In the leafy heart of West Sussex, a magnificent old country house has come on to the open market for the first time in its history. Old House at Staplefield, between Horsham and Haywards Heath, is being sold at a guide price of £3.95 million for the 99-year National Trust lease. Theo James-Wright of Blue Book is handling the sale.
That alone would make the sale noteworthy, but the house’s most famous former occupants make it even more so. For 45 heady years, Old House was the much-loved country retreat of the late Lord Snowdon. His mother, Anne Armstrong-Jones, was the granddaughter of Ludwig Messel, who bought the 600-acre Nymans estate in 1890 and created the famous gardens; these were left to the National Trust on his son Leonard Messel’s death in 1953.
(Image credit: Blue Book)
In 1935, Anne re-married to Michael Parsons, 6th Earl of Rosse, and later moved to Nymans with her new husband and her children, Antony and Susan Armstrong-Jones.
The National Trust bequest evidently included Old House, which she gave to her brother, the multi-talented stage designer, Oliver Messel. In 1958, he gave the lease to his nephew, Antony, who was created Earl of Snowdon after marrying Princess Margaret.
(Image credit: Ben Wright / Blue Book)
By then, Old House was in a state of serious disrepair. Undaunted, Snowdon set about transforming the dilapidated late-15th-century building — originally three estate cottages — into a private woodland sanctuary. Here, he played host to royalty, artists, actors and aristocrats, his guest list a Who’s Who of Bohemian post-war Britain that would inspire an entire episode of Netflix’s The Crown.
(Image credit: Ben Wright / Blue Book)Snowdon’s creative skills and eye for design are evident throughout Old House, where the elegant bow windows in the Georgian wing were inspired by the streetscape of Charles Street in Brighton, East Sussex.
(Image credit: Blue Book)(Image credit: Blue Book)An upstairs bathroom is the home of a sort of ‘scandal wall’, created by Snowdon himself, and consisting of his collection of original newspaper cuttings recording royal scandals, society intrigues and major events of the early 20th century.
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(Image credit: Blue Book)
(Image credit: Ben Wright / Blue Book)
His former dark room survives as a library and, hidden within the grounds, is a whimsical folly incorporating a balcony salvaged from the Royal Box during the 1960s refurbishment of Ascot Racecourse.
(Image credit: Ben Wright / Blue Book)
Creating the lake was a different story: expecting the excavation to be the work of a weekend, Snowdon hired a JCB, but was stopped in his tracks by the heavy Sussex clay. It eventually took a dozen men working through the winter to realise his dream.
(Image credit: Blue Book)
Snowdon sold Old House, which is unlisted, privately in 2003. Two years later, it was acquired off-market by the current vendors.
(Image credit: Ben Wright / Blue Book)(Image credit: Ben Wright / Blue Book)(Image credit: Ben Wright / Blue Book)Behind the ancient front door, the dramatic entrance hall opens up to reveal Tudor windows, exposed timbers and the gallery above.
Ground-floor rooms include an impressive double reception room overlooking 5½ acres of enchanting gardens and a panelled Georgian sitting room.
(Image credit: Blue Book)
The heart of the house is the family kitchen, which opens directly onto terraces with views towards Snowdon’s lake.
(Image credit: Ben Wright / Blue Book)
In all, the house provides some 5,750sq ft of accommodation that includes six bedrooms in the main house, with a large pool house providing further living space.
Old House at Staplefield is for sale at a guide price of £3.95 million through Blue Book — see more details.