Riversdown House

Riversdown House is east of Winchester, deep in the South Downs National Park. The house we see today wears its history very lightly – the foundations for the medieval hall were laid in 1328. 

Riversdown is now a beautiful country house, sleeping up to sixteen guests in eight bedrooms. Each of the bedrooms have either an en-suite, or an allocated bathroom. 

The house works brilliantly for special weekend parties with family or friends, and has lots to do to keep everyone occupied.

Two of the eight bedrooms have their own stairway and landing, a third its own stairs – ideal for guests who like to keep unusual hours. All of the bedrooms have views over the parkland or garden.

There is also a cabin which includes an extra bedroom that can be added to your booking, (dependant on availability),  for an additional fee. 

Downstairs, there is plenty of space for people to be together (or apart, if there are rampaging toddlers). There’s a dining room with the sort of generous oak table that speaks of banquets and candle-light and fine linen, and a drawing room with a tuned piano. French windows lead from the drawing room onto the terrace, and in early summer, the wisteria starts to bloom, creating the perfect place for a lazy afternoon tea, or early evening drinks.

There’s also a less formal room for reading and watching television, in case there’s any important sport that a guest just cannot miss. 

The kitchen is large and professional, fully equipped to serve a large number of guests if necessary. Guests can arrange to do their own catering, or have a chef to either fully cater, or prepare the feasts for which the dining room is so well suited. 

Outside, the gardens are informal and seductive, with areas of sun-dappled lawn and well-placed benches. There are two astro-turfed courts for all-weather ball games and a grass court for tennis (open only in the summer). 

The house has its very own well-maintained private nine-hole golf course (you’re welcome to bring your own clubs), and acres of woodland and farmland for meandering wanders, or purposeful stomps. 

When everyone is tired from all the outside activity, there’s a traditional Finnish sauna to help all those sport-knotted muscles.   

Edmund’s Choice of Extraordinary Feature

“There’s something so seductive about the atmosphere of this house, not just in the golden light of summer. Something to do with its great age, perhaps, and timelessness. A house in which to forget, for a while, the cares of the world.”

About the Location

Riversdown Estate is reached via its own private lane, and is about 10 miles from the M3, or the A3. The nearest mainline train stations are Winchester (11 miles) and Petersfield (12 miles) . The staff are happy to collect guests from the train station, or there are plenty of taxis. The nearest village is Warnford, which has a beautiful Saxon church, and a traditional English pub, called the George and Falcon, whose garden is set along the River Meon. 

Things To Do

The South Downs is a National Park, and offers lots of scenic walks and cycle ways. The town of Winchester is in easy reach, and is where you’ll find the house of Jane Austen (it’s thought Jane Austen visited Riversdown House, in the early 1800’s). Winchester has a strong military tradition, and six museums devoted to its history. For children, there’s a zoo and Edwardian theatre, and a self-guided ‘Tree Trail’ to the ancient trees of the city.