Gazing out from the windows of Wotton House, a famous Grade-I listed Georgian house in Buckinghamshire, you perhaps wouldn't imagine spying a place like this.
Middle Farm was built in 1977 on a piece of land adjoining Wotton House, an early 18th century home which was once the family home of William Pitt the Younger, and subsequently the Duke of Buckingham (or Richard Plantagenet Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, to give him his full family name). After that family line died out, Wotton has since had a number of owners including Sir John Gielgud and, since 2008, Tony Blair.
All of which makes the village a surprising place to find such a striking modern design as the one featured on this page, a house which is now on the market at £1.35 million with Michael Graham.
Designed by the architect Dominic Michaelis, this late-1970s creation came out of the architectural movement of the time which sought to maximise space and light with floor-to-ceiling windows.
Rather wonderfully, the present owners have kept the place in 1970s fashion, with a brown-green deep shagpile carpet and furniture which wouldn’t look out of place in an Abba video. Even the kitchen has a pleasingly period look which somehow seems just right in the context.
And while lovers of the traditional English country house might be tempted to mop their brow at the architecture, lovers of English country gardens will no doubt see beyond the stark timber-and-glass design, for the all-around glass offers 360-degree views of a formal garden which is truly spectacular, and beyond which lies a lovely orchard.
As well as the eye-catching, open-plan living space there are also four bedrooms and two bathrooms, with the bedrooms opening onto a veranda.
The house comes with around 19 acres of grounds which include open bay garaging, stables, workshops, home offices, and a detached barn – built in a more traditional style – which has the potential to become separate accommodation.
Horse lovers will be delighted to learn that there are paddocks close to the house, which take up almost 16.5 acres of the total land – enough that a manege could easily be built.
The house was featured in Ideal Home magazine when it was built back in the 1970s.
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