Commuter town living in a post pandemic age
Will people still want to live in commuter hotspots now that pandemic has made working from home more common?
Take 5… Homes with tennis courts
With the annual Wimbledon Championship just starting, many of us will be tuning in to watch the games and hoping the weather is favourable for the competition. While some might be indulging in strawberries and cream for the occasion, we’ve taken the opportunity to take a look at the game’s origins and how it became one of the world’s most loved sports. We have also chosen some of the best properties currently on the market with a tennis court should the tournament inspire you to want to play from the comfort of your own home.
Historically, tennis is one of the oldest racket sports in the world and was popularised in the 16th century with the name stemming from the French ‘tenez’ which means to ‘hold’ or ‘receive’. The original form of the game is today called ‘real tennis’, favoured by Henry VIII and played within a walled court – there more than 50 active real tennis courts still in existence today in the UK, US, France and Australia. Moving forward in time, the invention of the lawn mower in Britain in 1830 is recognised to be the catalyst for lawn tennis allowing for the creation of modern grass courts, pitches, cricket greens etc. leading to the increased popularity of the game. In the 19th century, the lawn tennis club was established for the first time in Leamington Spa.
The first Wimbledon Championship was held in 1877 and was the trigger for the standardisation of the game’s rules. By the early 1900s, what is understood as the Slams had been established: Wimbledon, the US Open, the French Open, and the Australian Open. With the emergence of large scale tournaments came the increasing popularity of tennis as a spectator sport and a growing interest in the game from fans. Unlike many other sports, tennis was a game to be played by both women and men, and was able to be played on croquet lawns and hence so easily adopted by households. Through the 20th century, popularity increased thanks to its promotion through community tennis courts, televised competitions, inclusion in the Olympics and that the game is relatively easy to pick up with minimal equipment costs.
From grass courts with court side viewing, to all weather courts for year round playing, take a look at the homes below to encourage you to dust off your racket and trainers and hit the court…
Miramonte
Coombe, Surrey
Designed by renowned architect Maxwell Fry, Miramonte ticks all the dream home boxes. It comes complete with a one-bed lodge, an indoor swimming pool with spa complex, as well as a tennis court with a pavilion.
Snoddington Manor
Tidworth, Hampshire
Snoddington Manor is an impressive country house with a lot to offer. Its 50 acres includes a swimming pool, summer glass house, a number of paddocks, and a tennis court.
Presses House
Nunton, Wiltshire
Found in a small village in Wiltshire, this beautiful country house has excellent leisure facilities at every turn. The swimming pool is to the west of the house and is totally secluded, whilst the tennis court and summer house is to the east of the house.
Town Farm
Thornage, Norfolk
At Town Farm, you would want for nothing. It comes with impressive countryside views over the Glaven Valley and you’re just a stones throw from the beach - and, all within its grounds, there’s charming gardens, a paddock, a holiday cottage, and a tennis court.
The Old Rectory
Stour Provost, Dorset
The gardens and grounds at The Old Rectory are some of the prettiest you can imagine. There’s tiered lawns and partly walled borders stocked with roses, and it has a swimming pool that overlooks the hard tennis court, which slopes down to the River Stour.
