TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh loves to keep fans updated with the goings-on in the mammoth garden at his Hampshire home, but the star is on to pastures new as he revealed he has put the home he shares with wife Alison on the market. Country Life magazine reported that the Love Your Weekend host, 76, was upping sticks from the house he purchased 23 years ago as he and his wife plan to downsize to another house in a Hampshire village to be closer to their daughters and grandchildren, and also because he wants the opportunity to design a new garden.
Speaking with the magazine, the Gardeners' World star revealed that he bought the house in 2002, "not only because we wanted a Georgian house, but also because I felt that I had one more garden in me". It's no surprise that the house in Holybourne near Alton, which is being listed by Savills for £3.95 million, attracted the gardener all those years ago, though it looked a little different back then.
Manor Farm House, as it is known, has undergone some hefty renovations under Alan's supervision. When researching the house, which sits next to the village's Grade II-listed Church of the Holy Rood, the TV star found that the right-hand side of the present building dates back to 1690 and was first upgraded in the 18th century. Meanwhile, the back section was added in 1777.
"We found woodworm and death-watch beetle and took out 48 skips of rubbish, but we respected the integrity of the house and made no structural changes," Alan remembered, recalling the state of the house when they moved in. "We then put it all back together again, replacing chipboard with floorboards, installing underfloor heating on the ground floor and in the bathrooms, and decorating throughout, using bright pastel colours here and there to highlight the elegant Georgian proportions of the interior."
Alan Titchmarsh's house transformation
Now, the house is a thing of beauty. It sits over four acres of beautifully manicured gardens with a wildflower meadow, and features five bedrooms, three bathrooms, and three sitting rooms. Entering through electric gates and up a gravel driveway, guests will find the incredible red brick property bursting with character owing to original features such as oak beams and sash windows.
The rooms are light and airy with a classic country chic decor throughout with plaid and polka dot soft furnishings, art on almost every wall, and plenty of bold wallpaper. It also has a few extra fun touches that tell of the star's personal past times – a gorgeous library brimming with leather-bound books, a wine cellar, and a 42-foot party barn-cum-theatre space featuring a piano-adorned, fully lit stage.