Historic Ashe Park, linked to Jane Austen, may be demolished

The plan is to demolish Ashe Park House near Overton and replace it with a traditional country house and swimming pool, together with alterations to the garaging, courtyards and driveways, and an extensive and enhanced soft landscaping scheme.

Ashe Park House has a rich history dating back over a thousand years and was marketed in 2020 as a site frequented by the author in the late 18th century.

The historic house sits just a mile from Steventon, where Jane Austen was born in 1775 at the Steventon Rectory.

(Image: Savills) READ MORE: Ashe Park Estate, near Overton, is on the market for £17m

Savills, the real estate firm that marketed the property in 2020, has said that the house is linked to Austen as she was a regular visitor to Ashe Park in the 1790s and even referenced the estate in her letters.

According to Basingstoke historian Debbie Reavell, Ashe Rectory was the residence of Austen's friend, Anna Lefroy, and Austen likely visited Ashe Park during that period.

Planning documents submitted to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council by the applicant say that Ashe Park is in disrepair and that its main house has undergone numerous alterations over the years, resulting in a low- architectural quality building.

The estate, which once flourished as a prestigious Victorian residence, now stands in a state of neglect, with modern outbuildings and a former family-operated water bottling plant from the 1980s and 1990s contributing to its unpolished appearance, the planning statement said.

The proposal is to demolish the current structure and erect a new traditional country house, drawing inspiration from the Queen Anne architectural style, which is prevalent in the surrounding area.

The developer claims that the new design will vastly improve the estate’s overall aesthetic and functionality, creating a superior building in terms of both design and materials.

The plans also include reducing the amount of built development and hardstanding on the site, thereby enhancing the landscape character of the area.

The applicant said the new design intends to restore the estate to its former grandeur, in keeping with the historical and rural essence of the area.

Ashe Park's history dates back to around 1064 when 'The Manor of Ashe' was first mentioned in historical records.

It is believed that the early medieval house was in the hamlet of Ashe nearer to the church and it was later repositioned on the hill in the park and was named Ashe Park.

It is thought that the original house at Ashe Park could have been constructed by c1580, when Lord Saye exchanged land with the then rector, Mr Harris, to enlarge his park.

Over the centuries, the estate changed hands numerous times, each transition adding to its storied past.

By 1707, it was sold to Robert Reynolds, whose daughter later bequeathed the estate to a relative, Joseph Portal, marking the start of a long association with the Portal family.

Though it is unclear whether the family made significant changes to the house during their tenure, the estate was leased to tenants for many years.

This was the time when Jane Austen might have visited the house.

It wasn’t until the 19th century that Colonel Robert Portal made Ashe Park his primary residence.

During his occupancy from 1862 to 1889, Portal is believed to have extensively remodeled or even entirely rebuilt the manor house, turning it into a luxurious Victorian home surrounded by 1,787 acres of sprawling parkland and woodlands.

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The estate was subsequently sold to Lt. Commander Patrick Boyle in 1934, and it remained under the ownership of the Boyle family until 1975.

Since then, various sections of the estate, including tenant farms and the main house, have been sold separately.

Despite its significant history, Ashe Park House is not classified as a statutory or locally listed building, nor does it sit within a conservation area or a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).