Arborfield
Local History Society

 Auctions - Bear Wood Estate, 1911

The Auction Sale document of the Bearwood Estate dating from July 12th 1911 has been reproduced as a facsimile by the staff of Bearwood College, and has many photographs of the mansion and its grounds. The Estate was described as:

The renowned Freehold County Seat distinguished as "Bear Wood" comprising a Commodious and Stately Mansion, occupying a Commanding Position in a grandly timbered and undulating park, diversified by wonderfully beautiful Lakes, the entire Estate extending to over 3,000 acres, and including extensive wood and forest lands, seven excellent Farms with superior Residences, the picturesque model village of Sindlesham, numerous Small Holdings, Cottages, etc.

There were five Lots:

Lot 1: The Mansion and Grounds, occupying "one of the most delightful situations in the Home Counties, in the centre of a very favourable social district, with excellent sporting amenities". The Sale document quoted Kelly's Berkshire Directory as follows:

Bear Wood was formerly an outlying part of Windsor Forest, and still retains much of its primitive wildness of character. Its name is supposed to be derived from the Saxon word 'Bere', signifying a farmstead in a wood. Hollies and junipers flourish here in great perfection, and the gardens abound with rhododendrons and other exotic plants. Most varieties of the fir tribe, including a large number of Cedus Deodara are to be found here; but the chief attraction is its magnificent lake, which covers a space of about 43 acres, and contains several islands, one of which is over an acre in extent. This fine sheet of water yields to none in the county but Virginia Water in point of size, and perhaps not even to that in beauty; the upper lake covers over three acres.

Among the delights listed were:

• 12 County Seats (including Windsor Castle) within an easy drive.

• Hunting with the Garth and the South Berks Foxhounds; also with the Berks and Bucks Farmers' Staghounds.

• Golf Links and Polo Ground near (note that the current grounds now have two golf courses!).

• Shooting: The woods and plantations, which are well placed, extend to about 1,000 acres, and will hold a large head of pheasants, whilst a really good bag of partridges, hares, and rabbits can be obtained, as well as wild duck.

• Fishing and Boating can be enjoyed on the beautiful lake of some 43 acres, besides the lesser lakes.

The Mansion was erected some 45 years before, on the site of an old residence, in Tudor style of red brick with Mansfield stone dressings, and was approached by five principal carriage drives, each guarded by an entrance lodge. It had 50 to 60 bed, dressing and bath rooms, 'splendid' suites of Reception Rooms, together with a full complement of Domestic Offices.

On the Ground Floor were listed:

A massive and finely carved Stone Porte Cochere, leading by a pair of heavy carved oak door to the Vestibule, having tiled floor, wainscot oak dado, and painted ceiling, and communicating with the Entrance Hall, with oak parquetry floor, panelled oak dado and ribbed ceiling, plus a large Cloak Room having fireplace, panelled oak dado, two fitted lavatory basins, two W.C.'s, and large store cupboard.  A handsomely finely-carved oak and glazed screen divides the entrance Hall from the imposing Inner Hall around 30 ft square.

The Inner Hall has a polished oak floor, with parquetry border and open tiled fireplace. The dado, door frames and cornice are of panelled and carved oak, the walls being hung with fine old Cordova leather, and the ceiling cross-ribbed in oak with carved pendatives. This hall, which gives access to the picture saloon and to the circular iron staircase, also opens on to the well-lighted Staircase Hall, decorated and fitted with oak in character, and from which ascends by easy rise teh Grand Oak Staircase, with panelled soffites and carved newels and banisters, illuminated on two sides by leaded glass windows, and reaching to the Golden Gallery with beautifully enriched and decorated ceiling.

The well-placed Picture Saloon, which is about 68 ft. 6 in. long by about 24 ft. wide, having polished oak floor, with parquetry border, with panelled and ebonized walnut dado. Two open tiled fireplaces with tiled hearths and massive marble mantelpieces. The oak doors are inlaid with maple and walnut. The carved cornice is heavily enriched, and the lighting is by a ceiling of ground glass with gilt ornamentation. Adjoining is the Stately Drawing Room.

Other adjoining rooms listed were the smaller Drawing Room, Library, Garden Saloon, 'capital' Billiard Room, 'cheerful' Dining Room with serving lobby, plus Business or Writing Room, Garden Lobby, Tea or Morning Room, and Domestic Offices. Outside were Model Stabling with Coachman's Cottage.

Within the 'Beautiful Pleasure Grounds' were extensive Croquet and Tennis Lawns, sequestered Woodland and Shrubbery Walks, a Romantic Rock and Water Garden, magnificent groups of evergreen and choice-flowering shrubs and Kalmia, which are said to be unequalled in the whole country. The double flight of wide steps lead from the lower to the upper terrace are a fine achievement in Stone. At the East End the charming Rose Garden merges almost imperceptibly into the Pinetum.     

Situated well away from the mansion and pleasure gardens were:

• The walled kitchen garden, with a first-class range of glasshouses comprising six vineries, peach, nectarine, fig, and strawberry houses.

• Brick-built and slated range of buildings including gardener's office, coal store, stokehole, loft, vegetable room, mess room, implement shed, pot shed, mushroom house, store, man's room, potato store, and packing room.

• Plant Houses around a spacious square, and consisting of two ranges of forcing houses, three ranges of plant houses with serviceable pits, large stokehole, roomy fruits store, and packing room.

• A wide border well planted with fruit trees, and a most productive orchard.

• Frame Yard, having stabling for two horses, Fodder Store, Harness Room, Coach-house, Cart Shed, Piggery, Coal Store, etc.

• Gardener's Residence with 7 rooms with outbuildings.

• Bothy containing 4 bedrooms, Mess Room, Kitchen, Foreman's Room, Lavatory, etc.

• 'Capital' Laundry with spacious and well-equipped Wash-house and Ironing Room, Coal and Wood Store.

• Gas Works including brick and slated cottage, having 4 bedrooms, sitting room, kitchen, etc., and garden. Gas House, with Five Retorts, Gasometer, Coal Stores, Meter House, Pumping House, Governor House, Lime Sheds, etc.

• Estate Workshops comprising wood and slated Timber Store, Plumbers' Shop, Saw House with Workshop over, two Engine Rooms, Machine Room with Carpenters' Shops over, Office, Store Room, Masons' and Painters' Shops, Blacksmiths' Shop with Shoeing House and Iron Store, Stable for four, Stable for five, large open Waggon Shed, Wheelwrights' Shop and Store.

• Mole Farm including Yard with Open Shed, Range of Five Piggeries, Cow House, Bull Pen, Fodder Store, Dairy Wash-house, Poultry Room, etc., plus cottage containing five rooms.

Lots 2 to 5 are not included in the facsimile document, and are largely outside of Arborfield and Newland parishes.

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