Beware the green-eyed monster...

[Nemesis]

Well, I am jealous.

http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/buying_and_selling/article5196851.ece

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Which one? ! There's two--West Acre @ 9.5million, or the one in Lincolnshire @ 4.5. It will be interesting to see who buys them!

 

[Nemesis]

Oh, it wasn't the houses - the car collection!

 

[Schoolmarm]

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Beyond the basement he installed an indoor Roman swimming pool with columns and painted sky, spa bath and sauna. Now it is a large-screen TV room where the children have sleepovers; the sauna has become the laundry. Photographs of Ferraris are everywhere. Next door is the 30ft-square kitchen-breakfast room, where he has lowered the ceiling and raised the floor to make it more cosy

Am I allowed to say, it sounds a teeny bit vulgar in places?
And 43 acres isn't nearly enough for what I've got in mind, garden-wise.
Now, what was that about vulgarity, again?

 

[yamin]

Hve to agree on the vulgar comment - not that I wouldn't mind his money, but in common with everyone else I know that of course MY taste would be beyond reproach!! Central heating in the garage??????? We don't even have that luxury in the house!! What on earth is wrong with a Honda Jazz and a car port?????

 

[Flyfisher]

I recall, since I lived nearby at the time, another stately home owner with a penchant for Ferraris. Unfortunately, some 'slight financial difficulties' led to some of the cars being, ahem, 'stolen'. Engine parts were subsequently recovered from the estate lakes (Doh!), of which the insurance company understandably took a dim view, and milord Brocket spent a number of years at Her Majesty's pleasure. Brocket Hall was subsequently leased out and is now a golf club, conference centre, hotel, restaurant, corporate-y type of place. Milord Brocket was last spotted on 'I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here' (although not by me), which rather sums up the whole sorry saga.

 

[Nemesis]

Harmston is one of a line of fine squires' houses on the escarpment that runs almost the length of Lincolnshire. When Sowerby bought it in 1996, the property had last been used as a county mental health institution. His interest was in the grounds, which were covered in huts and hospital blocks that he demolished to build 150 houses, all now sold or let.

He had only three viewings in nine months when he put the main house, with 18 bedrooms and 43 acres, on the market for £150,000 later the same year. He did not receive a single offer: “No one was interested. They thought it was too big for a house - which it isn't - or too big a job - which it wasn't.” So he decided to undertake the work himself, at weekends and at night. “The valuers said ‘just give it away' - it was a millstone around the site's neck. But it was a fantastic property in reasonable structural order, only it had not been decorated and needed converting back from offices into a single home.”

He spent “quite a bit” on the house in the process but is moving to allow more space for his car collection and to have a separate office in the grounds. He is not going far - to Caythorpe Hall, near Grantham, which featured in Bricks & Mortar in 2006.

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/LIN/Harmston/

Harmston Hall is a large stone mansion at the northern perimeter of the village, erected in 1710 for Sir Charles THOROLD and also the one-time home of Sir George THOROLD who was Lord Mayor of London in 1719. The manor here has belonged to the THOROLD family since at least 1456.


In 1871, the manor house was unoccupied.

In 1881, the manor house was the residence of Mr. Thomas BASTIN.

In 1930, as a result of the Local Government Act, Harmston Hall became part of a new mental health hospital complex, and functioned as the headquarters for the organisation 'Lincolnshire Joint Board for Mental Defectives'. The hospital site finally closed down in 1990 and was soon redeveloped to become a private home once again.

Well, it sounds to me like a perfectly good 'rescue', and knowing Marcus (nice article in Country Life this week) if it wasn't he wouldn't have featured it.

http://www.propertyfinder.com/cgi-bin/rsearch?a=o&id=503550536

Listing description a little out of date though:

Building Name: Harmston Hall Hospital
Parish: Harmston
District: North Kesteven
County: Lincolnshire
Postcode:
LBS Number: 192210
Grade: II*
Date Listed: 23 August 1967
Date of Last Amendment: 23 August 1967
Date Delisted:
National Grid Reference: SK9699462141

Listing Text:

SK 97 62 HARMSTON CHURCH LANE
23/8/67
Harmston Hall Hospital
GV
II*


Country house, now a hospital administrative block. Built 1710, dated on rainwater
head, for Sir George Thorold, 1775 Samuel Thorold had tall north front
added, but this was demolished in 1892, and new front built in same style as original
house. South front restored, and extended to east and west at the same time. Ashlar
on plinth with raised quoins and a band at first floor level. Deep wooden bracketed
eases cornice under slate hipped roof with 7 groups of ashlar stacks. Two-storey over
basement, with attic above. South front, early C18, 7 bay section has slightly
projecting 3 bay section with pediment above containing oval window. Outer bays
slightly more widely spaced. Six basement mullioned windows. Six sash windows on
ground floor and 7 sashes above, all segment-headed with bolection moulded surrounds,
single C20 window frame and various C18 and C19 glazing bar sashes. Central doorway
is approached up 6 steps and over bridge with wrought iron balustrade. Door surround
of panelled pilasters, topped with scroll brackets supporting open curved pediment.
Double glazed doors with rectangular overlight. Two pedimented dormers above. Four
bay section to east has 7 glazing bar sash windows with flat heads and 3 pedimented
dormers above. Single bay set well back to west with 2 glazing bar sash windows and a
pedimented dormer. West front. Three recessed basement and 3 ground floor sashes in
curved bay window, 2 sashes topped pediment containing oval window. North front.
Twelve bays in all, 3 bays to west and 6 to east with projecting entrance bays
between. Late C19 interiors with fine coloured marble fireplace in the hall.


Listing NGR: SK9699462141

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Ah, yes, I remember it now - it was in the SAVE "Health Risk" report that I contributed to (the building I was interested in wasn't so lucky...)

 

[Nemesis]

Health Risk?

You mean the loony bin one? (no I know not PC but what it tended to be called).

I have it somewhere...

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Oh, it wasn't the houses - the car collection!

Oh, is your other car a mini then!!

 

[Nemesis]

No, but it isn't a Ferrari collection.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Health Risk?

You mean the loony bin one? (no I know not PC but what it tended to be called).

I have it somewhere...

That's it - Rainhill Hospital was just round the corner from home. All dynamited in spring 1990 and replaced with Noddy boxes.View attachment 1

 

[Nemesis]

Mind Over Matter.

I have no doubt there is a joke somewhere in that. Not however at this time in the evening.

http://www.countyasylums.com/links.html

Severalls is another dreadfully sad one.

http://notquitegone.moonfruit.com/#/severallshospital/4518035051

There may still be copies of the SAVE report available, with lovely colour pics.

But alas, another case of spontaneous combustion...