A five-bedroom property once owned by a former wartime Prime Minister of Britain has hit the property market for £2m.
Herbert Asquith resided at the property from 1912 while in charge of the country, returning to it periodically over subsequent summers.
It was described by the Liberal prime minister as a “nice villa in the New Forest”.
Luxury Property News reports that the £2m listing is held by John D Wood & Co, and that the home is also a former 20th-century residence of the Shackletons, a famous family of explorers.
Mr Asquith visited the property throughout his tenure as Prime Minister, between 1908 and 1916, during which he introduced both the Old Age Pension (1908) and the National Insurance Act (1911), which is considered by historians to be the foundation of UK welfare.
He also led Britain into the First World War, but was eventually replaced as PM by fellow Liberal David Lloyd George in 1916.
The large house, located in Lymington, Hampshire, is classified as an “arts and crafts property”, meaning it holds many staples of architecture of buildings built in the 18th/19th centuries.
Showcasing a traditional clay-tiled roof, turned chimneys and a striking façade, it is eye-catching from afar, but exudes just as much character inside.
John D Wood & Co described the kitchen as “the heart of the house”, with its Shaker-style cabinetry, central island with butcher’s block, traditional gas Aga, Belfast sink and decorative curved windows.
The house also provides opportunity for either additional income or space for visitors, with a detached two-bedroom cottage/annex that was recently refurbished.
The property sits midway between the Georgian market town of Lymington, renowned for its yachting, weekly market and Isle of Wight ferry, and the well-connected village of Brockenhurst, which provides a mainline rail service to London Waterloo in around 1 hour 40 minutes.
The combination of storied history and authentic touches gives this home character without compromise.
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