The house was built for a Miss Perkins in the 1930s, and has been in our family since 1952, when it was bought by our Great Uncle Edgar Wagner as his second home. Since then it has been owned by our Aunt Marian and now belongs to Kate Little, Sophie Jolowicz and Chloe Chitty (sisters and cousins).

We have all loved the house for its outstanding location on Chesil Beach, and the nearby pretty village of Abbotsbury – with its tea shops, Swannery and Subtropical Gardens. We never tire of the views and amazing sunsets.

Edgar, however, had a very particular reason for buying Greenbanks. To him, its main asset was that nothing stood between the house and South America. He was a dedicated and pioneering amateur radio enthusiast (see the plaques in the sitting room) and could send his radio waves across the sea without interruption.

From Greenbanks, he was one of the first people to make radio contact with America. Edgar’s radio aerials spread for miles over surrounding fields. He made many friends from overseas and would welcome them to Greenbanks by flying their country’s flag on the flagpole which is still standing next to the house.

Since Edgar’s day, the house has undergone several renovations. In 1983 it was struck by lightning, along with 28 other properties along the coast, and the fire destroyed the original thatched roof. Only the area of thatch over the garage survived.  

Marian took over the house in 1981, after Edgar’s death. As a teacher, she was able to enjoy the long school holidays here, and even more time once she had retired.

Once she reached her 80s, the long drive and looking after the house became too much for her, so Kate offered to help her turn the place into a comfortable holiday home that could be let and enjoyed by others, during the times that we were not using it.

In 2010, Greenbanks was extensively renovated and refurbished, and the extension added. We have tried to retain much of the old character of the house, whilst making a comfortable, well-equipped home for everyone who visits. Most of you will be pleased that there is now central heating (you might hear the noise of the wood pellets dropping into the boiler), no outside privy, and plenty of hot water.

Because of our remote setting, we do still get occasional power cuts, particularly during spectacular storms, but these are dealt with efficiently and don’t usually last for long.

We quite frequently get asked whether we would consider selling Greenbanks – many people would love to buy it. We realise how incredibly fortunate we are to have it, so for the foreseeable future it will remain within our family!

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