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Lotto winners give up on mansion life
Date: 17th August 2010 Time: 22:49:59 GMT + 1
For many lottery winners, buying a gorgeous new home tops the list of things to do with their newfound wealth. Some, however, eventually find that life on a huge estate just doesn't suit their particular needs.
That's exactly what Neil and Kate Chester discovered after winning £8.5 million on the British Lotto in September 2007. In January 2008, they purchased the ultra-spacious Semple House in Hampshire for £1.8 million and became the proud owners of the sprawling mansion and its 18-acre grounds.
And they didn't stop there. They improved upon their holdings by adding a new wing to the house and equipping the whole with amenities such as a gym, pool, cinema, stables and dovecote, and by having the grounds lavishly landscaped.
There are, however, drawbacks to life on an estate. Home maintenance and grounds upkeep are no ordinary tasks, and then there's the issue of family togetherness. The Chesters have 4 young children, and keeping track of them in the massive house was a challenge. Said Mrs. Chester, "I always wanted to stay at home and raise the children and be with them. In a small house you are always all together. Now I have to make a point of finding them -- we don't even watch TV together as we are all in different rooms." Mr. Chester stated, "There are rooms we never use."
Estate living may also be more attractive to those who favour privacy over sociability. The estate is secure behind electric fencing. Mrs. Chester stated, "This isn't the sort of place where people pop in, and it's not as if we can chat over the back fence."
With all that in mind, the Chesters have decided to give up their estate for something cozier. However, after living on an estate for 2 years, size becomes a matter of perspective. Said Mr. Chester, "I think a 6,000 sq ft place would be perfect."
The Chesters have put Semple House on the market for £4.75 million.
Sources: MailOnline
Sydney Morning Herald
And they didn't stop there. They improved upon their holdings by adding a new wing to the house and equipping the whole with amenities such as a gym, pool, cinema, stables and dovecote, and by having the grounds lavishly landscaped.
There are, however, drawbacks to life on an estate. Home maintenance and grounds upkeep are no ordinary tasks, and then there's the issue of family togetherness. The Chesters have 4 young children, and keeping track of them in the massive house was a challenge. Said Mrs. Chester, "I always wanted to stay at home and raise the children and be with them. In a small house you are always all together. Now I have to make a point of finding them -- we don't even watch TV together as we are all in different rooms." Mr. Chester stated, "There are rooms we never use."
Estate living may also be more attractive to those who favour privacy over sociability. The estate is secure behind electric fencing. Mrs. Chester stated, "This isn't the sort of place where people pop in, and it's not as if we can chat over the back fence."
With all that in mind, the Chesters have decided to give up their estate for something cozier. However, after living on an estate for 2 years, size becomes a matter of perspective. Said Mr. Chester, "I think a 6,000 sq ft place would be perfect."
The Chesters have put Semple House on the market for £4.75 million.
Sources: MailOnline
Sydney Morning Herald
