The Art Newspaper

Cherkley Court for sale to pay legal expenses

Long-running dispute over Beaverbrook paintings has cost the foundation millions

By Martin Bailey. Web only
Published online: 07 July 2010

For sale: Cherkley Court

london. Cherkley Court, the former home of Anglo-Canadian press tycoon Lord Beaverbrook, is on the market for more than £25m, partly because of a legal battle over his art collection. The UK-based Beaverbrook Foundation, which owns Cherkley, is involved in a long-running claim against the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in New Brunswick, Canada, set up by Lord Beaverbrook. The courts have ruled that 85 pictures at the New Brunswick gallery since its opening in 1959 should remain there, although 48 mainly lesser works acquired in 1960-63 belonged to the foundation (The Art Newspaper, May 2007, p35). A further legal action is due to come up in July in New Brunswick.

The legal expenses have been enormous. By September 2008 the foundation had already spent £5.4m on its own legal costs, and the total could end up considerably more. Running Cherkley Court and opening it to visitors has also proved costly—hence the decision to sell the property, which the foundation says is worth £25m-£30m.

A Beaverbrook Foundation spokesman told us that Cherkley Court would be sold if “the right price” is offered. There have been expressions of interest, although none has yet gone further. The trustees are also considering how they might use the proceeds of a sale, possibly for philanthropic work in the arts or the media.

Cherkley Court, near Leatherhead in Surrey, was built in 1871, and after a fire in 1893 it was substantially rebuilt. In 1911 it was bought by Lord Beaverbrook, who died in 1964 (his widow Gladys lived there until her death in 1994). The mansion and its fine garden, both owned by the Beaverbrook Foundation, were restored in 2007, and then opened to visitors. This year it closed to the public because of the decision to sell.