The Old House, an estate formerly owned by Princess Margaret, is about to begin a new chapter in its history. Located in the village of Staplefield, nestled within the county of West Sussex, about 38 miles from London, this country home—which once belonged to Princess Margaret and her ex-husband, photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones, otherwise known as Lord Snowdon, is now on the market.
According to Blue Book Agency, the real estate firm handling the sale, the Old House is on the market for 3.95 million British pounds, about $5.3 million. The listing for the estate notes that the Old House was renovated by the late Lord Snowdon. The home had been given to him in 1958 by his uncle, the famous interior designer Oliver Messel, to celebrate his marriage to Princess Margaret. An exceptional gift, intended as an elegant and intimate retreat for the couple, but one that ultimately failed to fully win over the princess.
“Princess Margaret was very ‘royal’ and loved the pomp and ceremony of living at Kensington Palace rather than the understated charm of the Old House,” Amanda Walsh, the current owner of the property, recently told The Wall Street Journal.
Although Princess Margaret was not a fan of country life—unlike her sister Elizabeth II—the Old House nonetheless possesses all the picturesque charm one would expect from an English home. A blend of Tudor and Georgian styles, the property charms with its distinctive facade, peaceful gardens, and interiors—some dating back several centuries—that have been meticulously modernized. The 4,195-square-foot property includes a total of six bedrooms in the main house, a pool house, and numerous outbuildings, as well as extensive outdoor grounds.
