Earlier Houses: The manor of Laverstoke was originally owned by Hyde Abbey, 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 the early 18th century Laverstoke Mill was purchased by Henry de Portal, a Huguenot immigrant. 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.

Garden & Outbuildings: Parts of the old paper mill of the Portals 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, which 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 in a 1,000-acre estate.

House Listed: Grade II*

Park Listed: Grade II

Current Seat / Home of: Julian Sheffield; here since 2008.

Past Seat / Home of: SEATED AT EARLIER HOUSE: Richard Andrewes, 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. John Vincent Sheffield, 1968-2008.

Current Ownership Type: Individual / Family Trust

Primary Current Ownership Use: Private Home

House Open to Public: No

Historic Houses Member: No