Bearwood House, Sindlesham

History

Bearwood or Bear Wood, in Sindlesham, Berkshire, England, is a Victorian country house built for John Walter, the owner of The Times. The architect was Robert Kerr and the house was constructed between 1865 and 1874. The family fortune had been made by Walter's grandfather, John Walter I. Originally a coal merchant and underwriter, in 1785 John Walter had established The Daily Universal Register, renamed as The Times in 1788. In 1816 Walter's father, John Walter II purchased the Bear Wood estate in Berkshire from the Crown Estate and in 1822 built a small villa on the site of the present house. Nothing remains of this first building, which was swept away in the gargantuan rebuilding undertaken by Kerr for John Walter III. The cost, £129,000, equivalent to £12,612,114 in 2025, was double the original estimate.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Bearwood House”, CC BY-SA 4.0.

About John Walter

John Walter Jr. was an English newspaper editor and politician. He was the son of John Walter, the founder of The Times, and succeeded his father as the newspaper's second editor.

From the Wikipedia article “John Walter”, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Visiting

This building is recorded as a residence of the people listed; it may be privately owned and not open to the public. Opening times, tickets and access change, so check the official website before you travel. Get directions.