Champion Farm – Rookley

HISTORY
The main house at Champion Farm is a stunning, Grade II listed, property with origins dating back as far as the 17th century. The original part of the house at the rear boasts centuries old thick, solid stone walls, an inglenook fireplace and what are thought to be original oak beams. It is thought that around the early part of the 19th Century the magnificent Georgian Manor House was added to the front. This Georgian section is an architectural masterpiece. It includes a red brick facade, wooden sash windows, portico style porch and a hipped styled roof. Inside there are, amongst other things, a splendid staircase, high ceilings and feature chimney breasts and fireplaces in the ground floor front rooms together with wood panelling to dado height in the main rooms, hall and staircase. Later additions were added to the house in the mid 20th Century to complement the wonderful house that we see today. This house genuinely enables history and modern living to meet in harmony.

Other interesting facts about Champion Farm’s history include it being, it is said, the former Dower House to the famous Gatcombe House (now named Gatcombe Park).

SITUATION
Set in a peaceful rural position on the outskirts of Rookley, Champion Farm enjoys far-reaching views over open countryside. Rookley is a well-positioned village in the heart of the Isle of Wight, offering a blend of rural tranquillity and convenient access to the Island’s main towns and coast.

Champion Farm is set within its own parkland, in all extending to about 15 acres, with direct access from the closest bridleway (IW41) leading east to Blackwater, or west to Gatcombe, the Bowcombe valley and even all the way to The Needles. Pleasantly protected to the West by mature woodland with arable fields to the East, Champion Farm is in an idyllic position for those seeking privacy with good, accessible links across the Island.

The Isle of Wight is celebrated as an international yachting and sailing venue, with the annual Cowes Week Regatta in August attracting competitors from all over the world. The Island also hosts both a Music and a Literary Festival and has a lively cultural scene. Newport provides a variety of restaurants and boutique shopping and, of course, household brand name stores.

Ryde School with Upper Chine is the main independent (HMC) School on the Island. It offers co-education from pre-school to sixth form on a daily, weekly and full boarding basis. Many Island children commute to mainland schools such as Portsmouth Grammar, St Edward’s and Hordle Walhampton Prep. There are good feeder links to conveniently located public schools such as Winchester College and St Swithun’s in Winchester, Bryanston, Canford, and the Sherborne schools in Dorset, and
Marlborough College in Wiltshire.

The property is located in the rural heart of the Isle of Wight, yet only around 30 minutes’ drive to Cowes or to Ryde, with frequent crossings to Southampton & Portsmouth and easily accessible onward routes by train to London Waterloo. Travel time from Southampton Central to London Waterloo is around 90 minutes and from Ryde Pier around 120 minutes.

CHAMPION HOUSE
A beautiful Grade II listed Georgian House with original features, remodelled and superbly renovated by the current vendor during their near 30-year tenure. As well as respecting its heritage, new improvements have recently been made to its energy efficiency, making Champion House an attractive choice for modern day living.

Ground Floor

Entrance Hall: A grand entrance hall with Welsh slate floor tiles, period cornicing and a handsome timber staircase leading to the first floor.

Drawing Room: A well-proportioned drawing room with high ceiling, sash windows overlooking the front lawns and pool and an open fire with marble surround and slate hearth.

Formal Dining Room: It features a high ceiling, period cornicing, open fire with marble surround and slate hearth, sash windows overlooking the front lawns and pool, and a built-in understairs cupboard.

Kitchen: A stunning open kitchen with original beams, corian worktops, built-in appliances, four oven AGA, Kitchen Island, and plenty of natural light from the side window onto the gravelled courtyard.

Utility Room: A well equipped utility room off the kitchen and with immediate access to the gravelled courtyard.

Breakfast Room: A bright breakfast room with exposed historic stone walls and oak beams overhead. Also has an open chimney breast with stone plinth and exposed brickwork. On one side there is a window looking out to the gravelled courtyard while on the other side there are double patio doors leading out to an alfresco style terraced garden.

W/C: Downstairs W/C with sink and toilet.

Plant Room: A small plant room with heating boiler.

Living Room: A large living room with dual aspect windows and patio doors out onto the terraced garden. There is also built-in wooden shelving and cupboards.

First Floor

Landing: Accessed via a feature staircase, a light filled landing with views from the sash window of the lawns, the pool, the fields and woodland beyond and up as far as the Gatcombe and Chillerton downs.

Master Suite: A large master suite with glorious views. The spacious bedroom benefits from high ceilings and period coving. There is also a private dressing room with built-in wardrobes and drawers which then leads to the master en-suite which comprises a period style freestanding bath, a huge shower, two separate sinks and a W/C.

Guest Suite: A spacious and elegant double room, enjoying far reaching views and with a modern en-suite shower room.

Corridor: with built-in cupboards.

Family Bathroom: with bath, shower over bath, W/C and sink.

Separate WC: W/C and sink.

Bedroom Three: A good sized double bedroom with exposed beams and built-in cupboard.

Bedroom Four: A single bedroom with built-in wardrobe.

Bedroom Five: A small double bedroom with built-in wardrobe.

Second Floor

Bedroom Six: Double bedroom with exposed beams and views over the the front lawns, the pool, the fields and woodland beyond and up as far as the Gatcombe and Chillerton downs.

Bedroom Seven: Double bedroom with exposed beams and views over the front lawns, the pool, the fields and woodland beyond and up as far as the Gatcombe and Chillerton downs.

GROUNDS, GARDENS AND PARKLAND
Set within approximately 15 acres, the private setting at Champion Farm is a key feature of the property. It combines landscaped and natural elements with far-reaching rural views. Approached via a partially tree-lined drive, including the crossing of it’s own small bridge.

The immediate residential gardens to the front are predominantly laid to lawn, with a terraced courtyard garden to one side and a sheltered gravelled courtyard to the far side all combine to provide ample outdoor entertaining spaces
with privacy.

A beautifully finished 15m x 6m heated swimming pool with diving board lies to the front of the house, enjoying a discreet and sunlit position. The swimming pool benefits from a heated jacuzzi. Over to the side is the pump room and separate shed.

A few hundred metres from the house but within the grounds runs a charming stream. The private parkland comprises four separate fields which the current owners have used for running their dogs off lead. However, all fields would easily adapt to equestrian use if that is what the new owners choose.

OUTBUILDINGS
The Old Granary
With a slate roof and timber cladding.

The Old Stables
A quality converted brick-built stable block which now offers a mix of office and leisure space. The large primary office at the S end is dual aspect with a kitchenette and direct access to a private rear orchard garden. Adjacent to the primary office are three W/C’s. A second mid office is to the N of the WC facility corridor. The mid office has patio doors to both sides including to the private rear orchard garden. To the N of this mid office is a huge games room, gym and music room with triple aspect windows and, again, a door out to the private orchard garden

GENERAL REMARKS
Method of Sale
The property is offered for sale by private treaty.

Rights of Way
There are no public or private rights of way crossing the Freehold of the Property.

Services
House: The house benefits from mains water and electric, oil-fired central heating and a natural sewerage treatment plant. There is also an in-use water well at the property with water pumped up to a hose pipe. There is also the possibility to reinstate a second currently disused water well.

Buildings: Some of the buildings benefit from mains water, mains electric, a new private drainage system (treatment plant) as well as electric heating. There is a pump room that houses the swimming pool supply services.

Land: There is a livestock water connection to the land.

Broadband Availability
EE internet is currently available and used at the property.

Tenure and Possession
Freehold with vacant possession.

Postcode
PO38 3NN.

Council Tax
Band G.

Business Rates
Office
Current Rateable value - £6,600. Estimated Business Rates (based on small business multiplier of 49.9 pence) - £3,293.40 but with small business relief has been zero in recent years.

Local Authority
Isle of Wight Council.

Drainage
Prior to exchange of contracts, the vendor will ensure and certificate that the private drainage across the property is compliant with the General Binding Rules.

Listed Buildings
Champion Farm House and The Old Granary are both Grade II listed, entered into the listing register on 18th January 1967 under list entry number 1292711.

Access
Champion Farm is accessed via a sweeping driveway from Highwood Lane. There is also a separate vehicular access over a farm track further east leading to the rear of the property.

Sporting, Timber and Mineral Rights
All sporting, timber and mineral rights are included in the freehold sale, in so far as they are owned.

Fixtures and Fittings
To be agreed between the parties and confirmed by written inventory. The written inventory will be the sole arbiter of what is included in the sale whether or not items are referred to or photographed within these particulars.

Plans, Areas and Schedules
These are based on the Ordnance Survey and are for reference only. They have been checked and computed by BCM Wilson Hill and the Purchaser(s) shall be deemed to have satisfied themselves as to the description of the property. Any error or miss-statement shall not annul a sale or entitle any party to compensation in respect thereof.

What3Words
dandelions.films.prefect

EPC
TBC

Viewing
Strictly by appointment with BCM Wilson Hill Isle of Wight only.

BCM Wilson Hill
BCM (IOW) LLP
Red Barn
Cheeks Farm
Merstone Lane
Merstone
Isle of Wight
PO30 3DE

NB: These particulars are as at March 2026 with photographs taken between September 2024 and September 2025.