Tucked away off a quiet country lane between Blackmoor and Selborne is Blackmoor House, a magnificent Grade II* listed country manor designed by one of Victorian Britain’s most celebrated architects, Alfred Waterhouse.

Best known for his work on the Natural History Museum in London, Waterhouse also designed Manchester Town Hall, Strangeways Prison, Liverpool Royal Infirmary, and University College London, among other notable Gothic Revival buildings.

Commissioned in 1869, Blackmoor House was built for Sir Roundell Palmer, later the 1st Earl of Selborne, a distinguished lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chancellor under both William Gladstone and Benjamin Disraeli.

A key figure in Victorian legal reform, Palmer played a crucial role in the establishment of the modern judicial system and was instrumental in the creation of the Supreme Court of Judicature. His influence extended beyond law, as he was deeply involved in the Anglican Church and education reform.

The house itself - featured by Country Life magazine in 1974 - is a striking testament to Waterhouse’s architectural prowess, blending 16th-century French and English styles with Gothic influences.

Its polygonal malmstone walls, Bath stone dressings, asymmetrical gables, and grand entrance porch give it a fairy-tale quality. Inside, intricate woodwork, elaborate fireplaces, and stained-glass windows add to its historic charm.

Now divided into apartments, Blackmoor House still retains its sense of grandeur. One of these, a spacious two-bedroom apartment, is currently on the market with Savills for £725,000.

Measuring 1,726 square feet, the two-bedroom apartment features high ceilings, oak paneling, and a grand communal entrance hall as well as a sitting room with an ornate oak and marble fireplace, and views over the local countryside.

Blackmoor House is set in approximately 12 acres of grounds, including a swimming pool and tennis court.

If you fancy booking a viewing of the historic pad, contact Max Rhodes at Savills Farnham on 01252 729000.