Wytham Abbey was described by The Times as ‘one of the loveliest houses in England,’ back in 1991. More than 30 years later, and that accolade still holds true. It seems that turrets, castellations, sprawling land, marble fireplaces, oak staircases and plenty of secret nooks, crannies and doorways never go out of fashion. Quite the contrary, this resplendent 27-bedrrom, 27,000 square foot house in Oxford (just outside of the town, but surrounded by countryside) is on the market for an astounding £15 million.
So popular is the house that the property portal Rightmove has seen it jump into their top-five most viewed properties of this year. But the house, which has been used for events in the last few years, is not a new point of fascination. It's been on the radar of some of the most influential people in the world since its erection in the 15th century, with Queen Elizabeth I, Olive Cromwell and Queen Victoria among them.
Now a Grade I-listed property (of which there are only around 9,000 in the UK), the abbey was constructed by the Harcourt family in 1480. There are still some remaining features from the original building, including a Tudor-arched doorway, stained glass panels, battlements and oriel windows.
Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries during Henry VIII's reign, the abbey was passed to the Earth of Abingdon (Willoughby Bertie) whose own property Rycote had burned down. By the end of the 1820s, the house had undergone significant changes in line with the ‘collegiate Gothic’ aesthetic popular of the age. In 1920, Colonel Raymond ffennell bought the property from the Abingdon line and subsequently bequeathed it to the University of Oxford. Oxford then divided it into apartments in 1956, but by 1991 the house had fallen into disrepair and was up for sale. Today, though, the house has been restored and returned to pristine condition.
Most country estates of this scale are located remotely, set away from a town or village. Wytham, though, has the best of both worlds. The abbey is vast and magnificent, towering over the countryside, but is still nestled in the gorgeous village of Wytham. At just 20 minutes from the city of Oxford and a stone's throw from London, the abbey is also very well connected.
Every one of the countless windows also has views over either rambling countryside - Port Meadow, the largest area of common land in the county, parkland or Wytham Woods - or the beautiful architecture of Oxford proper.
Inside, the house is predictably grand, but comfortable too. The walls are painted a variety of heritage colours, from minty green to crushed raspberry. The future owners will have their choice of well-proportioned living rooms and entertaining spaces, including an intimate dining room hidden behind a secret, panelled door.
The abbey is for sale with Savills at £15,000,000.
