The Updown Court complex, housed at Windlesham, England is not only known as one of the most important residential complexes in and around London, it is also the worlds most expensive house floating in the market. Launched in the market for sale at 70,000,000 pounds ($110,684,000 US dollars) it is also the largest residential construction in the United Kingdom since the 19th century.
The history of the Updown Court has not been as vibrant as its present and near past. Originally, it was built in an area spanning 58 acres of land, with an in-built lake and woodlands. The initial building was completed in 1924 and was supposed to house the prince of Egypt- Sam Gaye. Unfortunately, the whole area was burnt and devastated in an ugly fire during 1987. It was Leslie Allen Vercoe, a designer by profession, who then went on to buy this burnt-out reminiscent of the original property. It was purchased by him for roughly $40 million at that time.
After purchasing the property, Vercoe had teamed up with John Scholz, and architect from Arizona and an Irish bank to reconstruct, re-design and fund the mansion. The bank has supplied funds to the tune of $60 million since then to Vercoe, which he has invested on beautifying the property further. From Guatemalan marble in the bathrooms to a dual natured staircase and trey slated rooftops, the house contains the best in modern contemporary designing. All these things have contributed a great deal in making Updown Court the worlds most expensive house. Up to this day the house remains unsold.
For now it seems that no one can afford this magnificent house. The house has been opened to the public very few times and there are a lot things that make the worlds most expensive house worth the money. The estate has more than 100 rooms, out of which each of the 24 bedrooms has their own marble laden ultra-luxurious bathrooms. You enter the house through a drive-way, which alone is said to be priced at $3 million.
The Updown Court has everything that is necessary for making the worlds most expensive house stand up to the expectations of its inhabitants. It has two bowling alleys, a tennis court which is floodlit, and five swimming pools with varying difficulty levels and a squash court also. The worlds most expensive house is also one of the safest, as it has an emergency panic room, designed to provide protection in the even of a terrorist or military attack. The underground garage with granite flooring can house up to eight limousines at a time.
The Updown Court also has a cinema hall, with a seating capacity of up to 50 people. Apart from these features and facilities, the worlds most expensive house has expensive terraces, covered with Italian flooring of at least 30 known kinds, a wine cellar and two separate penthouses, occupying a full section of the house. The main living area is said to be on the first floor, which contains eight tastefully appointed bedroom suits with lush terraces and great view.
The worlds most expensive house is not that cheap to maintain either. According to reports, the estimated cost of upkeep of this property amounts to 250,000 pounds per month. The Updown Court has had a lot of coverage from various magazines around the world, with the Business week giving it the title of being a “billionaire’s statement house”. Apart from all the hype and the publicity, relatively very less is known about the actual inhabitants of the house and their lifestyles. One can only infer that being the next-door neighbor of Elton John and the Duchess of York is not everybody’s cup of tea and therefore, the worlds most expensive house is bound to be a lavish extravaganza, nonetheless. |
