Chislehurst mansion linked to Coldplay star’s ancestor

Fairacre, on Camden Park Road, is a landmark period home designed by architect Ernest Newton for William Willett in 1896.

According to the BBC, William Willett is also the great-great-grandfather of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.

Fairacre is a "distinguished Grade II listed home of exceptional charm and provenance". (Image: Fine & Country South East London)

Willett was a British builder best known for campaigning for Daylight Saving Time, publishing his pamphlet The Waste of Daylight in 1907 to advocate for more daylight hours in the evening.

Fairacre is set over three floors plus a cellar. (Image: Fine & Country South East London)

The property was later extended to include the Derby Room, a striking recreation of Robert Adam’s 1774 banqueting hall at The Oaks.

The billiard room. (Image: Fine & Country South East London)

Set within around 2.5 acres of private grounds, the home offers approximately 13,700 sq ft of living space arranged over three floors, plus a cellar.

The indoor swimming pool complex. (Image: Fine & Country South East London)

Inside, a panelled reception hall leads to a series of grand rooms, including a drawing room overlooking the gardens, a formal dining room, a study, and the 35-foot Derby Room, complete with marble fireplace and ornate Adam-style detailing.

The grand hallway and staircase. (Image: Fine & Country South East London)

The kitchen and utility areas open directly onto an indoor heated swimming pool complex and York stone terrace, blending leisure facilities with the main house.

The dining area. (Image: Fine & Country South East London)

Upstairs, the principal suite includes a dressing room and en-suite bathroom, alongside four further bedrooms on the first floor.

The master bedroom suite. (Image: Fine & Country South East London)

Additional accommodation on the upper floors includes an art room, gym, cinema room, office with balcony views, and a self-contained nanny flat.

The tennis court. (Image: Fine and Country)

The property retains a number of original period features, including elaborate plasterwork and marble fireplaces by Crowthers of Syon Lodge, reflecting its historic craftsmanship and heritage.

The home features an impressive 35-foot Derby Room (Image: Fine & Country South East London)

Outside, the landscaped grounds include formal and kitchen gardens, an ornamental pond, tennis court, garaging, and a replica village inn, creating a highly unusual private estate setting.

The home is sat on a 2.5 acre plot. (Image: Fine & Country South East London)

Fairacre sits on a private road beside Chislehurst Golf Course, offering privacy while remaining close to transport links including Chislehurst and Elmstead Woods stations, the M25, and a range of well-regarded local schools.

It is being marketed as a “distinguished Grade II listed home of exceptional charm and provenance,” with a history that includes land once forming part of Camden Place, the former residence of Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie.