Writes Nick Withinshaw from Chester estate agents Jackson Stops & Staff: A very special and rare opportunity has arisen to rent a property within the private parkland of Eaton Hall, home of the Duke and Duchess of Westminster. Eaton Lodge occupies a secluded rural location within the parkland close to the estate village of Eccleston, a few miles to the South of Chester.

The Grosvenor family has been at Eaton Hall since the middle of the 15th Century and it is presently the home of the 6^th Duke of Westminster and his family. Eaton Lodge, originally designed by John Douglas, has evolved through the years but probably dates from the latter part of the 19^th Century when records show that it was home to a gamekeeper. The property was subsequently occupied by Anne, Duchess of Westminster, the owner of Arkle, the Championship racehorse and winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Today, Eaton Lodge, whilst retaining many original features from its rich history, displays a modern twist to design resulting in a truly unique and very impressive home. The property has been renovated to an exceptional standard with great input from the Duchess of Westminster. Of particular note is the large reception hall which provides a dramatic entrance. Drawn by David Tremlett, a Cornish born artist who studied sculpture at the Royal College of Art, the ceilings and walls are the culmination of a series he had worked on for nearly 12 years. Wanting to break up the space into sections almost like an interlocking puzzle, David created an unlikely assembly of pieces that fit perfectly together.

The drawing is about structure, light, colour and a great sense of contemplative space. The hand-made ceramic floor in the reception hall was designed by the Duchess of Westminster. She assisted in its making with the internationally renowned potter, David Frith of Denbigh, North Wales. The floor was made using specially prepared coloured clays for high temperature firing. Each piece of this enormous jigsaw was individually shaped by hand and cut with great precision.

The design is created with two shades of rustic clays with strands of cream polished ribbons running through the design like rivulets of water. The ribbons draw the eye giving great scale for the interior and the garden ahead. The floor took over six months to make and has created a wholly unique piece of ceramic art of great distinction. As well as the striking blend of traditional and contemporary design, Eaton Lodge benefits from high quality kitchen and bathroom fittings together with gas-fired underfloor heating through most of the house.

The property is also wired with a state-of-the-art intelligent music and satellite television system, wi-fi broadband as well as intruder and fire alarms with external CCTV, which can be monitored by the estate security team by separate arrangement. For further details and a full pdf brochure please click here or call the Chester office on 01244 328 361.

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