Pirate-themed play barn, pool shaped like a ship's hull and nautical-themed bedroom: Lavish estate of publisher Felix Dennis who was obsessed with Treasure Island goes on sale for £10million
- Controversial publisher Felix Dennis' estate in Dorsington, Warwickshire on the market for a staggering £9,470,000
- Provocateur created a host of English country homes which can be bought together or as one of 11 separate lots
- Inspired by Treasure Island, the barn disguises a pirate pool with palm trees, a crow's nest, a fish tank, and a boat
- The south wing includes the kitchen and banqueting hall and an authentic Art Deco inspired cinema with a bar
The family of controversial publisher Felix Dennis have put his lavish £10million estate on the market , and it comes complete with it's own pirate-themed play barn.
Maverick
publisher Felix died at his home in Dorsington, Warwickshire, in June
last year after a two-year battle with throat cancer.
The
colourful provocateur, who went jail in the 1970s, left instructions
that the bulk of his £500million fortune should go to the upkeep of a
forest he planted near his home.
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Inspired by former publisher Felix
Dennis' love for Treasure Island, the farmyard barn building disguises a
pirate-themed playland with a ship
His family have now placed his entire
estate in Dorsington, Warwickshire, which he moved to in 1987, on the
market for a staggering £9,470,000
His
family have now placed his entire estate in Dorsington, Warks., which
he moved to in 1987, on the market for a staggering £9,470,000.
The publisher created a host of quintessentially English country homes which can be bought all together or in a series of 11 separate lots.
Incredibly,
one of the property portfolios on offer for a knock-down price of
£2,450,000 is Highfield - a leisure complex Mr Dennis built as a 21st century folly at a cost of £5million.
Inspired
by his love for Treasure Island, the farmyard-style barn building
disguises a pirate-themed playland within with a swimming pool based on a
ship's hull.
Stunning
pictures of the barn show how it also comes complete with palm trees, a
crow's nest, a fish tank, a shipwrecked boat and rigging.
As
well as the playground-style barn, the north wing has a similar
nautically themed bedroom as well as a solarium, sauna and steam room.
As well as the playground-style barn,
the north wing has a similar nautically themed bedroom as well as a
solarium, sauna and steam room
Robert Pritchard, manager
of estate agent Smith Gore, which is overseeing the sale, said:
'Highfield is a very special property, it cost £5 million to build it'
The
south wing includes the kitchen and banqueting hall and below ground
there is an authentic Art Deco inspired cinema with a bar and
entertainment area.
The 12,000 sq ft complex also has an Apline-style balcony overlooking a giant cheesboard and comes with planning permission for residential use.
House
hunters can also snap up Mr Dennis' home, The Old Manor, which is an
Elizabethan country house sitting in nine acres of grounds.
The
Grade-II listed property has a thatched roof and dates back to the
early 16th century when it was originally five cottages but was turned
into a residence befitting 'someone of consequence in the parish'.
Thick beams run across the ceilings of its two great reception rooms and its custom made kitchen/family room.
The south wing includes the kitchen
and banqueting hall and below ground there is an authentic Art Deco
inspired cinema with a bar and entertainment area
The 12,000 sq ft complex also has an
Apline-style balcony overlooking a giant cheesboard and comes with
planning permission for residential use
It
also has four bedrooms, three of them suites, while the basement
contains the wine store that Mr Dennis used to house his impressive
collection.
There
is even a thatched roof summer house which looks like a miniature
version of the Old Manor and a staff flat with a matching thatched roof.
The portfolio of properties is being divided into 11 lots but the estate can be bought in its entirety for £9,470,000.
Robert
Pritchard, manager of estate agent Smith Gore, which is overseeing the
sale, said: 'Highfield is a very special property, it cost £5 million to
build it.
'The property is outstanding, it is a world class building. When you see it the quality is the stricking part about it.
'It is a magical building, it certainly is different.
House hunters can also snap up Mr
Dennis' home, The Old Manor, which is an Elizabethan country house
sitting in nine acres of grounds
During his colourful life, Mr Dennis was jailed for 'conspiring to corrupt public morals' during the notorious 1971 Oz trial
'The estate only went on the market 36 hours ago but we are inundated with enquiries.
'It
would be nice if somebody were to come in and buy quite a lot of the
properties like the main house and cottages but there is something there
for everyone from a two-bedroom thatched cottage to a larger
four-bedroom house.
'The
proceeds of the sale are going back to the charity to continue the work
with the forest which is being retained by the charity.'
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FELIX DENNIS: A SELF-CONFESSED 'COKED-UP, OVERWEIGHT, CIGARETTE-SMOKING, MALT-WHISKY SWILLING IDIOT'
Dennis said he spent $100million on 'sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll' in his life
Maverick
publisher Felix Dennis, who said he spent $100million on 'sex, drugs
and rock 'n' roll' in his riotous life, died of throat cancer at 67.
The businessman was one of the founders of 1960s counter-culture magazine Oz and was jailed for nine months after being found guilty of obscenity in 1971 before being cleared on appeal.
He
stood trial for conspiracy to corrupt public morals after a special
issue of Oz included a pornographic version of Rupert the Bear.
The
trial was a sensation and made Dennis and his fellow defendants famous.
They were defended by lawyer and novelist John Mortimer.
Dennis
went on to make his £500million fortune through Dennis Publishing, the
magazine stable behind Maxim and The Week and proudly admitted spending a
huge chunk of his fortune on women and drugs.
As
a younger man he had a passion for 'five-in-a bed' romps with some of
the '14 mistresses' kept on his company's payroll, as well as a crack
cocaine habit that alone saw him squander £50million.
But after he was warned he faced 'a one way ticket to jail or the morgue' he gave up crack cocaine and became a poet.
His many claims to fame included becoming the first person to say c*** on British television.
His
foul-mouthed first came during an episode of The David Frost Programme
which included a lengthy interview with a group of hippies.
Dennis began on the path to his fabulous wealth when her started producing magazines for personal computer users and bought the fledgling magazine Personal Computer Weekly.
Just
four years later, in 1982 - after selling his stable of IT magazines
for 'a shed load of money', he was a multi-millionaire, at 35.
Success went to his head. 'In a single decade I got through £50 million,' and described himself as a 'crack connoisseur'.
He
said: 'It was probably the hardest thing I have ever done and I have
been a far, far happier man ever since, and probably a nicer man'.
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