The household home of Sir Laurence Olivier is now in the marketplace after greater than 60 years.
In the early Sixties, the British stage legend and his spouse, actress Dame Joan Plowright, had been searching for a retreat from the hustle and bustle from London.
Although that they had initially bought an Elizabethan farmhouse within the Sussex downs for her mother and father to reside in, they quickly fell in love with the property themselves.
Over the following 63 years the home – now referred to as The Malthouse – would bear witness to vital moments within the household’s life, in addition to welcome a string of well-known company.
As property agent Toby Brown, who’s promoting the £2,000,000 West Sussex property defined: ‘If only the walls could talk…’
At the time that the Olivier’s bought the home, they had been newly married after having met throughout rehearsals for John Osborne’s The Entertainer at The Royal Court Theatre within the West End.
By that point, Sir Laurence was a family identify, having already filmed Henry V, Richard III and Hamlet, a undertaking for which he received three of his 4 Oscars.
Meanwhile, Dame Joan, who received a Tony for greatest actress for A Taste of Honey the 12 months they married in 1961, was already a star in her personal proper after having gained recognition for taking part in Beatie Bryant in Arnold Wesker’s Roots.
A 12 months after the couple met they had been married, later welcoming three youngsters – son Richard and daughters Tamsin and Julie Kate. One was even born within the home.
‘It was very much a turning point in Olivier’s life. He met Joan Plowright after they had been working collectively. He had a spot in London and Brighton, however they had been searching for someplace that was a retreat from the lights and bustle of London, they usually discovered this place,’ Brown advised Metro.
‘They originally bought it for her parents to reside in but soon after they started buying more of the land around it and they moved in. It was a real escape and haven from their mad theatrical life.’
‘It really is a secret of a house. It is quite unassuming as you go to it. It’s off a dust monitor and is a secret that retains on giving as quickly as you arrive,’ he added.
The Malthouse was initially two small cottages, farming malt and promoting it to buying and selling vessels on the close by River Adur.
Extending the home within the Nineteen Eighties to accommodate their rising household, the couple spent a number of years creating and caring for the 4 ½ acres. It now encompasses seven bedrooms and 5 bogs.
The first-floor main bedroom, referred to as The View, encompasses a balcony and gives a sweeping panorama of the encompassing countryside.
Other stand-out options of the 5,000 sq. toes property embrace an apple orchard, a swimming pool and tennis courtroom, in addition to a self-contained yoga and artwork studio. Sir Mark Rylance was additionally an everyday on the tennis courtroom through the years as he took on Richard.
‘It’s not removed from London, beneath an hour, however it’s seemingly fully miles and miles away once you get there. There’s nothing surrounding the home at all aside from acres of stunning, luscious panorama,’ Brown detailed.
One of the favorite rooms for the household is the cosy eating room, full with darkish beamed panelling and a roaring fire.
Since assembly the Olivier’s, Brown has been advised a string of vignettes in regards to the home and cherished recollections that unfolded there.
One significantly amusing one occurred throughout a go to from Paul Newman, who arrived with a bottle of 1944 Claret that was briefly loved by a gaggle earlier than it rapidly expired as is typical of classic wines.
‘I love that story… just thinking about the star of theatre and film of a generation sat sipping wine in this cosy little Shakespeare room,’ Brown shared.
During Sir Laurence’s eightieth birthday celebration in 1987, which was held at the home, company together with the Richardsons, Redgraves, Mills and Wagners descended upon the property to have fun the performing legend.
Reflecting on the legends who’ve handed by way of the home, Brown remarked: ‘The whole dynasty of great acting families has been there.’
The subsequent technology additionally got here collectively, albeit extra competitively in later years, with Sir Mark Rylance often taking up Richard in a sport of tennis on the property.
With Sir Laurence and Dame Joan studying traces for his or her award-winning stage and display tasks on the property, he was additionally joined there by Sir Ian McKellan after they rehearsed The Scottish Play. A play directed by Richard (Time and the Conways) which starred Dame Joan and her daughters was additionally rehearsed right here.
Although the home was a non-public retreat for the household, in 2017 it was was the set for Roger Michells’ documentary Nothing like a Dame – which documented conversations between actresses Dame Joan, Dame Eileen Atkins, Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith, interspersed with scenes from their careers on movie and stage.
This movie would additionally mark Dame Joan’s closing movie look.
Sir Laurence died in his sleep at the property in 1989. After transferring into retirement home Denville Hall final 12 months, Dame Joan died aged 95 in January 2025.
‘It was really the private theatre that their whole lives evolved within,’ Brown stated of the home.
Speaking about its greatest promoting level, he defined: ‘Someone can buy a slice of history that is Laurence Olivier’s 60-year home.
‘I think the quietness of the place also…if you want to buy something and escape from the world a little bit, this is definitely a place for you. It’s fairly distant however you’re really not that far-off from London. There is a superb quietness, and you’ll hear the birdsong and wind whistling by way of willow bushes. I feel that was the most important factor for Sir Laurence and Dame Joan – they might simply escape the world there. Not many individuals reside in a home for that quantity of time which says loads.’
‘I suspect it won’t be bought once more for a very long time as it’s such a particular place,’ he added.
Brown additionally stated that he and the household ‘would love it to go to someone theatrical or in the arts who would appreciate who Sir Laurence and Dame Joan were and continue their legacy’.
This weekend there will probably be two Open House Viewings – on April 26 and 27 from 10am till 3pm. Qualified non-public appointments may also be organized.
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