The importance of being furnished: Grand country home built for first producer of Oscar Wilde’s famous play goes up for sale for £3m
- The Court, near Chorleywood Common, Hertfordshire, was built in 1912
- It is now on sale for £3million after being owned by the same family since 1967
A grand theatrical country house built for the original producer of Oscar Wilde’s Importance of Being Earnest is on sale for £3million.
The Court, a grade II listed building near Chorleywood Common, Hertfordshire, was commissioned by actor and theatre producer Sir George Alexander and built in 1912.
But the eight-bedroom house, which has been in the same family for over half a century, is now on the market with estate agents Savills.
The property, which needs interior refurbishment, also had a separate detached arched lodge along with 3.5 acres of land.
The house also has a large reception hall, kitchen, breakfast room, dining room, drawing room, sitting room and study.
The Court, a grade II listed building near Chorleywood Common, Hertfordshire, was commissioned by actor and theatre producer Sir George Alexander and built in 1912.
It also has a large reception hall, kitchen, breakfast room, dining room, drawing room, sitting room and study
The master bedroom has a dressing room with two walk-in wardrobes, a large bathroom and a balcony and another bedroom has a second room which could be a dressing room or a study.
There is also The Lodge, a detached building at the entrance to the property’s large front courtyard, which is currently arranged as two separate homes – West and East Lodge.
Both have a living room, kitchen, two bedrooms and a bathroom.
Within the 3.5 acres of land there is a large summer house, a tiled swimming pool, which is in need of restoring, and various storage sheds.
Sue Trybus, from Savills, said: ‘The Court is an iconic looking home, the history and the architecture of it make it a really special property.
‘It has lots of versatility with the main house and two cottages, which would make it ideal for multiple generations of families to live together.
‘The house does need some updating now, to bring it into the 21st century while keeping the integrity of its period features.
‘The place just oozes character and it would be lovely to see it restored to be a wonderful family home again.’
The property, which needs interior refurbishment, also had a separate detached arched lodge along with 3.5 acres of land
Within the 3.5 acres of land there is a large summer house, a tiled swimming pool, which is in need of restoring, and various storage sheds
The Court was completed in 1912 by a disciple of Sir Edwin Lutyens, John Duke Coleridge, because Lutyens was too busy building New Delhi
The Court was completed in 1912 by a disciple of Sir Edwin Lutyens, John Duke Coleridge, because Lutyens was too busy building New Delhi.
Alexander started his career as a stage actor until 1890 when he took a lease on a London theatre and began producing.
The following year he moved to St James’ Theatre where he remained acting and producing for the rest of his career.
Among the most successful of the new plays he presented was Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, which was first performed in 1895 and has been revived many times since and adapted for cinema three times.
Sir Alexander was knighted in 1911, the year before The Court was completed, and died of tuberculosis and diabetes at this country home in 1918, at the age of 59.
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