Earlier Houses: The manor of Laverstoke was originally owned by Hyde Abbey, a Benedictine house in Winchester; it became a crown property after the Dissolution of the Monasteries. In 1539 Henry VIII sold the manor to Richard Andrewes; the Tudor house remained in private ownership, under a number of different owners, until it was demolished in 1796, when the current house was begun.

Built / Designed For: Harry Portal

House & Family History: In 1719 Laverstoke Mill was established by Henri de Portal, a Huguenot immigrant, who left France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. De Portal, who shortened his name to Portal, established a successful paper manufacturing business at the mill; in 1724 he won the contract to make banknotes for the Bank of England (Portals pioneered the use of the watermark in paper currency and went on to become the leading banknote paper manufacturer in the world). In the mid-18th century Joseph Portal, Henry’s son, purchased the Laverstoke Estate, which adjoined the mill; the current classical style house was erected by Joseph’s son, Harry, in the late 18th century. In 2025 the house, together with 1,835 acres, was listed for sale for £58 million.

Garden & Outbuildings: Parts of the old Portal paper mill has housed the Bombay Sapphire gin distillery since 2014. Bombay Sapphire is named after the Star of Bombay, a 182-carat cabochon-cut star sapphire from Sri Lanka that was given to silent film actress Mary Pickford by her husband, Douglas Fairbanks. Pickford bequeathed the famous stone to the Smithsonian Institution in 1979. Laverstoke House today sits within an 1,800-acre estate. In the 20th century part of the estate was purchased by John Vincent Sheffield.

House Listed: Grade II*

Park Listed: Grade II

Past Seat / Home of: SEATED AT EARLIER HOUSE: Richard Andrewes (Andrews), 1539-42. Thomas Hussey, 1637-53. Sir John Trott, 17th century. Sir John Shuckburgh, until 1724; Sir Stewkley Shuckburgh, 1724-54. James Dawkins, 1754-59. Joseph Portal, 1759-93. SEATED AT CURRENT HOUSE: Harry Portal, 1796-1801; William Portal, 1801-46; John Portal, 1846-48; Melville Portal, until 1904; Sir Wyndham Spencer Portal, 1st Bt., 1904-05; Sir William Wyndham Portal, 2nd Bt., 1905-31. Jody David Scheckter, 1996-2025.

Current Ownership Type: Individual / Family Trust

Primary Current Ownership Use: Private Home

House Open to Public: No

Historic Houses Member: No