Can’t you hear me knocking? Former Grade II listed country home of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, set in 22 acres of rolling parkland, goes on sale for £7.95 million
- Watts lived at Foscombe House in Gloucestershire between 1973 and 1983
A Grade II listed building – the former home of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts – is for sale.
Foscombe House, set in 52 acres of rolling parkland near the village of Ashleworth in Gloucestershire, is on the market for £7.95 million.
In addition to five bedrooms in the main house, the site also includes a stable block that has been converted into a swimming pool complex and a coach house formerly used by the Stones as a recording studio.
The impressive Victorian Gothic building is topped with a striking castellated tower and turret and was built around 1866 by architect Thomas Fulljames.
Watts lived in Foscombe with his wife Shirley and daughter Seraphina between 1976 and 1983 after joining the band in 1963.
Foscombe House, set in 52 acres of rolling parkland near the village of Ashleworth in Gloucestershire, is on the market for £7.95 million
Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts (pictured in 1989) lived in Foscombe between 1976 and 1983 with his wife Shirley and daughter Seraphina
There is also an original orangery with antique arched windows and three reception rooms with fireplaces and bay windows
The house is incredibly spacious with three reception rooms and space for 20 parked cars
The late drummer, who passed away in 2021 at the age of 84, converted the coach house into a music studio for the Stones, where they could privately rehearse, record and practice their music. It is now a two-bedroom guesthouse.
Situated at the top of Foscombe Hill and set in 22 hectares of rolling parkland, the extensive grounds include wildflower gardens, meadows, a Japanese garden, two ponds and a covered terrace.
Designed to attract wildlife, nesting ducks, red deer and roe deer roam freely in the gardens.
The main house, built of warm toned blue lias stone with ashlar dressings, is welcomed by a Tudor arch above the front door with carved stone leaf decorations and marble columns.
At the top of the battlement tower there is a smoking room with Gothic windows, which opens onto a roof terrace.
There is also an original orangery with antique arched windows and three reception rooms with fireplaces and bay windows.
The converted stable now houses a swimming pool, steam room, sauna and resistance pool, as well as a fitted kitchen and large recreation room.
Meanwhile, the detached garage offers space for 20 cars and there is even the possibility of bringing in a helicopter.
It retains original features such as bay windows and beautiful fireplaces, including a stag’s head
The late drummer, who died in 2021 at the age of 84, converted the coach house into a music studio for the Stones. It is now a two-bedroom guesthouse
In the past, the estate was also owned by the descendants of Joseph Bramah – the inventor of the hydraulic press – and novelist and screenwriter Derek Marlowe.
Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, the famous guidebook writer and arbiter of English architecture, was entranced by a visit to Foscombe.
He described it in his Buildings of Britain as ‘an unspoilt Victorian fantasy in an unsurpassed situation with beautiful views in all directions’.
Watts was a member of the Rolling Stones for 58 years before passing away in 2021.
He was nicknamed ‘The Wembley Whammer’ by Mick Jagger and cited jazz as a major influence on his drumming style.
After his death, Jagger said he missed his former bandmate “on so many levels,” while Keith Richards described him as the group’s “engine” in a 2022 interview.
He is often considered one of the greatest drummers of all time.