Herbert Hoover’s ‘White House’ in the U.K. Just Listed for $2.5 Million
Nearly two decades before Herbert Hoover became the 31st President of the United States in 1929, he was living outside of London, in a private residence that’s now on the market for £1.99 million (or about $2.5 million). The stately spread was, ironically enough, known as The White House.
Hoover and his wife, Lou Henry Hoover, resided at the Georgian spread in Surrey, England, in 1902 while he worked for Bewick, Moreing & Co., a London-based mining firm. According to the listing, which is held by Knight Frank, Hoover wrote in his memoirs, “My wife searched out a small country house at Walton-on-Thames.” There was also a footnote that remarked, “Curiously, it was known as The White House.” Today, the building sports a commemorative blue plaque affixed to the front wall that denotes that it was once home to the former commander-in-chief.
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The approximately 3,000-square-foot home is positioned on the south bank of the River Thames and was last sold in 2009 for £1.08 million (or $1.3 million), property records show. If the next owner is both a history buff and an architecture aficionado, they’ll be delighted to find tons of original period details remain intact, from the parapet walls to the decorative bay windows, stately fireplaces, and friezes. There’s even a bell tower on the roof.
Spanning two floors, the ground level is entered via an open-plan entrance hall and features four reception spaces, including drawing and dining rooms. From here, you’ll have access to a generously sized outdoor garden. Opposite the dining room sits the bespoke Tomy Howley kitchen, complete with stylish marble counters, gray cabinets, and brass hardware. Upstairs, the first floor holds all four bedrooms, including the main bedroom, which has its own bath. Each of the bedrooms is adorned with bay windows and a cozy fireplace.
“The White House offers a unique opportunity to own a piece of history,” says Matthew Scott, head of sales in Knight Frank’s Weybridge office. “Georgian houses in Elmbridge are rare, and the property’s historic significance has generated a huge amount of interest from both British and American buyers.” So far this year, the U.K. has clocked several super-prime sales, including the offloading of a $47 million estate in London’s posh Belgravia district and, more recently, The Holme, once the world’s priciest home, sold for $172 million after two years on the market.
Click here to see more photos of the British estate.
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