MOGUL'S MANSION Once owned by Britain's first press baron, Northcliffe was an imposing home that deserved to be restored to its former glory and transformed into a modern day Xanadu
An impressive Grade II Listed period home set in grounds of approximately two acres (STMS). Amid the beautifully presented accommodation there are eleven bedrooms, five reception rooms, a snooker room, self-contained two-bedroom flat plus pool house with
hot tub.
THE STORY
Tucked away in splendid seclusion, and dating back to Tudor times, handsome Northcliffe, with its beautiful features, was immediately appealing to Adrian Howson-Ball.
He knew its colourful history as the former home of Britain's own Citizen Kane, Sir Alfred Harmsworth, founder of the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror.
The man who was also credited with rescuing The Times and The Observer had relished his Broadstairs retreat, keeping his famed collection of alligators here and once apparently narrowly missing being bombed by a German U-boat when Churchill came to visit.
When I bought it, the house had been divided into three pieces. I bought each section as it became available and brought it all back together again, said Adrian.
BEAUTIFUL HOME
Originally known in its entirety as Elmwood House, the building was overflowing with great possibilities, said Adrian. He bought the middle section, Northcliffe, first, then over the following years, the wings known as Elmwood and Holm Oak, on either side.
The house is very secluded - no-one can ever find it. I liked its vaulted ceilings and panelled bar area, and the fact it is just a quarter of a mile from the beach, he said.
It was a beautiful property and although it needed work, I could see its potential.
PERIOD HOME
Renovation on the Grade II listed home took place in careful phases, with Adrian paying attention to every last detail.
One of the great things was that a lot of the rooms had been left, with features just boarded over, he explained. We pulled the boards off and discovered open fireplaces in many rooms, for example.
Much of the house has since been furnished with antiques and items bought at auction. Period items were sourced to replace fittings that had been removed.
Today, the library, with its great vaulted ceiling, makes the perfect place for a full-size snooker table. And the bar area, which is panelled, is superb for entertaining.
It is almost like a small English tavern in there, he said.
FAMILY LIVING
Despite its grandeur and heavily traditional interior, the expansive home retains an air of warmth.
The kitchen is very nice, for example. It has an older style with made-to-measure cabinets and a Mrs Beeton-like cook's table in the centre, he said. This is a good family home - the perfect place to bring up children.
And he went on: When you walk into the house there is a very welcoming feeling. It is also a very comfortable house in which to live. Whichever room you sit in during the winter, you can have a fire.
HOUSE OF LEISURE
Yet Northcliffe is also a home into which guests can be welcomed as well as family. With up to 11 bedrooms, there is plenty of space.
The master bedroom is particularly nice. This is large enough for a four poster bed and has an attractive fireplace, said Adrian. It has pretty sash windows that look out over the main part of the garden and the swimming pool.
With its magnificent outdoor swimming pool and glass-ceilinged hot tub room, Adrian has restored a sense of leisure, opulence and glorious relaxation to Northcliffe.
This is a wonderful house and I have enjoyed putting everything back into it again, he said. It has been a lovely place to live - and I am sure there is someone else who will enjoy it as much as I have.
SEPARATE LIVES
The presence of a separate annexe at Northcliffe has been ideal for Adrian, whose mother can live at the house but retain her independence.
The annexe has a very large bedroom and a large sitting room, as well as a bathroom and an open plan kitchen dining room, with a central island, he said.
With its own private front door, driveway and garage, it really does offer a completely separate living space from the main house.
PRESS BARON
Alfred Harmsworth, the son of an English barrister, was born near Dublin, on July 15, 1865.
He made his way in the media and publishing world, founding The Daily Mail, the first newspaper in Britain that catered for a new reading public that needed something simpler and more readable.
He also produced the first newspaper, The Daily Mirror, aimed at women.
He became a Baronet in 1904 and the youngest ever peer of the realm the following year when he took the title Lord Northcliffe.
In 1905, he obtained the Sunday Observer and three years later he purchased The Times.
In March 1918, he was approached by Lord Beaverbrook, the owner of the Daily Express and the government's new Minister of Information to join the cabinet and take charge of all propaganda directed at enemy countries, which he did.
Sir Alfred Harmsworth, Lord Northcliffe, died in August 1922.
ACCOMMODATION
GROUND FLOOR
The first glimpse of Northcliffe with its commanding front elevations will instantly capture your attention and as you walk towards the home it is hard to believe that a house of such beauty and magnitude could be so well hidden. Stepping inside you find yourself
in an inviting reception hall where a fabulous fireplace creates a welcoming ambiance. From here a door leads into the opulent drawing room, where a further feature fireplace and a warm colour palette combine to generate a feeling of grandeur, making this
a lovely place to enjoy cold winter evenings. A connecting door moves into a wonderful bar which is panelled with dark coloured wood, a great venue to enjoy an after dinner drink. Across from the hall you locate the elegant dinning room where a large window
allows an abundance of light to bathe the room, creating an atmosphere ideal for entertaining guests.
Moving on, you will find the charming kitchen/breakfast room. The area boasts a plethora of lovely cabinets and a fabulous cooks table in the centre, providing plenty of room for preparing meals and relaxed family gatherings. The home has the added benefit
of a self-contained apartment which consists of a spacious lounge with separate dining room and a kitchen/breakfast room, together with two double bedrooms and a bathroom. Completing the ground floor there is an attractive glazed conservatory and four cloakrooms.
FIRST FLOOR
Ascending the stairs to the first floor, the property provides further outstanding and highly adaptable living accommodation which consists of ten delightful double bedrooms and an appealing single bedroom, most of which enjoy stunning elevated views of the
surrounding gardens. The versatility of the first floor is amazing, it may be that six bedrooms is all that is required, with the conversion of the remaining rooms into en-suites or magnificent walk in dressing rooms.
Additionally there is a spacious games room and four sumptuous bathrooms. The accommodation is highly adaptable and would lend itself beautifully as a guest house or small hotel.
SETTING THE SCENE
Stretching to around two acres in size, the beautifully landscaped gardens at Northcliffe hold an aura of quiet seclusion. They include lovingly maintained walled gardens with mature tree and shrub borders.
The swimming pool can be used all year round as well as the pool room and hot tub and the many terrace areas make superb spots for sitting out in the sunshine and enjoying the tranquillity.
Sir Alfred Harmsworth was an avid collector. He originally converted stables out here so he could keep his collection of cars at the house, which included the first ever Mercedes to be imported into England, said Adrian.
He also kept his collection of unusual animals in the grounds - and even had an alligator pond!
And he added: Apparently there also used to be a gardener's cottage in the grounds, which was where Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford were reputed to have had secret liaisons!
We are informed that planning permission has been granted for a single four bedroom dwelling with garage within the grounds.
WITHIN EASY REACH
Northcliffe is nestled in the small village of Reading Street on the outer borders of Broadstairs, close to the prestigious North Foreland Lighthouse and Golf Club. Broadstairs is a bustling seaside town with an abundance of individual shops, restaurants and
bars, many of which overlook the delightful harbour and beach at Viking Bay, one of the many sandy beaches for which this particular coastline is renowned.
The town enjoys a mainline rail link to London and with the recent addition of a high speed train service makes the journey very commutable. Broadstairs and its neighbouring towns offer a good selection of schools, including Wellesley House Preparatory School
and the independent St. Lawrence College.
Road travel is also very simple from here, said Adrian. You can get straight on to the A229 and then the M2.
Commuting to London is not a problem and it is easy to travel to other parts of the country.
DIRECTIONS:
From the M2 follow the signs to Ramsgate on to the A299, Thanet Way and then join the A256, signposted Broadstairs. At the Dane Court Roundabout take the second exit on to Vicarage Street, leading in to Church Street and then in to Beacon Road. Take a right
hand turning into Reading Street and the property can be found on the right hand side.
For those with satellite navigation the postcode for the property is CT10 3AX.
Fine is the seller's agent for this property. Your conveyancer is legally responsible for ensuring any purchase agreement fully protects your position. We make detailed enquiries of the seller to ensure the information provided is as accurate as possible. Please
inform us if you become aware of any information being inaccurate
- GRADE II LISTED PERIOD HOME
- ELEVEN BEDROOMS
- FIVE RECEPTION ROOMS
- FIVE BATHROOMS
- SNOOKER ROOM WITH VAULTED CEILING
- SELF CONTAINED TWO BEDROOM GROUND FLOOR FLAT
- POOL HOUSE WITH HOT TUB
- ACCOMMODATION EXTENDS TO APPROXIMATELY 7717 SQ FT