Fairytale ending
After magical 27 years in their ivy-clad ‘Rapunzel’ tower, couple sell up for a new challenge
WHEN George and Merle Orris finally finished renovating their house in London 27 years ago, moving was the last thing on their minds.
But as they leafed through the pages of a magazine, they saw a photograph of The Old Tower in the Hertfordshire village of Benington – and were immediately smitten.
‘It was a slightly ridiculous situation,’ recalls Merle. ‘We had just finished doing up our lovely house and we had a successful clothing business in town. But we fell in love with the tower, and realised that as it was just a 25-minute journey from nearby Stevenage to King’s Cross, it was a simple commute.’
The property certainly makes a memorable first impression. Five storeys high and covered in ivy, it’s reminiscent of the tower in the fairy tale Rapunzel. And even without actually setting foot inside the Victorian home, you can see its appeal.
Built in about 1890, it was constructed as a water tower, which seems rather prosaic a use for such a magical dwelling.
It is one of five houses on a private estate. Although the four others are close by – a couple can be spotted through the trees in the garden – the surroundings are incredibly peaceful.
The Old Tower was converted in about 1980, and the Orrises, who are in their late 50s and have no children, have done a great deal of further work in their time there.
Each room is like a jewel – individual and with dainty touches – with the overwhelming feel of a five-star Far Eastern hotel.
‘We have travelled a great deal,’ says Merle. ‘Our love of the Far East is reflected in the house.’
To the left of the high entrance hall is a bright dining room, with double doors leading out to the garden, and a large but elegant ceramic and metal Swedish log stove in the corner which reaches from floor to ceiling.
‘It throws out enough heat to warm the whole of the ground floor,’ says George.
A flight of stairs takes you to a cosy but light mezzanine sitting room, and at the back of the dining room is a large wine cellar and storage room, which used to be a coal store.
The kitchen is on the ground floor of the tower and leads to a small study which has windows on three sides, as well as a glass roof.
‘It used to be a very pretty breakfast room,’ says Merle, with a slight feeling of resignation. ‘But George wanted it as a study.’
Although the kitchen is very pretty, the magic of the house is unquestionably in the upper storeys. Looking up the tower’s winding staircase, you can see that each of the 100 steps is meticulously carpeted. ‘We’ve just had the carpet put in,’ Merle explains. ‘It took months, but it means that the stairs aren’t remotely slippery.’
The first-floor bedroom – currently a spare room – has an en suite bathroom and a balcony overlooking the back garden. ‘The walls are very thick, so all the rooms stay warm, no matter how chilly it is outside,’ Merle says. The second-floor bedroom is the master bedroom, again with an en suite. Double-aspect windows overlook the front garden and fields beyond.
There are two further bedrooms on the subsequent floors, though Merle uses the top one as a dressing room, and two round windows hung with exotic fabric give it the feeling of a sitting room. ‘It’s a lovely place to sit and read if you want to get away from everything,’ she says. All the ceilings are surprisingly high, making the rooms feel larger.
A roof-level door leads to a wooden terrace covering the top of the tower. The views are sublime – you can see for miles across the Hertfordshire countryside, as well as admire the property’s large front lawn and neighbouring paddock. The Orrises have enjoyed sitting out on the terrace with a glass of wine on many summer evenings.
There are excellent local schools nearby and Hertford is just eight miles away, with a decent array of restaurants and shops.
The couple are now selling up – the property is on the market for £1.35 million – and are planning to retire to France. ‘We’ll be sad to leave. But we’re going to go and live by the sea, and perhaps we’ll buy a vineyard,’ says Merle.