When Lester Fernando was asked by his estate agent whether he wanted to visit a “mystery home”, the specialist recruiter jumped at the opportunity.
Feeling underwhelmed at the previous four properties he’d viewed close to Bristol and Bath, Lester, 47, set off with his wife Josephine’s brief for a 'cosy, three-bed cottage' front of mind. Some 20 miles off the couple’s preferred target area in the delightful village of Winscombe in the Mendip Hills, Lester set eyes on the Winscombe Court - featuring a 10-bedroom house with an adjourning two-bedroom cottage, tennis court and swimming pool. 'It was love at first sight,' Lester admits. 'The scale of the house can only be appreciated when you pass the bend in the driveway and the house first comes into view. Whilst the views over the Mendip Hills and the grounds are magical as you traverse the drive, it’s that first glimpse of the house that really stood out for me. As soon as I entered the driveway, I was struck by two conflicting thoughts. Firstly, this was The One. We just had to buy this home. Secondly, how was I going to convince my wife that a sprawling manor house was anywhere near her ‘cosy three-bed cottage’ brief?'
But Lester needn’t have worried. When Josephine saw the property herself, she too fell in love with it. The couple have two children - a daughter, ten, and a son, eight - who at the time were approaching school age, so they were initially looking to leave their home in Surrey for a place in the West Country. After discovering Winscombe Court, which is steeped in history and dates back to 1760, the couple changed tack. Having enjoyed a getaway at a large house in Cornwall with a large group of friends and family the year prior, Lester and Josephine realised Winscombe Court could offer something similar. And the revenue generated could help towards the running costs.
Lester said: 'As we were undecided on moving lock, stock and barrel, we were buying somewhere ‘out west’ with the intention of retaining our home in Surrey to possibly rent out, return to on weekends or vice versa. Winscombe Court is in the Mendip Hills National Landscape, it’s close to the beaches of Weston and Burnham, 10 minutes from the splendid Cheddar Gorge and only five minutes from the home of Thatcher’s cider (my favoured beverage) - so it had more than enough to offset the change of location. Being 15 minutes away from Bristol Airport was also helpful for overseas family and friends coming to visit.' The couple were handed the keys to the property in May 2018 and immediately got to work. Thankfully, the house, says Lester, is 'architecturally marvellous'. He explains that the home’s grandeur is exemplified by the huge thick stone walls, high ceilings, antique cast iron radiators and cavernous rooms.
While as far back as the 18th century, the jasmine-filled glass walkway leading to the entrance hall used to be the waiting area for ballgown-clad ladies and the large 40ft-long ballroom, which is now the dining room and remains the heartbeat of the house and the entertainment hub. As soon as the couple started making tweaks to the décor, repainting a room or changing a light fitting or swapping a chair, for example, it snowballed into a whole house transformation. Lester, Director of Allen Lane (Consultancy), said: 'My wife’s eye for interiors thrived and a marriage of contemporary, quirky and classical were somehow seamlessly merged. We engaged our Surrey-based decorator and his team to set up home and repaint all of the interiors - with Farrow & Ball doing very nicely out of their three-month residence! Other than three sets of curtains and three sofas, over the course of six years, every single non-fixed furnishing throughout the house was newly acquired.'
Now the project is complete, Winscombe Court stands proud as a sought-after venue for large family gatherings - and it’s available for low-occupancy rates for up to 12 guests in low season. Thanks to the couple’s tireless efforts, the rooms each have their own unique style yet the house is harmonious and there is a natural flow-through. Bedrooms are bold in style, colour and lighting yet sympathetic to the function and form of the house. There is a blend of grand antique furniture and fun but tasteful artefacts, dazzling period chandeliers and contemporary, elegant light-fittings. There are huge, ornate hand-painted classical paintings but also wall-hangings and pictures clearly rooted in a traditional style but with modern twists. The couple converted what was once used as a ballroom into a dining room, and they bought an antique, robust and exceptionally restored 14ft dining table with matching antique chairs - having spent hundreds of hours at antique fairs. They commissioned classical artwork, bought a display armoire and enormous gold-framed mirror from The Packhouse in Farnham.
Lester, who met Josephine, founder of Diddy Diners (diddydiners.co.uk) and co-founder of Stroodles Activity Kits (@stroodlesactivitykits), in 2004, said: 'The kitchen is a traditional country kitchen with an Aga the central feature, providing cosiness and warmth. The first floor living room has a deep green hue with sprawling comfy velvet sofas, TV, and another secondary dining area (serviced by a first floor kitchen). This is often referred to as the guests’ favourite room as it’s at the far end of the house and has a more peaceful and relaxed vibe. With fantastic views, it also has two original and large cast iron radiators which provide a really cosy feel to the room. 'Also on the first floor is the awe-inspiring snooker room with a full-size table lit up by original snooker chandeliers but also home to a stunning sports memorabilia collection including signed Muhammad Ali glove, Pele and Maradona shirts, Jack Nicklaus’ last major cap and dozens more items picked up largely from charity auctions. The incredible reclining massage chair is another feature making this a very popular room. The main bedroom provides another breathtaking moment as you enter. At 40-feet long, it is very much the honeymoon suite with stunning double aspect views over the grounds and Mendip Hills. With an abundance of light and cheer, it is the Palais de Versailles Super King French bed that dominates the space. The elegant gold tinted bathroom with stand-alone roll top bath and shower ensure the opulence continues in the ensuite.'
In terms of what the couple splashed out on, Lester reveals: 'We knew outstanding beds, mattresses and pillows were essential. All of these items were bought new and with no expense spared and finding beds and luxury, sleep-inducing mattresses for 12 bedrooms (including the two bedroom cottage on site) proved to be one of our biggest expenses. The thing we ‘splashed out’ the most on was the swimming pool and spa transformation. This was an 18-month project. To keep the building in sync with the surrounding countryside, we made a feature of the roof, turning it into a sprawling artificial grass roof terrace with seating area and putting green - the perfect spot for sunbathing and relaxing or watching the tennis on the court below.'
So, with all this choice, which is Lester’s favourite room? 'Randomly, it’s the ‘crocodile’ cloakroom on the ground floor,' he admits. 'I took inspiration following a trip to Megeve in the Swiss Alps where I visited a restaurant toilet. The room was dark but with focused spotlighting and the entire wall and ceiling was adorned with faux bear fur and above the toilet with very clever lighting was a wall mounted (faux) bear head. It was a conversation-starter and wanting to create something similar, we went with a black faux crocodile-skin wallpaper and black crocodile head that with careful lighting appears out of nowhere when the lights turn on!'
