Cholsey Meadows is a wonderful woodland and riverside site with a mixture of Victorian grandeur and modern housing, set in 100 acres of managed landscape.
Lying on astoundingly beautiful grounds, the Grade II listed Victorian Fairmile Hospital was built as a lunatic asylum in the 1860s. In those days, the Victorians built hospitals for the mentally ill all over the country. Many, like the Fairmile, have been converted into apartments.
The Fairmile Hospital was a self-sufficient community, with vast areas under the building for heating and maintenance, large allotments and woodland surroundings. The estate has over 600 trees, 150 of which are specimen trees.
Cholsey Meadows has 375 homes, set in small streets, around the cricket pitch, near the Chapel and down Ferry Lane. There is a picture and description of the old ferry outside the Great Hall.
Cricket pitch and pavilion
The pitch and pavilion are in the centre of the development. It is a hub of activities for the games played there throughout the year and the social functions associated with the game.
The Great Hall
With a stage, sprung wooden floor, and kitchens, The Great Hall is a magnificent area for entertainment and a hub for communal activities, including classes, concerts and private functions.
The Chapel
The Chapel is currently in the hands of Homes England, who are trying to find tenants for the lease of the building. This is proving to be a challenge because the building is subject to certain restrictions.