Overstone Park, Overstone

Image: © Stephen Richards Taken: 13 Jul 2002

A roofless shell since a fire in 2001. I wouldn't have been surprised if it had turned to dust since this photo, but somehow it has staggered on, awaiting a new use and someone with deep enough pockets to rebuild (the purchase price will be relatively small fry (£5 million and £1 million respectively at 2010). Ironically, the man for whom it was built (c1860), the fabulously wealthy Lord Overstone, must have prayed for something like this to befall the house and would have relished the opportunity to administer the coup de grace. His eccentric choice of architect, William Milford Teulon, lesser known brother of Samuel Sanders, came back to bite him. Overstone's opinions are worth quoting at length: "The New House I regret to say, is the cause of unmitigated disappointment and vexation. It is an utter failure – We have fallen into the hands of an architect in whom incapacity is his smallest fault. The House tho’ very large and full of pretension – has neither taste, comfort nor convenience. I am utterly ashamed of it … the principal rooms are literally uninhabitable – I shall never fit them up … I grieve to think that I shall hand such an abortion to my successors." Harsh words. Pevsner's verdict was that it "defeats description and appreciative analysis." Grade II listed. Ends.

Images are licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0