A pair of private islands on the River Thames, where Prince Edward is said to have met Wallis Simpson for assignations during their courtship, have gone up for sale for a combined £3 million.
Holm Island in Berkshire is being sold alongside Hollyhock Island, linked by a footbridge, which was once home to The Nest – the discreet hideaway for the then future king and his divorced lover.
A striking five-bedroom home now sits on Holm island, which is the larger of the two islands.
Accessed by a gated quarter-mile driveway and bridge, Holm Island spans 2.5 acres and boasts 1,200ft of private river frontage.
The home, designed to maximise panoramic river views and natural light, has wrap-around balconies and an open plan living space.
It is surrounded by an acre of ancient woodland, providing seclusion from the river and a rich natural habitat for wildlife.
The property is “utterly unique”, its owner and designer Mr Jolly says. He says the home is “secluded, private and a peaceful sanctuary all to ourselves, and yet we’re so close to everything”.
Having lived there for 25 years, he says you feel a change as soon as you come down the driveway: “It’s like stepping into a peaceful oasis; the air is cleaner, the woodland full of wildlife, and being so close to the water is very cathartic.”
All the home’s living space is laid out over the first and second floors, with the ground floor containing two garages and void space designed to allow for the flow of water during flooding.
According to Mr Jolly, the island floods approximately three out of every four years, with the water usually ankle deep, lasting from 10 to 15 days typically during the period November to February.
The worst occasion was in 2014, when the water was a few feet deep, although the living area of the house did not flood. The driveway is higher than the ground floor of the house, so cars can be parked there during flooding.
There is also some suggestion that the house could now be redesigned to improve its resilience to flooding further, given advances in the relevant technology over the last 25 years.
The first floor has a large and bright living space with wall-to-wall windows and doors leading to the balcony, along with a kitchen/dining room with an open fireplace, a playroom, a study, a store room, and one bedroom with its own terrace.
Four more bedrooms span the second floor, two of them en-suite, with further family bathrooms upstairs and downstairs.
“We designed the house ourselves making the most of the setting, we have large windows all around, high ceilings and open plan living space, it’s so bright here, every room is light,” Jolly says.
The property is just a mile from the M25 and six miles from Heathrow, making for a fantastic commuter home outside the ULEZ. It is close to the village of Wraysbury and Staines.
For those who love a large gathering or want to host events on their property, you need look no further, Jolly says.
“We’ve had some great parties here with marquees in the garden and we have enough parking for 100 cars! It’s an amazing place to entertain, especially as, with no neighbours, we don’t have to worry about noise.”
“We’re downsizing now so we’re excited to pass the islands on to the next owner so they can begin their own adventure here.”
