Beaulieu, Brockenhurst

Otterwood can trace its history back nearly 1,000 years and is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 – “Aelfric had 1 hide and 1 virgate in Otreorde. It is now in the Forest. Land for 3 ploughs. It was worth 30 shillings”. While property values may have changed over the years the peace and unspoilt views over undulating countryside remain undiminished.
The house has never been offered for sale on the open market as the current owners’ family acquired the property directly from the Beaulieu Estate in the late 1950s, and it remains part of the Estate to this day. Prior to this, it had been home to estate workers through the early-modern period and, prior to the dissolution of the monasteries in the late 1530s, was a monastic Grange associated with Beaulieu Abbey.
The current house has evolved over the centuries with its core dating back to the 1500s with ancient beams still prominent features in the living rooms. Despite its history the house is not Listed and the current accommodation which extends to over 3,300 square feet has been in situ since before 1982 which, subject to verification and planning approval from the local authority, could allow for extensions providing an additional 30%.
The front door opens to a reception hall with a charming seating area complete with woodburning stove. The hall provides access to all principle rooms including the sitting room which has an inglenook fireplace with open fire, dual aspect and door to the garden. The dining room is a particularly appealing room with a profound sense of character from its exposed beams and brickwork as well as its inglenook fire place. The kitchen features a range of fitted units, a breakfast bar and a separate dining area. The kitchen also has a door to the garden. Of particular note is a delightful library which is a particularly bright room with a southerly aspect and large windows overlooking the gardens and grounds. This room has a door on to a large terrace with ample space for outdoor entertaining and taking in the unspoilt views of the Beaulieu River valley.
Upstairs there are three double bedrooms on the first floor, one of which has an en suite bathroom and walk in wardrobe. There are also two further bathrooms.
On the second floor there are three further double bedrooms.
Positioned at the end of a no through lane the property enjoys an especially tranquil and secluded position with far reaching views across its and unspoilt open countryside of the New Forest National Park and the Beaulieu Estate. The house itself sits within the National Park with access to the open spaces of the Forest from the end of the drive providing endless walks and rides . The nearby village of Beaulieu has a picturesque High Street with a range of shops and cafes as well as a pub, restaurant and hotel. There is a nearby beach at Lepe, 4 miles distant. Bucklers Hard, on the Beaulieu River has excellent mooring and sailing facilities with a wider range of sailing clubs and marinas to be found nearby at Gins Lane or in Lymington. Access to the wider world is good with the M271 just 10 miles to the north. There are railway stations at both Brockenhurst (8 miles) and Southampton Airport Parkway (16 miles) offering direct services to London Waterloo in 1h 50m and 1h 10m respectively.
It is the tranquility and privacy of Otterwood that cannot be overstated. The driveway leading to the house passes solely over privately owned land. After passing through an entrance gateway, the house is approached over a gravel drive leading to a turning and parking area adjacent to the house and garage block. A 450 year-old yew tree stands guard by the front entrance.
The garage block adjoins the house and offers parking for four cars with two double up-and-over garage doors. An internal staircase from the open garage space leads to a large storage room at first floor level which could be converted into additional living areas, subject to the necessary planning consents. A short distance from the garage is a stable block which has been adapted to contain an indoor heated swimming pool with glazed doors facing south and overlooking the grounds and Beaulieu River valley. The gardens and grounds extend to over five and a half acres and run due south from the house with open fields on all sides. There is a wide terrace adjoining the house on its southern side which is accessed from both the sitting room and garden room. This area is covered by a retractable awning and provides a beautiful spot for outdoor dining, relaxing and entertaining through the summer months.
To the north east of the house lies an ancient barn which is not Listed and believed to have been the original monastic grange which formed the accommodation at Otterwood until the dissolution of the monastries under the reign of Henry VIII in 1536. Much of the original structure remains with significant further foundations believed to extend beyond what stands above ground. The surviving structure provides useful storage via two separate vehicular doors. An external stone staircase leads to a door at first floor level where there is a further room. Subject to the necessary consents, the barn could be converted or extended to provide a wide variety of alternative uses.