Hylands House, Essex.

Work completed in 2005.

Originally constructed as a red brick Queen Anne style house c.1730, eventually Cornelius Kortright turned it into a neoclassical mansion covering the brick in a white stucco. In times of peace this Grade II listed property which is surrounded by 500 acres of woodland and gardens has served amongst other functions as the venue for George V’s coronation and as the SAS headquarters in World War 2. After an extensive fire and vandalism, a long and complex restoration programme started in 1986 lasting several years, resulting in an elegant country house with a graceful facade and splendid interior which has even – albeit for filming purposes - doubled as the Vatican!