Described by the writer and historian, William Cobbett as "one of the prettiest houses in the County", Avington is situated in the Itchen Valley, 4 miles from the cathedral city of Winchester and from the small Hampshire town of Alresford.
Avington Park has a fascinating history dating back to Saxon, perhaps even Roman times. There is an early mention of the estate in 961 and again in the Domesday Book. The present house was extensively altered in the 17th and 18th centuries and boasts a fine classical Portico with statues of three Greek Goddesses above it. Inside, the house has some magnificent State Rooms, which can usually be visited on Sunday afternoons and on Bank Holidays, from May to September. The ownership of the home is as interesting as its architectural history and both Charles II and William IV stayed at Avington at various times.
The large, fully self-contained apartment is on the east side of the house overlooking the grounds and St Mary's Church. The rooms have high ceilings, with ornate cornices and tall sash windows, which afford good views across the surrounding lawns and parkland. The apartment is furnished to a high standard - graded 5 Stars by Visit Britain - with a number of antiques and has a particularly impressive bedroom and bathroom suite. Visitors can enjoy full use of the extensive grounds surrounding the house. These are approached by a long avenue of lime trees and crossed by a tributary of The River Itchen. |