The hall began its day when Sir John Chester started building it in 1719. He completed the house in 1723 and then finished the interior in the summer of 1725. It is one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in the country.
The 25 acre estate parkland dates back to 1698 when Sir John first inherited the land. There is a canal and garden which was added much later. The garden colour scheme seen today was created by Felix Harboard for when Earl Beatty who bought the house in 1952.
The house is still lived in today by Sir John and Lady Nutting but they have given most of the house over to conference and training days. The hall can also be hired out for weddings.
Chicheley Hall was on the market in 2007 and below is an interesting Times article (
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'From The TimesJune 8, 2007
The finest country house on the market
Chicheley Hall is a £9 million enigma, says Marcus Binney
CHICHELEY HALL is one of the dozen finest and loveliest English country houses that will ever come on the market. Indeed, I am tempted to say it is the most beautiful of them all. Better still, it has belonged only to two families, the Chesters who built it and the Beattys who have owned it since 1952. Today it is in startlingly immaculate condition, thanks to the 2nd Earl Beatty’s widow, Diane Nutting, chairman of the Georgian Group, who has an unerring eye for everything that is prettiest in gardens, planting, decoration and furnishing – and a positively Parisian sense of comfort and chic.
The house, which stood in for Bletchley Park in the film of the thrilling story of the Enigma code-breakers, is approached up an avenue of limes, with a delightful octagonal dovecote on the left. Completed in 1725, Chicheley, in Buckinghamshire, is a true original. There is nothing in all English architecture that quite compares with it. It is the creation of England’s greatest master builder, the energetic Francis Smith of Warwick, working with his client Sir John Chester. The construction and craftsmanship, inside and out, are of matchless quality.
The four façades form a crescendo, each more elaborate than the last, progressing from Doric to Ionic and Corinthian. The brickwork is of an even finer quality – first the chequer pattern typical of Buckinghamshire and finally a whole front of “rubbed” bricks made from carefully sieved clay with wafer-thin putty joints – the equivalent of gold plating and as durable.
For those who like their architectural flourishes the main front of Chicheley is an extraordinary piece of trompe l’oeil, with the cornice and pillars in the centre swept up to form an illusion of a breakfront commode.
The front door opens into a double-height hall with a ceiling painted by the famous William Kent. The hall opens through an arcade of marble columns on to a magnificent oak staircase with Versailles parquets on the half landings and inlaid bands of burr walnut on each step.
Overlooking the garden is a wonderful series of panelled rooms with Baroquemarble fireplaces. Best of all is Sir John Chester’s “secret” library, where all the books are hidden in cupboards inside the panelling and the columns.
Chicheley is one of those rare houses that retain an original Baroque garden layout. It takes the form of a long three-sided canal with crisp edges restored by recent dredging. The parterres within have vanished to be replaced by a sweep of lawn shaded by cedars beneath which you can eat cucumber sandwiches and still feel the spell of Edwardian Indian summers.
Gravel paths and garden borders are immaculate. Sir John Nutting is a man who cannot pass by a weed. Thanks to him, Chicheley’s newly relaid roof leads are as durable as those on any cathedral. The delightful matching wings, in the same ravishing pink brick as the house, contain attractive flats and cottages.
No house can offer complete perfection and for years Lady Nutting worried about the relentless growth of Milton Keynes. Happily, Chicheley remains no more than a cluster of charming houses around the church, and to the east the River Ouse meanders through the fields.
The late Lord Beatty would say that the Midlands was no place to be in August because of the flies, but if you have the £9 million, or more, needed to buy these blessed 75 acres, you will probably already have a summer bolt hole.
Chicheley Hall is being sold through Savills, 020-7499 8644
For more reviews of the finest country houses for sale, go to timesonline.co.uk/marcusbinney
FACTFILE
What you get: Grade 1 listed house with nine bedrooms in 75 acres; three apartments in wings.
Where it is: Three miles from Junction 14 of the M1, 50 miles from London, 60 from Heathrow, 26 from Luton. Area: 17,988 sq ft (1,671 sq m).
Schools: Stowe, Uppingham, Oundle.
Where to eat: Crooked Billet, Newton Longville (restaurant open only for dinner); Vine House, Paulerspury.
Perfect for: Wealthy lover of the finest architecture.'