WowHaus

Not his most famous build, but this 1920s Sir Edwin Lutyens house in Lulworth Cove near Wareham, Dorset is listed and up for sale.

It also has other selling points too, including location and originality. But not entirely original, as you might have worked out.

As I said, not the most famous Lutyens design. For that, you want to be looking at something like the British Embassy in Washington or the viceroy’s house in New Delhi. This is more modest and of course, something more domestic.

Best-known as someone connected with the arts and crafts movement, Lutyens designed the house for Sir Alfred Fripp in 1927 by Sir Edwin Lutyens. He picked quite a spot to build it too.

That’s described as a secluded rural cliff top location with some stunning views from the top of the garden that look out east towards the Isle of Purbeck coast and west towards the Isle of Portland. As much of a selling point as the house.

That house has been Grade II-listed since the 1980s and in terms of structure, is generally faithful to the 1920s design, with the exception of the wooden addition to the side.

It is a design that works with the landscape, a three-storey house nestling into the sloping hillside, with a garden that can be reached from both the ground and first floor, whilst at the same time sheltering the property from the elements that might result from the coastal location.

Condition? That’s not really clear, which is perhaps down to the lack of internal shots from the agent. The photos that are present show some updates, but the agent adds in the write-up that the house is ‘now in need of a certain amount of modernisation and refurbishment’. So work looking likely, although I suspect the house is more than liveable right now.

But this is a listed building and one that does have period details still intact. Those include the attractive brick elevations, the statement front door with portico and Tuscan columns in timber, leaded windows, a ‘scissor’ staircase and open fireplaces and some carved panelling.

A considerable amount of living space too. That includes the long room and the principal reception room with an adjoining library and bay window with views across the garden. A large kitchen with Aga is also on the ground floor.

On the second floor, at the rear, is a garden room giving that accesses the outside from the second floor and over the first and second floors are five/six bedrooms, some with views of the sea. For the full layout, see the listing on the agent’s site.

Outside is a private gravelled drive, leading to two double garages, as well as an additional studio and storerooms. The gardens and grounds that surround the property and are predominantly laid to lawn, but there is some stone terracing and a sunken seating area with uninterrupted views out towards the sea with Weymouth Bay and Portland to the west and the Purbecks to the east.

Fancy it? The house is on the market with a guide price of £1,750,000.

Images and details courtesy of Savills. For more details and to make an enquiry, please visit the website.

Thanks to Jo for the tip-off!