8 bedroom detached house for sale

With 110 meters of mooring along a majestic bend of the River Thames, this Romantic 10,500 sq ft residence sits up on a terrace, on 4 acres, with expansive views across the river valley.

Drawing room • Sitting room • Dining room • Reception hall • Principal bedroom suite with dressing room • 7 additional bedrooms in the main house • Separate staff accommodation (3 bedrooms) • Gym • 7 bathroom/shower rooms • Out building home office • Wine cellar panic/safe room • Cinema room • Double Garage with two bedroom guest accommodation above • Waterfront • Several Moorings (110m) • 4 acre lawns, paddock and gardens • Pyramid yoga or art studio• Pond and Waterfall feature within a Japanese garden • Tennis Court • Heated Indoor pool complex • Private and secluded• Edge of village location

Kenneth Graham, the author of Wind in the Willows, who was bought up on the Thames River nearby, famously wrote: “Believe me my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”

This extraordinarily romantic ‘Gone with the Wind’ style mansion has quite classic proportions and a magnificent portico supported by handcrafted Portland stone Ionic pillars. A front door opens to a black and white marble hall and sweeping staircase. The house is designed so that there is a view of the river from six of the eight bedrooms and from seven of the nine reception rooms on the ground floor. Seven of these reception rooms are also double aspect with views of the river. They have parquetry flooring and ornate white wall panelling and fireplaces, which continue with the neo classical theme, and feature beautiful white sash windows and French doors, of an elegant and classical proportion.

The kitchen is a handcrafted Poggenpohl kitchen with Gaggenau appliances and a long handcrafted Corian topped island.
On the first floor the master suite is expansive, with glorious river views, and incorporates his and hers dressing areas, and a jacuzzi bath ensuite and a balcony. The master suite, dressing area and guest bedroom enjoy bespoke hand-made German Hulsta bedroom furniture. On the lower ground floor there are a range of entertainment facilities including a cinema, gym, juice bar, wine cellar and a panic/safe room.

In addition to the eight bedrooms and seven bathrooms within the house on the first floor, additional staff accommodation in two annexes incorporate a further three bedrooms and three reception rooms.

An indoor pool complex within the garden has a large heated pool and hot tub with plenty of indoor terracing for pool furniture (1782 sq ft - 166m2). The pool complex sits adjacent to a Japanese garden with a picturesque Japanese red garden bridge, resting above a water fall and pond. The pond has Koi from Japan. The garden also features a pyramid break-out-room inspired by the architect who built the pyramid outside the Louvre, I. M. Pei, and the concept for this pyramid was drawn on the back of a menu in a New York restaurant. This would make a great yoga or art studio as it has plenty of natural light. The garden also has a full size, recently refurbished, tennis court.

The nearby towns of Reading and Henley on Thames offer an eclectic mix of local independent and national retailers with numerous bars, cafes and restaurants around the town suited for any occasion. Sonning is a charming English river side village described by Jerome in his book ‘Three men in a boat’ as “the most fairy-like little nook on the whole river”. Arguably, Sonning Court, sitting on the edge of the village, at the end of a long driveway, adjacent to both the river and agricultural grazing paddocks, is in the village’s best location. Notable former and present residents include George and Amal Clooney, General Dwight D Eisenhower, Uri Geller, Former Prime Minister Theresa May, and Led Zepplin Guitarist Jimmy Page.

In addition to long peaceful river walks along the tow path, Sonning has a dinner theatre venue at The Mill, and the French Horn restaurant. The celebrated French restaurant, The Waterside Inn is at Bray only 12 miles away, and Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck, also at Bray is a 3 Michelin star restaurant. A comprehensive range of private and state schooling options in the area, both primary and secondary, include Eton, Harrow, Wycombe Abbey, Caldicot Preparatory School, Sunningdale, Ludgrove and Lambrook Haileybury, and St Marys Ascot, which are all within half an hour’s drive. These are amongst England’s top prep and secondary schools. The region is well served for sporting facilities including golf at Maidenhead, Temple, and Henley golf clubs; horse racing at Windsor, Ascot and Newbury; polo at Smith’s Lawn and The Royal Berkshire Polo Club at Winkfield; boating and sailing on the River Thames and at nearby Henley, home to the renowned Henley Regatta. This area has easy access to London via trains on the new Crossrail/Elizabeth line from Reading to Paddington and into the city via Maidenhead in under half an hour. Or the M4 provides access to London.

This is one of the most romantic riverside properties I have had the privilege of being asked to sell. It is unusual for its expansive views and seclusion from neighbours. There is potentially considerable income from several moorings if required, as well as a stamp duty saving as a result of some agricultural land in addition to multiple dwelling relief. The agricultural land, with some fencing reconfiguration, together with some garden lawn could lend itself well to a horse paddock, and there are plenty of buildings available for conversion to stables, subject to the necessary planning.

Viewings by advanced appointment only.

Mains water. Mains sewerage. Gas boiler. Council Rates: H band £4275