Grade I listed house in Richmond Old Deer Park, Surrey that is owned by the Crown Estate and was originally a royal observatory to rent for £450,000 per year
A Grade I listed house set on 6.6 acres of World Heritage Site and Grade I listed land in the middle of the Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Course has been listed to rent for £37,500 per month ($48,300, €41,000 or درهم177,300 per month).
Extending to 6,157 square foot in total but quite manageable in terms of the accommodation provided, The King’s Observatory in Old Deer Park, Richmond upon Thames was designed by the Scottish-Swedish architect Sir William Chambers (1723 – 1796) and used by King George III (1738 – 1820) to house his extensive collection of scientific instruments. It features the oldest cupola in the world specifically constructed to allow astrologists to “track the rare phenomenon of Venus crossing the sun.”
Owned by the Crown Estate, the building was used as a classroom for royalty, was converted to provide a home for the Meteorological Office from 1910 to 1980 and became the offices of Hill Samuel Bank and then Autoglas until 2011. Plans were approved to convert to a single residence in 2014 but features including a cinema, games room, gym, underground swimming pool and garaging for 16 cars were not actually constructed.
The King’s Observatory – which was built in 1769 – is offered by Knight Frank and includes 5 reception rooms, 4 bedroom suites and a large roof terrace.
Would love to see what the interior looks like. The layout is very practical. It is quite – as you say – a manageable house.
The boat house looks a little bit small but otherwise perfect.
Utterly hideous!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you imagine how many times the windows must get broken with golf balls flying everywhere nearby!!!!!!!!!!! Knock the bloody dump down!!!!!!!!!! Wrecking ball urgently needed —— utter rubbish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ah, sunset on the Blandings.
This is the type of pad the Stones, U2, or The Who might rent for a few weekends of sex and drugs and rock n roll.
I could just see Keef Moon driving a Roller into that lake, while under the influence, that is if he was still alive of course. The lawns would be a nightmare to keep trim though.
Fantastic opertunity like to track the future of such a wonderful building. Shame it can’t be bought for a good price.
Wonder how much interior gutting / decoration would be allowed? People willing to pay that much per year to rent would presumably be rolling in cash and therefore, if real estate history is anything to go by, would want to put their own stamp on it. As Robert Kay remarked, what’s the inside like?
I was going to put in a bid but need the thinking of our resident ‘property professional, Yolanda
Why be mean to her?