Tag: shooting

Pricey Pickhurst

130 acre Surrey estate with gardens by Arabella Lennox Boyd for sale for £28 million (or £13 million more than it was marketed for in 2013)

A Surrey estate has gone on sale for 87% more than in was offered for four years ago.

Featured in Country Life in 2013 whilst for sale for £15 million ($19.1 million, €17.1 million or درهم70 million) and on the market now for the much higher sum of £28 million ($35.6 million, €31.9 million or درهم130.7 million), Pickhurst at Chiddingfold, near Goldalming centres around a 15,430 square foot Grade II* listed mansion.

Built by the Scottish born architect J. M. Brydon for himself in 1885 in the style of Norman Shaw and most recently refurbished by developers Royalton, the main half-timbered house was originally much larger. Reduced in size in the 1950s, after a fire devastated its service wing, it now includes not only 6 reception rooms and 6 bedroom suites, but also a vast wine cellar, a belvedere tower and a home cinema.

A further 3 bedrooms and a “hot relaxation suite” can be found in an adjoining coach house and in addition to two further 3 bedroom cottages and a Grade II listed gate lodge, there is also a stable block, machinery barn and garage. In total, internal space extends to some 30,000 square foot.

Unusually for a property just 42 miles from central London, Pickhurst comes with 130 acres of land. Divided into formal gardens partly designed by Lady Lennox-Boyd and Chelsea gold medalist Fiona Lawrenson, woodland and pasture, there is also a 1.23 acre lake, a clay tennis court and an outdoor swimming pool. A family shoot on the estate is described as “regularly having 250 bird days”.

Selling agent, Trevor Kearney of Savills, is far from modest in talking about Pickhurst. In marketing material for the property, he gushes:

“This is the very best country estate that I have ever seen. Pickhurst is a best in class offering of unquestionable style and quality”.

Of the renovation works he carried out to the house, in 2013, West Sussex based architect Ian Adam Smith, commented:

“At the outset, the house looked as if it had been more or less chainsawed in half, yet, in spite of the fact that, before the fire, it was almost twice its size, local planning regulations would only allow us to extend the footprint by 40%”.

“And, with no plans and no service wing to work with, we had to more or less create an entire new country house within a Grade II* listed building bearing in mind all the restrictions that that implies. Luckily, I was given a free hand by my very fastidious client, and we were able to build a new entrance, incorporate a modern-kitchen/family-living complex, upgrade the bedrooms and bathrooms, install acres of walnut panelling and replace the existing cherry-wood flooring with oak parquetry”.

“With more than a nod to Lutyens, Webb and, in the gardens, to Gertrude Jekyll, we also reintroduced some interesting original features, such as the belvedere from where you can look out across the roofs of the many and varied Arts-and-Crafts houses that are a distinctive feature of Chiddingfold and the other villages in this wonderful part of Surrey”.

Current pictures of the property removed at request of Claire Basing Lawson of Savills, 23rd August 2017.

June 23, 2017
An Epic Estate

Scottish sporting estate, once home to Sir Walter Scott, for sale; it comes with nearly two miles of fishing on the River Tweed, 863 acres of land and seven houses

The Scottish estate where Sir Walter Scott, Bt. (1771 – 1732) wrote his narrative poems Lay of the Minstrel and The Lady of the Lake and his epic, Marmion, has recently been placed for sale for £5.5 million ($7.1 million, €6.4 million or درهم26.2 million).

Offered by Savills and leased by the novelist, playwright and poet from 1804 to 1812, Ashiestiel House in Selkirkshire stands above in 863 acres above the River Tweed and is 35 miles from the centre of Edinburgh. It comes with six further dwellings, 1¾ miles of salmon and sea trout fishing on the River Tweed, an in-hand stock farm, commercial forestry, a pheasant shooting, duck flighting and equestrian facilities.

Sir Walter Scott, Bt. (1771 – 1732) was the tenant of Ashiestiel for eight years prior to moving to Abbotsford, an estate he eventually expanded to some 1,000 acres

An Epic Estate – Ashiestiel, Clovenfords, Lauderdale, Selkirkshire, Scotland, TD1 3LJ, United Kingdom

Extending to 10,360 square foot and renovated in 2011, the estate’s Grade A listed main residence includes 5 reception rooms, 9 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms. It dates to the 17^th century and amongst its features are a peel tower and space described as suitable for entertaining “on a grand scale”.

Ashiestiel was last placed on the market – with just 24 acres of land and its two gate lodges – for £1.75 million in 2009 (the equivalent of £2.15 million, $2.79 million, €2.48 million or درهم10.26 million today). At the time, then owner and joint master of the Buccleuch hunt, Robert Claydon, told The Telegraph:

“I’ve come back from cubbing and caught a salmon at the end of the garden. It’s very wild countryside – south of us you won’t hit a road for 10 miles. It was the best move we ever made coming here. We escaped the rat race – people understand the countryside up here”.

May 25, 2017
An MP’s Manor

Norfolk manor house owned by anti-Brexit Conservative politician Lord Prior of Brampton for sale for £3 million

David Prior – now The Rt. Hon. The Lord Prior of Brampton – undoubtedly was a decent and able Member of Parliament. Educated at Charterhouse and Cambridge, he became first an investment banker with Lehman Brothers and Lazard and then subsequently represented the Norfolk North constituency between 1997 and 2001.

A Conservative but one with a belief that “the role of the market is hugely limited in health and social care” and that Brexit will be “a terrible mistake”, 62-year old Mr Prior – whose father was the “Tory wet” Jim, later The Rt. Hon. The Lord Prior PC (1927 – 2016) – acquired Swannington Manor, ten miles north of Norwich in 1990 with his wife and has recently put it up for sale for £3 million ($3.8 million, €3.5 million or درهم13.8 million).

Standing in 96.5 acres, Swannington Manor is a Grade II listed red brick built house that dates to around 1700. It retains many period features, extends to 7,519 square foot and includes 5 reception rooms, 8 bedrooms and a self-contained annexe. A 3 bedroom lodge – let on a protected tenancy – stands beside the property’s entrance gates and aside from various outbuildings, barns and stores, there are formal and informal gardens, a kitchen garden, a heated outdoor swimming pool and a hard tennis court.

Primarily to the south and west of the house are grazing meadows, water meadows, a trout stream, a series of ponds and areas of woodland. These have been maintained with conservation and duck flighting in mind and form what the selling agents Savills describe as “a small sporting estate”.

Surprisingly, given his comments about Britain leaving the EU, Lord Prior of Brampton was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 21^st December 2016.

April 13, 2017
Bigots & Baseball Caps

Intolerance comes in many forms but the very worst kind is middle class hypocrisy

In a week when Damien Hirst was told: “Go home!” by animal rights activists in Venice (who also dumped 40kg of dung outside where he is due to exhibit a non-animal related show at the Palazzo Grassi), I, myself, experienced the wrath of a middle class maniac.

On Saturday, minding my own business, walking along a quiet South Kensington street, I was accosted by a well-dressed woman. She screeched at me: “Take that hat off. It promotes terrorism”.

My crime? Wearing a William Evans baseball cap. The reasoning for her distaste? The cap was captioned: “Gun and rifle makers, 1883”.

After I responded to this ridiculous individual by telling her: “I can wear whatever I wish” and she had had her chance to rant about about intolerance and extremism, I realized one sorry thing: Here, in front of me, stood was nothing but the worst kind of bigot.

William Evans signature baseball caps are available for £25. Wear one at your peril.

March 27, 2017
A Working Rolls

1959 Rolls-Royce estate car owned by late industrial tycoon Orin Smith to be auctioned; it was bizarrely designed to include beds and a loud air horn to “blast” cattle off the highway

Florida based businessman and retired CEO of the Engelhard Corporation Orin Smith (1935 – 2016) was passionate about cars and next month, those with deep pockets will be in with a chance to purchase 58 vehicles from his collection that will be sold, mostly without reserve, by RM Sotheby’s at their annual Amelia Island sale on 10^th and 11^th March.

Amongst the eclectic selection of classic and contemporary cars from the late industrialist’s collection is a 1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I estate car by H. J. Mulliner and Radford. One of just two examples, this immaculate short-wheelbase shooting brake was originally supplied to a Robert L. McCormick of Wichita, Kansas and transported to New York on the Cunard flagship Queen Elizabeth.

McCormick kept the car – which features a luggage space that can accommodate items up to 6-foot long – until 1965 and on selling it to a Palm Beach based judge named Lewis M. Schott, penned the new owner a letter that read:

The Radford conversion is a “complete job”. I will explain to your chauffeur and secretary how it makes into beds, etc, etc.

I’ll explain the 3-way horn switch to your employees. I used the loud horn for “blasting” livestock off the Mexican highways.

Finally, I hope you have as much fun out of the car as I have had. It should go 200,000 miles without work on it… A serious sacroiliac precludes long motor trips for me for a few years, and I’m an unhappy warrior when I think about it.

Sold again in 2007 to Florida Roll-Royce expert Richard Gorman, the shooting brake was then subject to an 18-month renovation. It is now presented in velvet green and a sage with parchment leather interior piped in velvet green and features upgraded air conditioning.

Of the overall collection to be sold on behalf of Smith’s family, Don Rose of RM Sotheby’s remarked:

I had the great pleasure of knowing Orin Smith and found him to be a true gentleman in every sense of the word.

In addition to his impressive gathering of some of the finest Rolls-Royce and Bentley automobiles, Orin displayed an eclectic taste with a keen eye for other icons of style, including sporting machinery from pre-war to the best of the contemporary.

The common thread here is beauty, in both design and engineering; fitting for a man of generous spirit devoted to excellence. Because of those qualities, Orin Smith was beloved to the Amelia Island crowd, which makes the offering of his collection at our Amelia Island venue all the more poignant.

Of the shooting brake itself, the auctioneer adds:

Numerous Rolls-Royce shooting brakes exist, but many of them are crude later conversions. This car is a true and authentic coachbuilt original, created to the exacting specifications of its original owner, and restored to that same high standard – air horns and all. Errant cattle, consider yourselves warned.

February 6, 2017
Anything Can Happen

5,000 acre Irish estate where “anything can happen” for sale for £24.1 million; its current owner would prefer a buyer who’ll allow him to use it for three months a year

Michael Jackson hid out at Luggala in County Wicklow, Ireland in 2006 for three months after being cleared of child molestation charges and other guests at this magical estate have included Francis Bacon, Orlando Bloom, Bono, John Paul Getty II, Mel Gibson, John Hurt, Mick Jagger, Patrick Leigh Fermor, Paul McCartney and Anita Pallenberg.

Encompassing a plot of some 5,000 acres, Luggala (meaning: “a hollow in a ridge”) is also known as ‘Fancy Mountain’ and has been used in films including Zardoz, Braveheart and Excalibur. It is located 28 miles south-west of Dublin, was described by the singer Marianne Faithfull as “the most beautiful place in the world” and the main house there has gradually morphed into what has been called “the most decorative honeypot in Ireland”.

Architecturally significant, Luggala Lodge (also known as Luggala Castle), was built in 1787 and is lauded as having “that special brand of 18^th century Gothick that rejoices in little battlements, crochets, trefoil and quatrefoil windows and ogee mantelpieces, Indeed, quite like the Gothick of pastry cooks and Rockingham china”. It “boasts all the appurtenances of a grand castle but on a miniature scale” and though standing on a modest footprint, extends to some 7,438 square foot in total.

In 1937, the estate was bought by the Hon. Ernest Guinness (1876 – 1949) and given to his daughter, Oonagh, on her marriage to Lord Oranmore and Browne – a peer with the rare distinction of managing to sit in the House of Lords without ever saying a single thing. It subsequently became a place where “nobody could stay away: Dublin intelligentsia, literati, painters, actors, scholars, hangers-on, toffs, punters, poets and social hang-gliders” and was even immortalised in poetry by Seamus Heaney.

Current owner of Luggala, the decidedly eccentric the Hon. Dr. Garech Browne (born 1939)

Luggala Lodge, Roundwood, Leinster, County Wicklow, Ireland

Luggala Lodge after a fire in 1956

Oonagh Guinness, Oonagh, Lady Oranmore and Browne (1910 – 1995)

On Oonagh, Lady Oranmore and Browne’s death in 1970, the estate passed into the “custody” of her son, the Hon. Dr. Garech Browne. He has spent considerable sums restoring the house and made it a “cultural hub for Irish music, art and literature”. A co-founder of the record label Claddagh Records and instrumental in the formation of the traditional Irish folk group, The Chieftans, Browne and his Indian princess wife, Purna Devi of Morvi, added an indoor swimming pool to Luggala Lodge as well as a Gothic library for his collection of 8,000 books.

Now for sale due to 77-year old Garlech Browne and his wife primarily choosing to be based in Singapore, it has been suggested that the Irish State should purchase the estate. Thus far no offer has been forthcoming and this week Jennifer O’Connell of The Irish Times even penned an article that suggested: “Opening the national chequebook is not the way to secure [Luggala’s] future”.

Luggala – which comes with 7 estate lodges and cottages – is offered jointly by Sotheby’s International Realty and Crawford’s with a guide price of £24.1 million ($30.1 million, €28 million or درهم110.7 million). The Guernsey based Guinness Trust that currently controls the actual ownership of the property has indicated that it “seeks a freehold sale and will entertain offers with both vacant possession and non-vacant possession”. Though such a deal seems as unlikely as that that Christian de Guigné IV proposed of his £81 million ($100 million, €94 million or درهم367 million) estate at Hillsborough in California, at the mythical delight that is Luggala, anything could indeed happen.

February 4, 2017
Kind Hearts and Box Ejectors

William Evans 12-bore commissioned by Sir Alec Guinness in 1959 to be auctioned; it cost just £95 new

Sir Alec Guinness (1914 – 2000) was undoubtedly one of Britain’s finest ever actors. He is remembered for playing eight characters in Kind Hearts and Coronets in 1949 and also appeared in The Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago.

In 1959, the screen legend was knighted and in the year, he commissioned St James’s Street gun makers William Evans to make a 12-bore boxlock ejector gun for his son, Matthew. He paid £95.18.6 (the equivalent of £1,994, $2,528 or €2,390 or درهم‎‎9,284 today) for it and now that gun is to be sold by Holts on 8^th December in London.

Of the gun, Alastair Phillips of William Evans commented:

“I can only imagine the excitement in the gunroom the day that Sir Alec Guinness walked in. We have had many well known names pass through our door, but I would have definitely liked to have met Sir Alec, a legendary film actor and knighted Brit. It is wonderful to know that he embraced and enjoyed what the British countryside has to offer, and we are excited we can now share the story of his passion with the public”.

An estimate of £3,000 to £5,000 ($3,800 to $6,400 or €3,600 to €6,000 or درهم‎‎14,000 to درهم23,400‎‎) has been set and Matthew Guinness’ initials remain engraved on the gun’s oval.

December 4, 2016
Shoot and Stay

Kelly Double suggests where to learn to shoot and where to stay within easy reach of London

There’s seldom a diversion from city life as effective as a session of clay shooting. In the wake of Team GB’s Olympic successes and as the shooting season is getting underway, there’s never been a better time to put your finger to the trigger and immerse yourself in this heritage, country sport.

The wide rural skies and focus on hitting targets can easily chase away the stresses of urban living with exhilaration. With both grouse and partridge already in season, and pheasants joining at the beginning of October, I have pulled together my top four destinations for learning how to shoot, and which countryside establishment nearby you can rely on to provide you with delicious sustenance afterwards. My options have varied menus and low-key luxury bedrooms and are thus perfect spots to recharge after a long day in the fresh air.

Shoot at The Oxford Gun Company

Located just an hour outside London and set in some 400 acres of stunning quintessential British countryside, The Oxford Gun Company is an award winning family-run shooting ground with over 40 years’ experience in the business. Surrounded by rolling countryside, and a course set across babbling brooks, there is no better place to become immersed in this heritage sport.

The instructors at The Oxford Gun Company teach the Stanbury Method and have the experience that it takes to truly give you the best introduction to the sport, guiding you from the very beginning – Amber Hill trained here and completed its TSC Academy, so they know what they’re doing. Whether you aspire to the Olympic rings, or just want to enjoy some time in the countryside, the team can help you hit the targets to get there.

Then dine and stay at The Pheasant

Celebrate a successful day’s shooting at The Pheasant, Brill. Just down the road from The Oxford Gun Company, the pub is perched on a hill and enjoys views over the historic Brill Windmill and neighbouring counties. The Pheasant, to my mind, offers the true country pub package.

You can sample a wide range of traditional dishes, made on site with locally sourced, seasonal produce and then head to bed in one of the cosy rooms. Service is friendly and the atmosphere excellent.

Shoot at Lady’s Wood

Set amidst the beautiful Gloucestershire countryside, with easy access from both the M4 and M5, Lady’s Wood is not far from Bristol and Bath. The grounds are set in 65 acres of natural woodland with a quintessentially welcoming Cotswold stone lodge.

The course has a large variety of sporting traps which can simulate anything, from a bolting rabbit to a long distance pheasant thrown from the 120 ft High Tower – a special feature of the school and one of the highest in the country. Lady’s Wood instructors are always delighted to introduce new shooters to the sport, delivering a full and thorough understanding in all aspects of gun safety and shooting etiquette. The team are skilled in the tuition of juniors and ladies and will make you feel relaxed and safe whilst building confidence in your new skills.

Then dine and stay at The King’s Arms

A traditional British pub and hotel set within the small village of Didmarton in the beautiful Cotswolds, The King’s Arms is an absolute treat. Serving local ales and beers alongside an evolving menu of seasonal British cuisine it’s a sure fire way to enjoy countryside comfort. The restaurant only uses the freshest locally sourced produce and all game on offer comes direct from the neighbouring country estates.

With a choice of self-catering cottages in the stables of the original 17^th century King’s Arms, or cottage-style bed and breakfast rooms the luxurious touches will allow you to feel like the Cotswolds is truly your home. Dogs are welcome too – so there’s no need to be afraid of bringing the pooch along for an adventure.

Shoot at The Royal Berkshire Shooting School

Established over two decades ago, The Royal Berkshire Shooting School is recognised as one of the finest facilities of its kind. The school employs seven full-time, professional shooting instructors, and has one of the most expansive shooting grounds in the country.

Its frontline team of shooting professionals has amassed over 100,000 hours as instructors and more than 125 years of experience in the shooting and fishing business. You will know you’re in safe hands. If you want a challenge in a forward-thinking environment, this is the place for you.

Then dine and stay at The Yew Tree

The Yew Tree Inn is a delightful 17th century country pub with rooms and excellent dining situated in the lovely English countryside, moments from Highclere Castle. The food here is an absolute treat, and as a result, The Yew Tree has quite rightly built up a reputation for its high standard of food and service.

With two AA Rosettes, The Yew Tree’s superb kitchen team is headed up by Emma Broom whose has over 20 years of experience cooking great British cuisine. Menus are inspired by the surrounding English countryside, so expect to dine on fresh fish and game plucked straight from forests and rivers nearby. Every one of the rooms has been designed with comfort and relaxation in mind and you’ll not be disappointed. Dogs are more than welcome in some of the rooms and The Yew Tree can even provide facilities such as dog beds and water bowls on request.

Shoot at Bisley

Easily accessible from London and set in the Surrey countryside, the short journey to the countryside will evoke a sudden release of tension that only the outdoors can prompt. A leader in the world of clay shooting, Bisley was founded in 1895 and its grounds are continually being developed to ensure an unbeatable service and variety of targets. It’s ideal for both beginners looking for an introduction to the sport and more seasoned shots. Each instructor is carefully selected and the great majority have shot for Great Britain.

Beginners looking for step-by-step advice can request one-to-one lessons to start off on the right foot whilst seasoned professionals can polish their skills with top tips from the very best in the business.

Then dine and stay at The Inn at West End

Just 20 minutes from Bisley and recently refurbished to the highest standard, The Inn at West End is the perfect escape from the city. Fresh, seasonal produce is the cornerstone of each and every plate and longstanding, excellent relationships with its suppliers mean that the menu changes and evolves according to the best ingredients dependent on the time of year. Nuanced, innovative dishes sit happily alongside more traditional, British pub classics. Disappointment is not an option.

Each room is individually decorated in a contemporary country style and equipped with all you need for a relaxing stay in rural idyll. With beds that look (and feel) like clouds, flat-screen TVs, broadband access, en-suite wet rooms, safes sized to accommodate shotguns and many other thoughtful details this is an inn that will impress. Two rooms even cater for dogs, and one for guests who require additional accessibility facilities.

Kelly Double is an account executive at Zambuni, a marketing agency specialising in the country lifestyle sector. Follow her on Twitter at @KellyDouble1.

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