Iconic Country House Jane Austen Partied At To Be Demolished
The country mansion where Jane Austen attended balls and which she mentioned in her letters is to be demolished by its new owners, despite objections from neighbours and conservationists.
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has approved plans to demolish Ashe Park House, Hampshire, and replace it with a 'traditional country house' in the Queen Anne style.
Owners Shuk Ting Sharon Leung and Gillian Sin Hang Ho bought the 232-acre estate in October 2022 for £17 million and applied to tear it down because it was 'tired and unmanaged'.
But 20 locals objected to the proposal because of its historic connections. The author of Pride And Prejudice was born in the village of Steventon, a mile away, in 1775, visiting the seven-bedroom house on a number of occasions.
Neighbour Caroline Sykes, 67, said: 'It is such a waste. It is not a listed house, which does not work in its favour, but it has got historical interest.'
And the charity Save Britain's Heritage (SAVE) complained that 'the building is an important heritage asset for Hampshire and its demolition would cause unjustified harm'.
However, council planners approved the demolition.
'There are fascinating associations with Jane Austen and also a captain at the Charge of the Light Brigade who rebuilt the house when he returned to Hampshire after the Crimean War . . . These shocking demolition plans would destroy a charming building and erase that history.'
| by Anonymous | reply 30 | April 29, 2025 7:02 PM
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[bold]TastefulFriendsUnite!
| by Anonymous | reply 2 | March 30, 2025 10:04 PM
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[quoqte]Owners Shuk Ting Sharon Leung and Gillian Sin Hang Ho bought the 232-acre estate in October 2022
Any relation to Sum Yung Ho?
| by Anonymous | reply 4 | March 30, 2025 10:09 PM
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Replaced by a couple of glass boxes with poured concrete floors, I am sure.
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | March 30, 2025 10:14 PM
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An old pile like that costs a fortune to keep up.
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | March 30, 2025 10:16 PM
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seems like a pity. It's in fine shape and looks completely renovated and sound.
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | March 30, 2025 10:19 PM
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Sum Ting Wrong's brother.
| by Anonymous | reply 9 | March 30, 2025 10:26 PM
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No. Just no.
Why buy an old house that has been well-maintained if you intend to tear it down? Appalling behavior.
| by Anonymous | reply 10 | March 30, 2025 10:30 PM
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[quote] Owners Shuk Ting Sharon Leung and Gillian Sin Hang Ho…
Can we send America’s ICE team over there to send them packing?
They may as well do something useful.
| by Anonymous | reply 11 | March 30, 2025 11:11 PM
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[quote] Partied at?
Mr. Darcy was a huge douchebag but he always brought the BEST coke!
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | March 31, 2025 11:53 AM
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[quote]Replaced by a couple of glass boxes with poured concrete floors, I am sure.
R6 according to the article linked at R1 they intend to "replace it with a 'traditional country house' in the Queen Anne style." So at least it wont be replaced with a modern carbuncle. But given that what is already there is in good shape and not that far off Queen Anne this makes absolutely no sense either.
This house has been heavily modified over the years, but it is still a shame and illogical to tear it down when its in good shape as R10 says. If it was a gutted, roofless collapsing ruin I would understand it more
| by Anonymous | reply 15 | March 31, 2025 1:44 PM
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Is this akin to when Pia Zadora tore down Pickfair?
| by Anonymous | reply 16 | March 31, 2025 2:02 PM
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Pick-fair. Love the name.
| by Anonymous | reply 18 | March 31, 2025 2:10 PM
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There are hundreds of Grade I and Grade II Listed houses with preservation rules. Why was this never listed? It’s not like someone forgot.
| by Anonymous | reply 19 | March 31, 2025 2:12 PM
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It’s 232 fucking acres.
Why not just leave it up and build another house elsewhere on the property. They could put up a line of trees if they don’t want to see it.
| by Anonymous | reply 20 | March 31, 2025 2:17 PM
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The historical value is clearly lost on them, which isn’t really surprising.
| by Anonymous | reply 21 | March 31, 2025 4:22 PM
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[quote] Owners Shuk Ting Sharon Leung and Gillian Sin Hang Ho bought the 232-acre estate in October 2022 for £17 million and applied to tear it down...
Figures, and you know what I mean.
| by Anonymous | reply 22 | March 31, 2025 6:16 PM
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Watch them put a fortune cookie factory in its place…
| by Anonymous | reply 24 | March 31, 2025 10:55 PM
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“Oh, the Party last night was oh-so-GAY! A fine number of spirited gentleman callers filled my dance card”
| by Anonymous | reply 25 | March 31, 2025 11:08 PM
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“and then we went out to the moonlit 🌝 balcony and I pulled a train above the flowery shire”
| by Anonymous | reply 26 | March 31, 2025 11:16 PM
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So they spent 17 million pounds and knew the condition of the house.
WTF do these Chinese want in this area anyway? To live? To build a reproduction house because...why? It's not close to much.
Of course there are no results for these people when you Google them.
I think one of them is related to this Hong Kong businessman.
| by Anonymous | reply 27 | March 31, 2025 11:17 PM
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What a shame. A crying shame. It should have been landmarked.
| by Anonymous | reply 28 | April 29, 2025 6:32 PM
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That's terrible news. I thought the era of destroying country houses had ended decades ago. James Lees-Milne must be rolling in his grave.
| by Anonymous | reply 29 | April 29, 2025 6:52 PM
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[quote]R27 WTF do these Chinese want in this area anyway? To live? To build a reproduction house because...why? It's not close to much.
They may be looking to open an opium den!
| by Anonymous | reply 30 | April 29, 2025 7:02 PM
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