Property description

 

The Orchid House

St Lawrence • ISLE OF WIGHT

A superbly-designed, award-winning, stunning, glass house overlooking the sea with secluded beaches nearby.



These particulars are intended only as a guide and must not be relied upon as statements of fact. Your attention is drawn to the Important Notice on the last page of the text.





Reception hall - Large open plan Kitchen and Dining area – Pantry - Sitting Room - Conservatory - Shower Room - Two Balconies - Master Bedroom suite - Guest Bedroom suite - 2 further Bedrooms - Family Bathroom - Extensive Lower Ground Floor with 2 terraces onto a Reflective Pool and with scope for the following accommodation: Studio/Games Room - Atrium - Cinema Room/Bedroom 5 - Gymnasium/Bedroom 6 - Workshop/Wine Cellar - Planning Consent for double Garage (foundation laid).



Approximate Gross Internal Area

6347 sq ft (589.8 sq m) (excluding Reflective Pool/Void, Balconies and Terraces).



The Orchid House - For sale freehold.



An award winning design by Jean and David Firmstone with architect Gian Giblett RIBA,

The Orchid House is without doubt a very special coastal home blending modern architecture within an historic pedigree.

Sculpted from and upon the base of a Victorian orchid house, it stands above gently-sloping pastures and rocky crags; leading down to the shore and beneath the wooded south-facing slope of the famous Undercliff with spectacular panoramic sea vistas of the English Channel framed by home oak standards. One of several prestigious homes on the former Old Park Estate, The Orchid House is an exciting blend of the old and the new. And is set in an area of outstanding beauty.



Enchanting coastal paths nearby take you down to the water's edge with beaches at Binnal and Woody Bays. The area has many lovely paths and is renown for the quality of the walking and riding, particularly the downland trails with their spectacular coastal and countryside views.

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What sets The Orchid house apart from many other fine coastal properties is not only its impressive footprint, high design, build quality and light, airy feel, but its sea views, seclusion and ability to access nearby beaches; not only a premium on the Island but across the general coastal market.



The lower ground floor retains its brick-vaulted ceiling, immensely thick walls and original structure; the use of a south-facing external light well and reflective pool bring this floor to life and the bridge above provides both an impressive entrance and a link to the beautifully-planted gardens which take advantage of the renown mild micro-climate of this very special and picturesque area.



The imaginative use of glass pays homage to the original Victorian orchid house and sets the tone for the wonderfully-luxurious overall design; all of which serves to make it unique. The Orchid House has been featured in numerous design magazines, a television film and was the overall winner of the R.I.B.A. Isle of Wight Award (2009).



The Orchid House is both a perfect coastal family home and weekend holiday retreat. Care has been taken to ensure that modern comforts, fixtures and fittings come together effortlessly throughout to create an extremely comfortable and luxurious house in a prime coastal position.



The principal reception rooms are arrayed along the south front of the property with impressive walls of self-cleaning glass to take advantage of the very special views and the quality of light reflected off the sea.



This transparency affords a greater scale of light, as well as introducing vistas and views of an ever-changing seascape that few are lucky enough to experience. From the Reception Hall Room sliding pocket doors link the Kitchen and the Sitting Room across the full width of the house; pairs of glazed doors open out into the gardens to link the outside and interior across balconies, steps and the bridge to great effect.



Built for and by acclaimed artist David Firmstone MBE, RWS and his wife Jean, the walls of the property are suited to displaying significant paintings and sculpture in the very best of light. The rooms have been linked together and with the grounds in order to provide an impressive, extended entertaining space within this wonderful setting, particularly in the warmer months. www.davidfirmstone.com



With a total of between 4 and 6 bedrooms and 4 bath/shower rooms there is ample accommodation to cater for a large number of family members and guests. The Lower Ground Floor offers a true 'blank canvas' suited to either bedroom accommodation or a variety of recreational and leisure uses perhaps as space for a gallery, gymnasium, studio, cinema or play/rec rooms. The Kitchen is open-plan to the dining area and includes 2 dishwashers, two refrigerators, 2 freezers, four ovens and two hobs providing 8 rings (induction & ceramic). There is a separate pantry,



The proximity of the sea and its many leisure opportunities provides a real further dimension to the use of The Orchid House – a true coastal retreat.





Gardens and Grounds



The gardens and terraces have been laid out to make the best use of the south-facing aspect and mild microclimate of this very special location which has enabled a Mediterranean theme to be followed. The grounds are mainly laid to lawn with a curved, gravelled parking sweep providing ample parking. The planting includes fruit trees (apple, plum, persimmon, pomegranate and raspberry) and a collection of rare and more familiar palms (Washington, sago, jelly, dwarf fan, Canary Island Date, yucca) as well as specimen trees and shrubs including box, bay, phormium and Italian Cypresses. The planting is not rigid or overly-formal but is designed to augment and embrace the building in its setting providing, with the wooded slope, an impressive backdrop to this spectacular home. Planning permission exists for a garage and the foundations have been laid to perpetrate the consent.



Historical Note



The Orchid House was once part of the Old Park Estate itself part of the ancient manor of Wathe – the lands beneath the cliffs. It was once owned by the Worsley Family (made infamous by the 18th Century scandal of Sir Richard & Lady Seymour Worsley and her many lovers) and may have been first called the Old Park when the new park was established at their seat at Appuldurcombe. In 1883 Old Park was bought by Theodor Julius William Spindler, a German industrial chemist from Berlin. With energy, he set about many projects locally water hydrants in Whitwell and a sea wall and quay at Binnel Bay to serve a new town never built. He imported from the Mediterranean over a million shrubs trees and plants for Old Park. He built the original orchid house - a spectacular tropical glass house with an undercroft whose vaulted ceiling survives in the lower ground floor today. A vast boiler heated trays of water to produce the steamy, tropical atmosphere necessary for him to cultivate rare orchids. The fine original chimney survives and rises above and behind the building still. The projects were abandoned and the property fell into decay in the 20th Century. The substantial remains of Spindler's Glasshouse form the basis for The Orchid House which was completed in 2009 and the design pays its respects to the original structure.



Isle of Wight

With approximately 57 miles of coastline, its naturally mild climate, a number of idyllic towns and villages and an incredibly diverse range of landscapes, most of which are designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Isle of Wight is the perfect setting for this wonderful, unique house a perfect family home and weekend coastal retreat.



Shopping & Dining

The popular seaside town of Ventnor lies to the east with many local shops offering day-to-day shopping and everything that visitors and locals require including a number of good restaurants, cafes and pubs The picturesque Haven and beach are set in a natural amphitheatre with the south-facing town rising above the Esplanade. More extensive facilities can be found in the central, county town of Newport (including M&S & Sainsbury), East Cowes (Waitrose), Ryde (Tesco). There are many excellent restaurants on the Island including the Royal Hotel in Ventnor and The Pond Café in Bonchurch, Thompsons and some wonderful beach cafés and bars – particularly at Steephill Cove.



Sailing and Watersports

The waters off the Island are famed for their sailing with Cowes, the Mecca of the sailing world, being the home of world yachting. There are various havens and harbours around the Island for most sizes of pleasure craft.



Travel by Car

Communications are very good with the M3 motorway from

Southampton providing easy access to and from London and

the A3 from Portsmouth with the newly opened Hindhead

Tunnel now cutting the journey by twenty minutes. Along

with regular train services from Southampton Central

Station. Connections with the mainland, more importantly,

are exceptional with a number of regular car and passenger

ferry routes.



Travel by Rail

1hr 10min by train from Southampton Central to London Waterloo.



Travel by Ferry

www.redfunnel.co.uk runs two routes (East Cowes ( car 60 mins) and Cowes (fast passenger 23 mins) to and from Southampton. Both services connect to a free bus service to Southampton Central Station.



www.wightlink.co.uk runs three routes (Yarmouth-Lymington (car 35 mins) & Fishbourne-Portsmouth( car 40 mins)) and a Ryde-Portsmouth fast passenger service (22 mins) which arrives at Portsmouth Harbour Station.



Travel by Air

The private airfields of Sandown (8 miles) and Bembridge

(14 miles) offer a link for private flights from the UK

mainland.

(All distances and times are approximate)





Services

Mains water and Mains electricity. Bulk LPG Gas.

Private drainage. The heating system is powered by

A LPG gas-fired boiler via under-floor heating and radiators.



Local Authority

Isle of Wight Council, County Hall, High Street, Newport,

Isle of Wight, PO30 1UD.

Tel: (01983) 821000

Fixtures and Fittings

All items usually known as tenant's fixtures and fittings

whether mentioned or not in these particulars together

are excluded from the sale but some may be available by

separate negotiation. Such items include all carpets and

curtains, light fittings, domestic electrical items and

garden statuary.

Viewing

Strictly by prior appointment with the Sole Agents: Biles & Co.



Directions (PO38 1XR)



St Lawrence is well signed from Niton, Whitwell and Ventnor. Approaching from Whitwell, turn right onto St Lawrence Shute and then right onto Seven Sisters Road and left onto Spindler's Road. At the 'T' junction turn right onto the A3055 Undercliff Drive then left onto Old Park Road. Bear left and follow signs towards Old Park and The Orchid House will be found on the right hand side.





Important Notice

1. Particulars: These particulars are not an offer or contract, nor part of one. You should not rely on statements by Biles & Co in the

particulars or by word of mouth or in writing ("information") as being factually

accurate about the property, its condition or its value. Biles & Co does not have any authority to make any representations about the property, and accordingly any information given is entirely without responsibility on the part of the agents, seller(s) or lessor(s).

2. Photos etc: The photographs show only certain parts of the property as they appeared at the time they were taken. Areas, measurements and distances given are approximate only.

3. Regulations etc: Any reference to alterations to, or use of, any part of the

property does not mean that any necessary planning, building regulations or

other consent has been obtained. A buyer or lessee must find out by inspection or in other ways that these matters have been properly dealt with and that all information is correct.

4. VAT: The VAT position relating to the property may change without notice.



Particulars dated: September 2015. Photographs dated: 2009-2015

Biles & Co Ltd is a limited company registered in England with

registered number 08304788. (Registered office as below).



Biles & Co

The Estate Office 13 High Street

Bembridge

Isle of Wight PO35 5SD

Tel: +44 (0)1983 872335

sam@bilesandco.co.uk

www.bilesandco.co.uk