House buyers in need of a world-class croquet lawn need look no further than this Oxfordshire home. And everyone else will likely be keen too, as Penny Churchill explains.
At the southern end of the Chilterns National Landscape, Nick Warner of Knight Frank in Henley-on-Thames is handling the sale, for the first time in 40 years, of the wonderfully private Great David’s in the hamlet of Kingwood, Oxfordshire, five miles west of Henley and 10 miles from Marlow, Buckinghamshire.
The charming Edwardian house, which is unlisted, stands in 10¾ acres of immaculate gardens and grounds, surrounded by open farmland and pockets of privately owned beech woodland. It is for sale at a guide price of £5m for the house with 6¾ acres and an additional 4½-acre paddock is available by separate negotiation.
Built by the Maxwell family in about 1909, Great David’s was acquired in 1984 by the present owner, who then had it beautifully redesigned internally with bespoke Philip Koomen joinery throughout.
The house offers 5,339sq ft of accommodation on three floors, including a large reception hall, drawing room, wood-panelled dining room, and a comfortable snug that leads into a Smallbone-designed family kitchen.
The first floor houses six bedrooms and three bathrooms, with a large study, bathroom and attics on the second floor.
The gardens and grounds, originally laid out by the Maxwell family, were revived in the early 1980s by the owner’s wife, who worked with landscape architect Ian Teh to develop the rose garden and re-establish the herbaceous borders.
The family’s passion for sport is evident in the range of facilities at Great David’s, which include a cricket net, tennis court, swimming pool and pool house.
The pièce de résistance is the croquet lawn, which the owner’s wife had dug up and re-seeded some 25 years ago. Maintained since then by professional greenkeepers, it’s been the setting each July for a private tournament attended by the country’s leading players, including a former world champion.
Great David’s is for sale at £5m — see more details and pictures.
Best country houses for sale this week
A house that's straight out of Cider With Rosie, and a picture-perfect cottage that's commutable to London make it into
