Property description
Winner of the prestigious International Property awards 2014-15
Blue Jay is an entirely unique, contemporary designed country house of some 13,000 sq ft, set in highly secluded and secure walled grounds of one acre within Esher's prestigious Claremont Park Estate.
The house is understated in style with a combination of carefully designed entertainment space and real intimacy providing a home as well as a work of art.
Blue Jay is designed and built to a spectacular architectural and technical specification, with accommodation that maximises the natural light and views of the landscaped walled gardens. A double height atrium with a circular timber ceiling and fireplace is at the heart of the building with the principle reception rooms opening out to the garden. The circular atrium is also reflected in the curved banquette seating in the formal reception room, continuing this theme through to the stunning bespoke kitchen and the breath-taking double height indoor swimming pool complex.
The ground and lower ground floors provide a principal reception room with library area, kitchen with a children's area, formal dining room; study; a tiered cinema; a games room; en-suite staff accommodation, a 700 bottle air controlled wine cellar, laundry; plant room, and a four car garage with underfloor heating and oak sideways opening doors.
Upstairs offers equally sumptuous accommodation with a triple aspect part vaulted master bedroom, complete with his and her dressing rooms and bathrooms; a principal guest bedroom suite with its own terrace, and three further bedroom suites with separate access to the ground floor. A gymnasium with wall to ceiling glass sliding doors overlooks the swimming pool, opening out onto a timber decking area that features an illuminated circular staircase leading down to the pool side bar and sauna areas.
Situated in the grounds of the former country residence belonging to Clive of India 'Claremont Park', was regulalrly frequented by Queen Victoria. Blue Jay sits within the original walled garden designed by Sir John Vanburgh, the Seventeenth Century English architect best known for Castle Howard and Blenheim Palace. Today the beautiful parklands of Claremont hosts a private nine hole golf course with potential membership for resitents. Clarmont itself offers easy pedestrian access to Esher town centre with its fine array of restaurants, pubs and boutiques, Waitrose supermarket and cinema. The area is well served with some of the best schools in the country as well as every recreational facility including numerous top class golf courses; health centres; squash and tennis clubs as well as Sandown Park Race course.
Blue Jay claims some celebrity status. In the sixties the driveway to the property formed part of the gardens to Beatle George Harrison's country house 'Kinfauns' where he and his fellow band members (Paul, John and Ringo) wrote much of the 1967 album 'Magical Mystery Tour' which included the single 'Blue Jay Way'.
The original gate to Kinfauns is now displayed on the wall at the entrance to Blue Jay and still exhibits some of the original carved Beatles graffiti.
Esher is highly regarded as one of the most sought after residential areas in the country outside London within just 18 miles of central London, renowned for its vibrancy and wonderful quality of life and boasting the 2008/9 & 10 top 3 Halifax BS best quality of life league. It is largely surrounded by green belt woodland and farmland and is ideally situated for the commuter being just 35 minutes by train to London Waterloo and 20 miles from both Heathrow & Gatwick airports with easy access to both the A3 & M25.
Image of swimming pool