Location

Mill House is situated in the centre of Sutton Courtenay, a picturesque Oxfordshire village, but tucked away behind high walls and mature pleached limes. The River Thames forms its northern boundary.

Ideally located for easy access to London, from both the motorway and rail networks via the A34 and Didcot Parkway respectively. Heathrow (Terminal 2) is only 48 miles away and Oxford's private airport only 16 miles.

The village has a primary school, two pubs, The Fish restaurant, an active church, village hall, recreation ground, village stores and post office. There are lovely walks including along The Thames Path, and The Hanson Cycle Way connects Oxford to Harwell, enabling a cycle commute to Didcot Parkway.

The market town of Abingdon, just five miles away, is ideal for everyday shopping requirements, with its weekly markets and two large supermarkets. The Leisure Centre has indoor and outdoor tennis courts and a swimming pool. Tilsley Park has a UK Athletics A Grade track and field facility and two full sized, artificial hockey and football pitches. There are also rugby and rowing clubs based in the town.

There is a wide choice of schools in the area including The Europa School, Radley College, Downe House, Stowe, Marlborough College as well as the highly regarded day schools in Abingdon and Oxford. The village is on regular bus routes to Oxford and Abingdon and the private schools run their own bus service.

There is a primary school in the village and Chandlings, and Moulsford prep schools are nearby.

History
The original paper mill, with its tall chimney, achieved national importance between 1697 to 1724, when the Bank of England commissioned Sutton Mill to produce special, hard to forge, paper for bank notes. Paper production continued after the contract ended, and the Mill thrived. In 1741 Mill House was built for the foreman of the mill. Paper was produced on the site until the end of the 19th century when the mill closed in 1881. Over the ensuing years the mill and its chimney fell into disrepair and were eventually demolished, leaving just Mill House.

Long standing Prime Minister, Henry Asquith and his wife, Margot, moved to Sutton Courtenay in 1913. They bought The Wharf, as the house is still known, and the adjoining Walton House, which served as Asquith's official country residence in preference to Chequers. It was here Asquith signed the declaration that took Britain into the First World War. In 1917 the Asquith's purchased Mill House, next door, to provide additional accommodation for their guests. Architect Walter Cave oversaw the renovation and updating of all three properties. Asquith died on 15 February 1928 and is buried in the churchyard just off the green in Sutton Courtenay.

Description

This graceful and quintessentially English 18th century country house sits gently within its exquisite landscape. Lovely 19th century cast iron window boxes beneath 16-pane sash windows and hipped dormers to the second floor, all make for a delightful entrance to the front of the house.

Built in 1741, Mill House showcases the stunning classic design and symmetry of the Georgian period. Original architectural and design details abound throughout the house. These include beautifully proportioned rooms with decorative plaster cornicing, floor to ceiling large pane sash windows, dado rails and deep skirtings. Panelled doors, reveals and walls, original wooden shutters and ornately carved fireplaces, with chain mesh spark curtains, all feature.

The front door, approached through the rose courtyard, opens to an entrance lobby and study and on to the main hall, in the heart of the house. All reception rooms radiate directly from the hall, making for a pleasing flow to the ground floor.

The book-lined study has an intricately carved fireplace surround with marble slips and hearth and overlooks the rose courtyard. The beautiful, dual aspect drawing room features three full height, 18-pane sashes to the bay window, opening directly to the garden. The striking marble fireplace surround, and hearth has honey coloured marble inserts and makes for a pleasing centrepiece to this lovely room, with its views over the lawns, rose parterre and ancient Cedar of Lebanon trees.

The dining room, presently used as an art room, affords the same views, and has doors opening to the kitchen and hall. Opposite, the sitting room overlooks the front gardens and features an open fireplace, two built-in corner cupboards and wooden shutters.

At the end of the hall is the kitchen with painted wood floor and wall units, a four door Aga, an Aga range cooker with a six burner hob and a walk-in pantry. Directly off is a large utility room with a walkin Chubb safe, cloakroom and access to the second staircase. There is a good sized boot room with bench seating, rear lobby and boiler room also off the kitchen.

From the hall, stairs wind to a galleried landing. The dual aspect principal bedroom, spanning the depth of the house, has an entrance lobby providing fitted wardrobes to one wall. Beyond is a large bathroom with separate bath and shower, and steps down to a further bedroom. This bedroom would make an ideal nursery or large dressing room, depending on needs. A large guest bedroom has an en suite bathroom with separate shower and lovely views over the gardens. There are three further bedrooms on this floor, two with walk-in wardrobes, a large family bathroom and two walk in linen cupboards.

A door opens to a winding staircase to the second floor where there are two attic bedrooms, a small sitting area and large bathroom, an ideal teenagers retreat

Technical specification:
Alarm connected and monitored by Chubb
Fire alarm system connected and monitored by Chubb
Chubb walk-in safe
CCTV and entry phone to entrance gate
Commercial grade Hi-speed broadband throughout the house

Outside
Magical gardens, grounds, a web of waterways, and three islands make for an enchanted paradise, affording its future custodian a true Swallows and Amazons lifestyle.

The sound of the water is an integral part of all that this utopian idyll offers. The rush of the mill race, the cascade of water as it falls from the sluice gate to the streams below, and the gentle burble as it joins the river.

The entrance drive passes the stunning mill pond, encircled by a pergola covered walk, festooned with wisteria, virginia creeper and roses. A wooden jetty projects through the lilypads enticingly. Paths lead off through wooded copse in all directions. Wooden bridges and a rope bridge crisscross the mill streams and Thames tributaries as they follow their course to the river. Paths are mown through the woodland, which during spring is a carpet of bluebells. Weeping willows grace the waters' edges, and the mostly broadleaf woodland includes horse chestnut, oak, beech and copper beech. A number of the endangered dawn redwoods are also present and thriving. Dotted throughout the woodland are clusters of silver birch, a yew tree avenue, cherry tree walk and an octagonal wooden summerhouse.

This rich habitat is not only a haven of peace and tranquillity but supports all manner of wildlife.

The more formal gardens surround the house. They include the front rose terrace, with its old red brick paths, leading to the front door and an evening terrace on the banks of the mill pond, a lovely spot to catch the last of the evening rays. The courtyard garden, enclosed by brick walls with pleached hornbeam above, provides a sheltered space to entertain friends and family. At the rear of the house is the rose parterre and croquet lawn beneath the boughs of two ancient cedar of Lebanon trees.

A very rare and truly wonderful, magical rural idyll.

Directions

Abingdon 4 miles, Oxford 10 miles, Didcot Parkway (London Paddington from 42 mins) 4 miles, Central London 57 miles, Heathrow (Terminal 2) 48 miles, Oxford Airport 16 miles.
(All distances and times are approximate)

Directions
From London or Oxford, take the A34. Turn off at the Milton
Interchange signposted Wantage and Didcot. Take the exit towards Milton Park. After a short distance turn left onto High Street. After 1.6 miles turn right onto the A4016 Drayton Road. Continue into Sutton Courtenay until just before the sharp right hand bend. The gates to Mill House are straight
ahead before the bend.

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Postcode: OX14 4NH