & Co. Estate Agents – 5,885 acre Scottish estate that offers the perfect opportunity to bag a ‘Macnab’ for sale for less than a price of a poky Knightsbridge flat. The Modern Macnab – Achnabourin Estate, Bettyhill, Sutherland, Scotland – For sale for £995,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million) through Goldsmith & Co. Estate Agents – 5,885 acre Scottish estate that offers the perfect opportunity to bag a ‘Macnab’ for sale for less than a price of a poky Knightsbridge flat. The Modern Macnab – Achnabourin Estate, Bettyhill, Sutherland, Scotland – For sale for £995,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million) through Goldsmith & Co. Estate Agents – 5,885 acre Scottish estate that offers the perfect opportunity to bag a ‘Macnab’ for sale for less than a price of a poky Knightsbridge flat. The Modern Macnab – Achnabourin Estate, Bettyhill, Sutherland, Scotland – For sale for £995,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million) through Goldsmith & Co. Estate Agents – 5,885 acre Scottish estate that offers the perfect opportunity to bag a ‘Macnab’ for sale for less than a price of a poky Knightsbridge flat. The Modern Macnab – Achnabourin Estate, Bettyhill, Sutherland, Scotland – For sale for £995,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million) through Goldsmith & Co. Estate Agents – 5,885 acre Scottish estate that offers the perfect opportunity to bag a ‘Macnab’ for sale for less than a price of a poky Knightsbridge flat. The Modern Macnab – Achnabourin Estate, Bettyhill, Sutherland, Scotland – For sale for £995,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million) through Goldsmith & Co. Estate Agents – 5,885 acre Scottish estate that offers the perfect opportunity to bag a ‘Macnab’ for sale for less than a price of a poky Knightsbridge flat. The Modern Macnab – Achnabourin Estate, Bettyhill, Sutherland, Scotland – For sale for £995,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million) through Goldsmith & Co. Estate Agents – 5,885 acre Scottish estate that offers the perfect opportunity to bag a ‘Macnab’ for sale for less than a price of a poky Knightsbridge flat. The Modern Macnab – Achnabourin Estate, Bettyhill, Sutherland, Scotland – For sale for £995,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million) through Goldsmith & Co. Estate Agents – 5,885 acre Scottish estate that offers the perfect opportunity to bag a ‘Macnab’ for sale for less than a price of a poky Knightsbridge flat.The Modern Macnab – Achnabourin Estate, Bettyhill, Sutherland, Scotland – For sale for £995,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million) through Goldsmith & Co. Estate Agents – 5,885 acre Scottish estate that offers the perfect opportunity to bag a ‘Macnab’ for sale for less than a price of a poky Knightsbridge flat. The Modern Macnab – Achnabourin Estate, Bettyhill, Sutherland, Scotland – For sale for £995,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million) through Goldsmith & Co. Estate Agents – 5,885 acre Scottish estate that offers the perfect opportunity to bag a ‘Macnab’ for sale for less than a price of a poky Knightsbridge flat. The Modern Macnab – Achnabourin Estate, Bettyhill, Sutherland, Scotland – For sale for £995,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million) through Goldsmith & Co. Estate Agents – 5,885 acre Scottish estate that offers the perfect opportunity to bag a ‘Macnab’ for sale for less than a price of a poky Knightsbridge flat. The Modern Macnab – Achnabourin Estate, Bettyhill, Sutherland, Scotland – For sale for £995,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million) through Goldsmith & Co. Estate Agents – 5,885 acre Scottish estate that offers the perfect opportunity to bag a ‘Macnab’ for sale for less than a price of a poky Knightsbridge flat. The Modern Macnab – Achnabourin Estate, Bettyhill, Sutherland, Scotland – For sale for £995,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million) through Goldsmith & Co. Estate Agents – 5,885 acre Scottish estate that offers the perfect opportunity to bag a ‘Macnab’ for sale for less than a price of a poky Knightsbridge flat.

  • Pauline Amos – What’s on your mantelpiece?

    Pauline Amos – What’s on your mantelpiece?

    A 20-question interview with Liverpool born artist Pauline Amos; one of her works is for sale for £1.3 million

     

    The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?

    Myself.

     

    “Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?

    “If you hesitate, you’ve lost.”

     

    Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2017?

    Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi.

     

    Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?

    My dad.

     

    What might you swap all your wealth for?

    Ending cruelty to animals and children.

     

    Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the state of the financial system?

    A disgrace.

     

    What phrase or word do you most loathe?

    Trump.

     

    In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?

    Being charitable is being a good human being. I support Coram children’s charity, Stop Ivory, the RNLI and charities that support war veterans.

     

    The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?

    Use if necessary.

     

    If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?

    Shakespeare, Winston Churchill, Stephen Fry, Oscar Wilde, my husband, my dogs, Hunter S. Thompson and Maya Angelou.

     

    If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?

    Caviar. On the outside.

     

    What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?

    Blackwell Rum on porridge for breakfast. Every hour is acceptable.

     

    A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?

    A martini.

     

    Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?

    My own: I choose the guests and the music.

     

    Who is the most positive person you know?

    Myself.

     

    What’s your most guilty pleasure?

    Charbonnel & Walker salt caramel chocolates.

     

    If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?

    An angel.

     

    If you were a car, what marque would you be?

    A Bentley Land Rover hybrid.

     

    Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.

    One of my paintings is on sale for £1.3 million.

     

    What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?

    Two silver candlesticks, some invitations and a sign that reads: “Scouse and Proud.”

     

    Born in Liverpool, Pauline Amos is a creative performance painting artist with a unique style of work combining painting, performance and music. Amos has a PhD from Dartington College of Arts and has drawn international acclaim for her provocative, powerful and bold works.

     

    Follow Pauline Amos on Twitter at @paulineamos99 and like her page on Facebook by clicking here.

     

     

  • Chim Chim Cher-ee, Chim Cher-oo!

    Chim Chim Cher-ee, Chim Cher-oo!

    North Yorkshire mill conversion with 120-foot chimney and cast iron water wheel for sale for £975,000

     

    A converted mill in the Yorkshire Dales National Park has gone on sale for £975,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million). It has not only its original 120-foot chimney still in-situ but also an original cast iron water wheel.

     

    Spindle Mill near Embsay was built circa 1820 and now provides a 6 bedroomed family home, two adjoining cottages and various outbuildings. It stands in walled gardens and enjoys long distance views.

     

    Agents Harrison Boothman have the listing and describe the property as: “Imaginatively planned” and “set amidst beautiful open countryside.”

     Chim Chim Cher-ee, Chim Cher-oo! Crown Spindle Mill, Pasture Road, Embsay, Yorkshire, BD23 6PR – For sale through Harrison Boothman for £975,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million) Chim Chim Cher-ee, Chim Cher-oo! Crown Spindle Mill, Pasture Road, Embsay, Yorkshire, BD23 6PR – For sale through Harrison Boothman for £975,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million)Chim Chim Cher-ee, Chim Cher-oo! Crown Spindle Mill, Pasture Road, Embsay, Yorkshire, BD23 6PR – For sale through Harrison Boothman for £975,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million) Chim Chim Cher-ee, Chim Cher-oo! Crown Spindle Mill, Pasture Road, Embsay, Yorkshire, BD23 6PR – For sale through Harrison Boothman for £975,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million)Chim Chim Cher-ee, Chim Cher-oo! Crown Spindle Mill, Pasture Road, Embsay, Yorkshire, BD23 6PR – For sale through Harrison Boothman for £975,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million) Chim Chim Cher-ee, Chim Cher-oo! Crown Spindle Mill, Pasture Road, Embsay, Yorkshire, BD23 6PR – For sale through Harrison Boothman for £975,000 ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million)

  • Best in Britain

    Best in Britain

    EXCLUSIVE – “Nationally important” Grade II* listed Berkshire mansion in 130 acres for sale for £26 million; its interior is yet to be renovated

     

    A Grade II* listed building capable of being reinstated as one of Britain’s finest country houses has just been placed on the market for £26 million.

     

    Benham Park – formerly known as Benham Vallence – at Marsh Benham, near Newbury comes with around 130 acres of Grade II listed Capability Brown (1716 – 1783) designed parkland and currently extends to 27,620 square foot. It has planning permission in place to either revert to a truly epic single family mansion or to convert into a 100 bedroom ‘wellness centre’ to rival Champneys in Hertfordshire and Clinique La Prairie in Switzerland. The schemes proposed would provide between 50,000 and 140,000 square foot of accommodation and, already, businessmen Harry Marriott and Michael Fresson, owners since 2011, have restored the exterior of the building along with its gardens and park.

     

    Built at the behest of the nobleman William Craven (1738 – 1791) to designs of the Fulham born architect Henry Holland (1745 – 1806) in 1774 – 1775, this fine neoclassical house was constructed from Bath stone and later altered by the extremely wealthy Sutton baronets during their tenure in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The estate was sold for £1 million to the innovative computer manufacturers Norsk Data in 1983 and remained in the firm’s ownership until it was dissolved in 1992. It then became the offices of other technology companies until again being placed for sale for £6 million in 2010.

     

    Best in Britain – Benham Park (formerly Benham Valence), Marsh Benham, Speen, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG20 8EP, United Kingdom – For sale for £26 million ($33.4 million, €29.9 million or درهم123 million) with Savills.
    Benham Park in the era when it was used as offices; the modern buildings have now been demolished and the car park landscaped

    Best in Britain – Benham Park (formerly Benham Valence), Marsh Benham, Speen, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG20 8EP, United Kingdom – For sale for £26 million ($33.4 million, €29.9 million or درهم123 million) with Savills.
    The main mansion prior to renovation of its exterior

    Best in Britain – Benham Park (formerly Benham Valence), Marsh Benham, Speen, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG20 8EP, United Kingdom – For sale for £26 million ($33.4 million, €29.9 million or درهم123 million) with Savills.
    A view from another angle (after external renovation)

    Best in Britain – Benham Park (formerly Benham Valence), Marsh Benham, Speen, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG20 8EP, United Kingdom – For sale for £26 million ($33.4 million, €29.9 million or درهم123 million) with Savills.
    From the lake

    Best in Britain – Benham Park (formerly Benham Valence), Marsh Benham, Speen, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG20 8EP, United Kingdom – For sale for £26 million ($33.4 million, €29.9 million or درهم123 million) with Savills.
    And from its imposing entrance

    Best in Britain – Benham Park (formerly Benham Valence), Marsh Benham, Speen, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG20 8EP, United Kingdom – For sale for £26 million ($33.4 million, €29.9 million or درهم123 million) with Savills.
    One of several entrances to the estate

    Best in Britain – Benham Park (formerly Benham Valence), Marsh Benham, Speen, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG20 8EP, United Kingdom – For sale for £26 million ($33.4 million, €29.9 million or درهم123 million) with Savills.
    Another set of impressive gates

     

    Should a buyer use the existing designs for a residential scheme, they would find themselves owning a house that would not only come with 12 reception rooms and 29 bedroom suites, but also one with a sports complex, a sculpture gallery, a 40-seat cinema and garaging for 50 cars. Aside from an existing 5-bedroom mill house on the estate’s 10 acre lake and a gate lodge, the proposals would add a further 8 additional ancillary houses also.

     

    Of Benham Park, Crispin Holborow of selling agent Savills commented:

     

    “[This] is a nationally important stately home so its sale presents a very exciting proposition for a future owner to oversee its transformation. The prospect of restoring a property of such magnificent proportions with excellent access to London has not arisen for many years, and we expect interest from potential buyers for either its reinstatement as a significant country residence or its repurpose into a world leading wellness centre”.

     

    Those looking to extend the compound further have the option to purchase two separately owned properties that were formerly part of the estate. A house known as ‘Greenhouses’, for sale with Savills, is offered for £1.3 million and comes with 1.47 acres of land whilst Mill Bank House, which stands in 2 acres, is on the market through Strutt & Parker.

     

     

    The Numbers – Benham Park

     

    1771 – 1774

    William Craven, 6th Baron Craven paid Capability Brown £7,150 for works to the house and grounds. This sum is the equivalent of £989,000 today ($1.3 million, €1.1 million or درهم4.7 million).

     

    1982

    Sold to Norsk Data for £1 million (the equivalent of £3.2 million, $4.1 million, €3.7 million or درهم15.1 million today) by Sir Richard Sutton (born 1937).

     

    2010

    Placed on the market for £6 million ($7.7 million, €6.9 million or درهم28.3 million).

     

    2011

    Sold to Harry Marriott and Michael Fresson for £5 million ($6.4 million, €5.7 million or درهم23.6 million).

     

    2017

    Benham Park placed on the market for £26 million ($33.4 million, €29.9 million or درهم123 million).

     

    Separately owned estate houses

    Best in Britain – Benham Park (formerly Benham Valence), Marsh Benham, Speen, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG20 8EP, United Kingdom – For sale for £26 million ($33.4 million, €29.9 million or درهم123 million) with Savills.Mill Bank House – On the market for £1.4 million ($1.8 million, €1.6 million or درهم6.6 million).

     

    Best in Britain – Benham Park (formerly Benham Valence), Marsh Benham, Speen, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG20 8EP, United Kingdom – For sale for £26 million ($33.4 million, €29.9 million or درهم123 million) with Savills.Greenhouses – On the market for £1.3 million ($1.7 million, €1.5 million or درهم6.1 million).

     

  • Marlene’s Motor

    Marlene’s Motor

    1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport cabriolet to be auctioned; it attracted the attentions of Marlene Dietrich and has a Hermés interior

     

    In October 1949, the chameleon-like actress and singer Marlene Dietrich (1901 – 1992) was photographed “descending elegantly” from a custom-built T26 Talbot Grand Sport by coachbuilders Franay at the Paris Salon. That car subsequently won the 1er Grand Prix d’Honneur at the Concours d’Enghien in June 1950 and is now due to be sold at auction in May.

     

    The “outrageously exclusive” short-wheelbase Grand Sport, chassis 110121, was first presented in white and came with a luxurious red leather interior and fitted luggage by Hermés. It was described as “an automobile destined for the serious sportsman and chic Parisian society in equal measure”.

     

    Marlene’s Motor – 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport cabriolet by Franay – Estimate £1 million to £1.3 million ($1.3 million to $1.6 million, €1.2 million to €1.5 million or درهم4.8 million to درهم6 million) – To be sold by RM Sotheby’s on 27th May 2017 at Villa Erba, Largo Luchino Visconti, 4, 22012 Cernobbio CO, Italy – Actress and singer Marlene Dietrich (1901 – 1992)
    Marlene Dietrich “descending elegantly from the car, the crowd surrounding it completely mesmerized – a very rare instance of the occupant upstaging a Grand Sport” at the Paris Salon in October 1949

    Marlene’s Motor – 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport cabriolet by Franay – Estimate £1 million to £1.3 million ($1.3 million to $1.6 million, €1.2 million to €1.5 million or درهم4.8 million to درهم6 million) – To be sold by RM Sotheby’s on 27th May 2017 at Villa Erba, Largo Luchino Visconti, 4, 22012 Cernobbio CO, Italy – Actress and singer Marlene Dietrich (1901 – 1992)
    As it is presented today – The 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport cabriolet by Franay

     

    Subsequently subject to another makeover by Franay whilst still owned by Talbot in the winter of 1950, the 4.5-litre car was presented at the Brussels Auto Show in January 1951 in black with a new, simpler grille design. After appearing at the Concours de la Grande Cascade that summer, the vehicle passed into the ownership of an unknown “manufacturer of hard candies” and was given yet another grille – this time in the style Pininfarina Ferrari 212 Inter.

     

    Returning to the Concours d’Enghien in June 1952 and then having its final appearance on the Franay stand at the 1953 Paris Salon, the Grand Sport was sold to a butcher from Versailles. It was bought for just $800 (the equivalent of £5,100, $6,600, €6,100 or درهم24,200 today) in 1960 by Jim Bandy, an American military officer stationed in France, and then taken by him to Baltimore, Maryland in 1963. Sold on several times and subject to an engine swap with a Talbot Grand Sport Saoutchik coupé, chassis 110101, the car was partially dismantled in the 1970s and it was not until 1992 that its restoration was to properly begin under the guidance of the highly regarded Austrian restorer Egon Zweimüller.

     

    Completed in 2010, the restored “one-off cabriolet” is now described as “compelling and unprecedented”. It again has a Hermés interior and luggage – this time in black – and has been verified by the Talbot-Lago and Saoutchik authority Peter M. Larsen.

     

    Offered with an unsurprisingly punchy estimate of £1 million to £1.3 million ($1.3 million to $1.6 million, €1.2 million to €1.5 million or درهم4.8 million to درهم6 million) by RM Sotheby’s, the 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport cabriolet by Franay will be sold at Villa Erba on Lake Como on the 27th May.

     

    Marlene’s Motor – 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport cabriolet by Franay – Estimate £1 million to £1.3 million ($1.3 million to $1.6 million, €1.2 million to €1.5 million or درهم4.8 million to درهم6 million) – To be sold by RM Sotheby’s on 27th May 2017 at Villa Erba, Largo Luchino Visconti, 4, 22012 Cernobbio CO, Italy – Actress and singer Marlene Dietrich (1901 – 1992)Marlene’s Motor – 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport cabriolet by Franay – Estimate £1 million to £1.3 million ($1.3 million to $1.6 million, €1.2 million to €1.5 million or درهم4.8 million to درهم6 million) – To be sold by RM Sotheby’s on 27th May 2017 at Villa Erba, Largo Luchino Visconti, 4, 22012 Cernobbio CO, Italy – Actress and singer Marlene Dietrich (1901 – 1992)Marlene’s Motor – 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport cabriolet by Franay – Estimate £1 million to £1.3 million ($1.3 million to $1.6 million, €1.2 million to €1.5 million or درهم4.8 million to درهم6 million) – To be sold by RM Sotheby’s on 27th May 2017 at Villa Erba, Largo Luchino Visconti, 4, 22012 Cernobbio CO, Italy – Actress and singer Marlene Dietrich (1901 – 1992)Marlene’s Motor – 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport cabriolet by Franay – Estimate £1 million to £1.3 million ($1.3 million to $1.6 million, €1.2 million to €1.5 million or درهم4.8 million to درهم6 million) – To be sold by RM Sotheby’s on 27th May 2017 at Villa Erba, Largo Luchino Visconti, 4, 22012 Cernobbio CO, Italy – Actress and singer Marlene Dietrich (1901 – 1992)Marlene’s Motor – 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport cabriolet by Franay – Estimate £1 million to £1.3 million ($1.3 million to $1.6 million, €1.2 million to €1.5 million or درهم4.8 million to درهم6 million) – To be sold by RM Sotheby’s on 27th May 2017 at Villa Erba, Largo Luchino Visconti, 4, 22012 Cernobbio CO, Italy – Actress and singer Marlene Dietrich (1901 – 1992)Marlene’s Motor – 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport cabriolet by Franay – Estimate £1 million to £1.3 million ($1.3 million to $1.6 million, €1.2 million to €1.5 million or درهم4.8 million to درهم6 million) – To be sold by RM Sotheby’s on 27th May 2017 at Villa Erba, Largo Luchino Visconti, 4, 22012 Cernobbio CO, Italy – Actress and singer Marlene Dietrich (1901 – 1992)Marlene’s Motor – 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport cabriolet by Franay – Estimate £1 million to £1.3 million ($1.3 million to $1.6 million, €1.2 million to €1.5 million or درهم4.8 million to درهم6 million) – To be sold by RM Sotheby’s on 27th May 2017 at Villa Erba, Largo Luchino Visconti, 4, 22012 Cernobbio CO, Italy – Actress and singer Marlene Dietrich (1901 – 1992) Marlene’s Motor – 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport cabriolet by Franay – Estimate £1 million to £1.3 million ($1.3 million to $1.6 million, €1.2 million to €1.5 million or درهم4.8 million to درهم6 million) – To be sold by RM Sotheby’s on 27th May 2017 at Villa Erba, Largo Luchino Visconti, 4, 22012 Cernobbio CO, Italy – Actress and singer Marlene Dietrich (1901 – 1992)Marlene’s Motor – 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport cabriolet by Franay – Estimate £1 million to £1.3 million ($1.3 million to $1.6 million, €1.2 million to €1.5 million or درهم4.8 million to درهم6 million) – To be sold by RM Sotheby’s on 27th May 2017 at Villa Erba, Largo Luchino Visconti, 4, 22012 Cernobbio CO, Italy – Actress and singer Marlene Dietrich (1901 – 1992) Marlene’s Motor – 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport cabriolet by Franay – Estimate £1 million to £1.3 million ($1.3 million to $1.6 million, €1.2 million to €1.5 million or درهم4.8 million to درهم6 million) – To be sold by RM Sotheby’s on 27th May 2017 at Villa Erba, Largo Luchino Visconti, 4, 22012 Cernobbio CO, Italy – Actress and singer Marlene Dietrich (1901 – 1992)

  • Witchfinders and Watermills

    Witchfinders and Watermills

    Picturesque watermill used in ‘The Witchfinder General’ and ‘Dad’s Army’ for sale

     

    Witches and water don’t have an affinity – with dunking being a common form of punishment for suspects in the 16th and 17th centuries – and at The Watermill on the River Black Bourn at Ixworth in Suffolk, just such activity occurred in the 1968 film The Witchfinder General.

     

    The Watermill, which is now for sale for £1 million ($1.3 million, €1.2 million or درهم4.6 milllion) through Savills, was also a location in the popular BBC series Dad’s Army and of this property, which until recently was used as a holiday rental, the corporation’s Martha Kearney once remarked: “I can’t think of a more enchanted summer evening than sitting outside the Mill, gazing across the water lilies on the pond to the beautiful island beyond”.

     

    Witchfinder’s and Watermills – The Watermill, Thetford Road, Ixworth, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 2JN – For sale for £1 million ($1.3 million, €1.2 million or درهم4.6 milllion) through Savills and used in The Witchfinder General and Dad’s Army
    The Watermill prior to renovation

     

    A working mill from 1800 until 1946, the 5,848 square foot, three floor building comes with detailed restrictions about how it could be altered given it is Grade II* listed but currently provides 3 reception rooms, 5 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

     

    Previously rented from £1,450 to £3,000 per week depending on season, The Watermill is situated on a three acre plot that includes a picturesque lily-covered mill pond with island and mill race. An outbuilding has lapsed planning permission for conversion into ancillary accommodation whilst the former mill itself retains much of its original machinery.

     

    Witchfinder’s and Watermills – The Watermill, Thetford Road, Ixworth, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 2JN – For sale for £1 million ($1.3 million, €1.2 million or درهم4.6 milllion) through Savills and used in The Witchfinder General and Dad’s ArmyWitchfinder’s and Watermills – The Watermill, Thetford Road, Ixworth, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 2JN – For sale for £1 million ($1.3 million, €1.2 million or درهم4.6 milllion) through Savills and used in The Witchfinder General and Dad’s ArmyWitchfinder’s and Watermills – The Watermill, Thetford Road, Ixworth, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 2JN – For sale for £1 million ($1.3 million, €1.2 million or درهم4.6 milllion) through Savills and used in The Witchfinder General and Dad’s ArmyWitchfinder’s and Watermills – The Watermill, Thetford Road, Ixworth, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 2JN – For sale for £1 million ($1.3 million, €1.2 million or درهم4.6 milllion) through Savills and used in The Witchfinder General and Dad’s ArmyWitchfinder’s and Watermills – The Watermill, Thetford Road, Ixworth, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 2JN – For sale for £1 million ($1.3 million, €1.2 million or درهم4.6 milllion) through Savills and used in The Witchfinder General and Dad’s Army Witchfinder’s and Watermills – The Watermill, Thetford Road, Ixworth, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 2JN – For sale for £1 million ($1.3 million, €1.2 million or درهم4.6 milllion) through Savills and used in The Witchfinder General and Dad’s Army Witchfinder’s and Watermills – The Watermill, Thetford Road, Ixworth, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 2JN – For sale for £1 million ($1.3 million, €1.2 million or درهم4.6 milllion) through Savills and used in The Witchfinder General and Dad’s ArmyWitchfinder’s and Watermills – The Watermill, Thetford Road, Ixworth, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 2JN – For sale for £1 million ($1.3 million, €1.2 million or درهم4.6 milllion) through Savills and used in The Witchfinder General and Dad’s ArmyWitchfinder’s and Watermills – The Watermill, Thetford Road, Ixworth, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 2JN – For sale for £1 million ($1.3 million, €1.2 million or درهم4.6 milllion) through Savills and used in The Witchfinder General and Dad’s ArmyWitchfinder’s and Watermills – The Watermill, Thetford Road, Ixworth, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 2JN – For sale for £1 million ($1.3 million, €1.2 million or درهم4.6 milllion) through Savills and used in The Witchfinder General and Dad’s ArmyWitchfinder’s and Watermills – The Watermill, Thetford Road, Ixworth, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 2JN – For sale for £1 million ($1.3 million, €1.2 million or درهم4.6 milllion) through Savills and used in The Witchfinder General and Dad’s ArmyWitchfinder’s and Watermills – The Watermill, Thetford Road, Ixworth, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 2JN – For sale for £1 million ($1.3 million, €1.2 million or درهم4.6 milllion) through Savills and used in The Witchfinder General and Dad’s Army

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