Orchards

Orchards is a house built with Bargate stone, red tiles, and brick arranged around a central square courtyard with functional spaces. The property spans 26 acres and combines formal garden sections with natural woodlands connected by a rampart walk offering long-distance views.

William and Julia Chance hired architect Edwin Lutyens to design the property in 1897 after rejecting initial plans from Halsey Ricardo. The work was completed by 1899 and became one of Lutyens' notable commissions.

The dining room displays fireplaces designed by Julia Chance with ceramic tiles and oak staircases echoing 17th-century styles. These crafted details show how the residents valued handmade work and traditional building methods.

The grounds offer different areas to explore, from maintained garden sections to quieter woodland paths. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes since the rampart walk includes slopes and some sections are unpaved.

A cast iron fountain in the Dutch garden features a lion head water spout designed by Julia Chance herself. She went on to create similar sculptural works for other properties designed by the same architect.