A 125-acre estate on the banks of the River Thames in Oxfordshire, U.K., has been put on the market for £10 million (US$13.2 million) in hopes of finding a savior to return it to its old glory.
The estate, dubbed Coombe Park after the street it’s located on, was built in 1865 for James Gardiner, scion of a wealthy Bristol family that made their fortune in sugar and slave-trading.
Standing in the heart of the sprawling property was an 18th-century mansion with an attached wing and a coach house.
The estate was later passed onto the Howard Family, aristocrats famed for breeding racehorses. Under their ownership until after World War II, the estate was extended to 670 acres, dotted with a range of stables, outbuildings, cottages, barns and offices, according to listing brokerages Strutt & Parker and Knight Frank.
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The historic mansion was partially demolished during World War II. In 1982, a major restoration effort saw the creation of a 13,368-square-feet residence on the foundation of the old wing and the coach house, featuring five reception rooms, seven bedrooms, four bathrooms and a indoor swimming pool.
"Some 30 years ago, the estate was spectacular," said listing agent Mark McAndrew of Strutt & Parker. However, it has been "terribly unloved" for the past four years, making it "a faded glory that time forgot," he said.
He declined to disclose the identity of the current owners or offer reasons for the property’s abandonment.
However, "it has a great location, lots of charm and privacy. Somebody needs to bring it back to life," Mr. McAndrew said.
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The new buyer, ideally, "will either be a developer or a family looking to create their own piece of paradise in the countryside, yet need to still be close to London and Heathrow Airport," said Rupert Sweeting, head of country house sales at Knight Frank, which is co-listing the property.
The estate is 35 miles away from Heathrow and 45 miles from London. It’s nestled on the southern edge of the Chiltern Hills, an "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty" according to Natural England, an organization focused on environmental protection.
Recreational facilities nearby include golf at The Berkshire, Wentworth Golf Club and Caversham Heath Golf Club, racing at Ascot and Newbury, as well as polo at both Windsor Polo Club and Guards Polo Club in Windsor Park.