East Knoyle, Wiltshire, SP3 6BL

Why We Love Waterdale House

A charming house with a cottage like feel, idyllically set in a secluded green valley with a magnificent outlook over its own extensive garden and grounds 

Waterdale House dates from the 1930s and sits in 7.4 acres of stunning grounds which were formerly part of the formal garden of Clouds House, a substantial Arts and Crafts house at the head of the valley.

A long private driveway slopes down into a sheltered valley flanked by mixed woodland and a paddock with field gate, past stables and a gravelled parking area up to the side of the house. The house itself displays characteristics typical of the era in which it was built, with white rendered elevations, climbing clematis and ivy, large leaded light windows, and a surrounding terrace with lovely views over its gardens and across the valley bottom.

In need of refurbishment, the house is spacious and well configured inside. The front door opens into a light filled central hallway which runs from the front to the back of the house. To one side sits a bright dual aspect dining room. Next door is a large yet cosy family kitchen with fitted kitchen and island, a dining area with a period wood burning stove, and a seating area with sofas and glazed side door onto the terrace. A separate boot/utility room and cloakroom are located at the back of the house. 

A triple aspect drawing room with pretty marble fireplace, wooden floor and French doors onto the terrace and a separate sitting room with wooden floor and fireplace are located across the hall from the kitchen and dining room. Upstairs there is a principal bedroom with adjoining dressing room and bathroom, four further spacious double bedrooms, a further box room/study and two family bathrooms. 

Adjacent to the current stables, planning permission for detached double garaging, woodstore and domestic workshop remains extant. Subject to planning, there could be scope to alter the planning or convert the stables to ancillary accommodation. 

Garden and Grounds

The magical garden and has an atmosphere of the Victorian plant finder’s dream with its staggering array of trees and shrubs, including a wide selection of mature ornamental specimens.

The original garden was planted out in the late 19th century when the land belonged to Cloud House, and it still features flourishing examples of many firm favourites which were first popularised in that period, including Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Camelias, Hydrangeas, Agapanthus, Magnolias, Maples and soaring Wellingtonia trees.

A succession of green-fingered previous owners have contributed to its evolution, including the most recent owners, who opened the garden under the National Garden Scheme for many years and renewed the planting under the expert guidance of garden designer Malcolm Shennan.

Waterdale’s gardens are mainly to the south and east of the house which sits in an elevated position with a surrounding terrace and a direct view straight through the garden and across the paddock down the valley to the east. The terrace steps down into an expansive lawn with a small stream and a large pond to one side, which reputedly used to serve as the old swimming pool for Clouds House. The lawn and pond are bordered by a large collection of shrubs and trees, thoughtfully planted with species from around the world with different flowering seasons to bring colour to the garden across the year. Shrubs give way to the large paddock to the east and a wooded area to the north with bluebells, wild garlic and a meandering pathway. 

Locality

Hindon 3 miles | Tisbury 6.3 miles | Gillingham 6.5 miles | Shaftesbury 7.3 miles | Warminster 10 miles | Salisbury 23 miles | Bath 27 miles

Waterdale house is situated in wooded, rolling countryside on the outskirts of the popular village of East Knoyle. East Knoyle is made up of a pretty mix of thatched cottages and stone and brick houses and is ringed by the Hamlets of Milton, The Green, Underhill and Upton. 

The village is within the Cranbourne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and has a parish church, a community owned village shop and post office, a village hall, and excellent walking and cycling routes and bridleways on its doorstep including the Wessex Ridgeway. A traditional local pub, The Fox and Hounds, is a half mile walk away in The Green, which is perched on top of a hill and enjoys magnificent panoramic views over the Blackmore Vale.

The nearby village of Hindon has a store, two pubs, a doctor’s surgery and a primary school, whilst Tisbury has a wider range of amenities and restaurants including the Beckford Arms and Pythouse Kitchen Garden.

The attractive market towns of Shaftesbury and Warminster are six and nine miles away respectively, with further choice of independent shops restaurants and other facilities in historic Salisbury with its famous medieval cathedral.

Transport

The closest railway station is at Tisbury, six miles away, which offers direct services to London Waterloo taking from 1 hour 44 minutes. The A303 lies approximately three miles to the north giving access to the south west and London, via the M3.

Fantastic Schools

Hindon C of E Primary Semley C of E Primary and Mere School  are all well rated primary schools within a 12 minute drive. There is an excellent choice of highly regarded preparatory and secondary schools in the area including Port Regis, Sandroyd, Hazlegrove, the Sherborne schools, Bryanston, Canford, Dauntseys, Warminster, Godolphin and the Salisbury Grammar Schools, Milton Abbey and Millfield.

Chapters Past

The name of the village of East Knoyle derives from the Old English word for ‘knuckle’, thought to describe the eroded relief of prominent Greensand ridges in the district. The village predates the Norman Conquest as evidenced by Saxon charters of AD 998 and 956 which set out the parish boundary between East Knoyle and neighbouring West Knoyle which still exists today, and the Norman parish church of St Mary the Virgin retains a Saxon cross in its churchyard.

The village’s most famous son is Sir Christopher Wren, the great mathematician, renowned architect and founder of the Royal Society, who was born here in 1632. His father, also named Christopher, was rector of the parish for more than twenty years between 1623 and 1646. Dean Christopher Wren led a remarkable life in his own right, serving as Registrar of the Order of the Garter and Dean of Windsor. Whilst living at East Knoyle, he commissioned Robert Brockway to create the exceptional set of plasterwork depicting the 12 apostles and biblical scenes from the old and new testament including Jacob's Dream and the Ascension which still decorate the church’s chancel.  

The figures of the 12 apostles sadly lost their heads during the English Civil War to passing Parliamentarian troops who considered them to be idolatrous, and Dr Wren was later brought to trial in 1647 accused of heretical practices including the commissioning of the figures. The trial was likely politically motivated, as during the occupation of Windsor Castle in 1642 the ardently royalist Dr Wren had heroically refused to surrender the keys of St George’s Chapel to Parliamentarian forces in his capacity as Dean of Windsor. Wren was acquitted of charges of heresy following his trial but he was heavily fined and deprived of his living at East Knoyle.