King George III’s former royal stables in Bushy Park for sale for £1.2M 

A Grade II listed mews home that was once used as royal stables by King George III has gone on sale for £1.2million.  

Built in the 18th century, the property is one of only 20 homes nestled withing the stunning 1,100 acre Bushy Park, in west London, giving the owners direct access to extensive woodland, landscaped gardens, rivers and parkland. 

Residents are also given private access to the 18th century Water Gardens, built by the 1st Earl of Halifax as a private recreational garden in 1710, when they are closed to the public.  

While the highly unusual location is definitely the property’s biggest selling point, the three-bedroom home also boasts a modern kitchen and private garden.   

The royal mews boasts a rich royal history and inside, the hand-crafted kitchen has stone worktops, integrated NEFF appliances and hardwood flooring, creating a charming, warm style

The ground floor provides a dual-aspect reception room with views onto the residents’ courtyard and the home’s garden, with bespoke shelving and plush carpet

The mews once formed part of the Royal Stables used by King George III, who ruled Britain from 1760 to 1820. Seen: A portrait of King George III on Eclipse, his favourite horse

Set in a central courtyard, the mews homes have a rich history dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries when they provided stabling for the royal hunts, used by King George III, who ruled Britain from 1760 to 1820, and his son George IV, a keen enthusiast who bred racehorses.

During the First and Second World Wars, the mews served as a base for American and Canadian forces and subsequently as a base for the development of Cold War technology. 

In the late 20th century, the mews were returned to residential use.  

This charming three bedroom property provides 1,260 square feet of elegant living space, opening out onto private rear garden. 

The ground floor provides a dual-aspect reception room with views onto the residents’ courtyard and the home’s garden, with bespoke shelving and plush carpet.

Meanwhile, the hand-crafted kitchen has stone worktops, integrated NEFF appliances and hardwood flooring, creating a charming, warm style. 

There is a study and a conservatory garden room, filled with natural light, which is described as ‘a great space to use as a dining room or as a lounge’.  

On the first floor, the master bedroom overlooks the garden and has ample storage space, with built-in wardrobes

There is a study and a conservatory garden room, filled with natural light, which is described as ‘a great space to use as a dining room or as a lounge’

Steeped in royal history: How Bushy Park’s mews went from royal stable to high-end private homes 

King George III’s favourite horses is seen outside the Royal stables which are now a mews of 20 exclusive houses

Bushy Park became a Royal Park in 1529, as a gift from Cardinal Wolsey to King Henry VIII, alongside Hampton Court Palace. 

Henry was a keen hunter, creating deer runs by enclosing sections of the park, and it is here he enjoyed his leisure time. 

In 1638, King Charles added the Longford River in order to provide water to Hampton Court, with the tree-lined Chestnut Avenue constructed by Sir Christopher Wren reaching from Park Road in Teddington to the Lion Gate entrance of the palace.

During the First and Second World Wars, Bushy Park served as a key base for the Canadian and American military, with Upper Lodge becoming the King’s Canadian Red Cross Special Hospital, and senior staff staying at the lodge while other personnel given homes in the mews houses.

By 1921, part of the lodge became the Admiralty Research Laboratory. Following the war, the lodge and neighbouring Water Gardens also served as an open-air school for children with respiratory diseases, with the gardens used as swimming pools. 

During the Second World War, the Water Gardens and surrounding area were used as US barracks, before being used by the Ministry of Defence for the development of Cold War technology. 

The lodge and surrounding mews homes were returned to residential use at the end of the 20th century.

On the first floor, the master bedroom overlooks the garden and has ample storage space, with built-in wardrobes. There are a further two bedrooms and a family bathroom.

In addition to the extensive open space for residents to enjoy, there is an abundance of protected wildlife. 

There are 320 red and fallow deer that roam and graze freely in the park, as well as a bird sanctuary, with the species to be found including woodpeckers, tawny owl, kestrel, waterfowl and kingfisher, with Kingston and Richmond both in close vicinity. 

The Water Gardens are a Baroque-style collection of pools, basins and cascades, originally built by the 1st Earl of Halifax in 1710 as a recreational garden. 

The Water Gardens are a Baroque-style collection of pools, basins and cascades, originally built by the 1st Earl of Halifax in 1710 as a recreational garden. Following an extensive restoration project begun in the 1990s, the gardens have been restored and are now a popular feature of the park. Residents have access even when they’re closed to visitors 

The property is one of only 20 homes nestled withing the stunning 1,100 acre Bushy Park, in west London, giving the owners direct access to extensive woodland, landscaped gardens, rivers and parkland. Illustrated, the location of the property

Following an extensive restoration project begun in the 1990s, the gardens have been restored and are now a popular feature of the park for visitors to enjoy, and residents to exclusively enjoy when they are closed to visitors. 

Gary Oliver, Director of Snellers, which is selling the property, told FEMAIL: ‘The opportunity to purchase one of the few properties within Bushy Park is incredibly rare, with the previous two homes available selling to existing residents, so this is a really exciting sale for us to work on. 

‘As a resident you can appreciate the beautiful park and woodland, with deer roaming freely outside your front door and exclusive access to the 18th century Water Gardens each Monday. 

‘Access to outside space has become a top priority for home-buyers, and the chance to live within a protected Royal park is very unusual. Upper Lodge Mews is a charming mews home within a tranquil setting, yet surprisingly close to London.’