Bishopstrow
Wiltshire

SOLD

Architect: Michael Newberry

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Situated in a secluded enclave next to the River Wylye, this three-bedroom detached house is surrounded by landscaped gardens and mature trees. The single-storey, steel-frame structure is full of natural light and feels immediately at home in its environment, testament to the skill of its architect Michael Newberry.

The entrance to the house is from a gravel drive with white-rendered walls. The front door opens onto the main living space, a large area which is open and light with travertine floor throughout. There are three bedrooms, including a master bedroom with en-suite bathroom and walk-in wardrobe that leads out to the poolside, and two further bedrooms both with access to the garden. A door from the kitchen/dining room leads onto a wooden deck that wraps around the house to an eight-metre swimming pool.

The main structure of the house is a steel frame, which is grit-blasted, zinc-sprayed and industrially painted. The glass walls reveal a panoramic view of the multiple terraces and gardens designed by the acclaimed landscape designer, John Brookes. In essence the house is one space, divided by rendered partition walls that separate the living areas.

The orientation of the house captures all available sunlight with roof hangings and louvres designed to maximise solar energy in winter and shade the glass from full sun in the summer. The entire structure is insulated to a very high standard, the result being a temperate and very economical house.

Subject to the usual permissions, plans have been drawn-up by Newberry to develop a fourth bedroom and there is potential to convert the double garage into a studio/annex with all services installed for alternative use.

Bishopstrow is a small village on the River Wylye in Wiltshire, approximately two miles south-east of Warminster, which lies on the edge of the Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Warminster boasts many historic attractions as well as nature trails, meadows and grassy marshlands. It is also the nearest town to Longleat, the stately home and seat of the Marquess of Bath and Longleat Safari Park. The Bishopstrow Hotel and Spa is a short drive up the road.

Trains from Warminster to London Waterloo take just over 2 hours, whilst Bath Spa is 30-40 minutes and Bristol is approximately 45 minutes. The A303 is just over 8 miles away for access to London or the West Country.

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.


History

An eminent British architect, Michael Newberry is credited with designing the UK’s first glass and steel house in the Surrey village of Capel. Known as ‘Panshanger’, the house was designed by Newberry at the age of 27 for his own use, a theme that continued throughout his career.

In 2006, Newberry designed a second glass and steel house, this time in the village of Bishopstrow in Wiltshire. The setting was crucial to the design; “From the outset I wanted to create an open, eco-friendly house that would blend seamlessly into the garden and provide a perfect backdrop for displaying contemporary sculpture.” Newberry entrusted the design for the garden to a long-standing colleague, the renowned garden designer John Brookes, having worked together on numerous projects.

In an interview with Wiltshire Magazine in 2008, Newberry said “The garden was designed simultaneously with the house and planning application, which allowed us to get a head start on the garden while the building was going up. The genesis of the house was crystallising in broad terms and the essence of this is that for every space there is a garden relating to that space. Every room you go into has its own garden. There are seven in all. It’s not like looking out of a house and seeing the garden as you would normally. This house has 360 degrees of garden. If you stand in the hub of the house and rotate full circle, you can see seven gardens, which is unusual”.

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