QUICK FACTS:
Approx. 10,700 square feet | 3.39 Acres | Sheltered private beach | 8 Bedrooms | 7 Bathrooms
There’s coastal living, and then there’s coastal living, but very few people have their own tranquil, private beach—especially one that’s just a few minutes from downtown Victoria. And you’d be hard-pressed to find one more perfect than the two-sided beach at Riffington Manor in Oak Bay’s upscale Uplands.
“It’s the perfect beach for grandchildren,” the homeowner tells me as we stroll along the shoreline of the historic waterfront estate on a sun-drenched late spring day. “It’s sloped, sandy, sheltered, and shallow.”
One side of the beach even once had its own sea pool and bathhouse, which was later turned into a studio cottage. There’s also a private dock past the swimming beach, where the homeowner used to moor his boat, and a glass-encased gazebo perched on the rocky outcrop between the two beaches.
“It’s a lovely, breezy little nook built into the rocks,” he says. “The kids loved hanging out here, and my son-in-law used to have poker parties here.”
But aside from the stunning waterfront views, it’s the main house—a Tudor revival mansion—that’s the star attraction. Completed in 1913 for businessman Andrew Wright, one of the main investors in the development of the Uplands, the castle-like home has starred in Hollywood movies and even hosted royalty, including Queen Elizabeth II’s sister, Princess Margaret.
Designed by architect Philip Jullien, Riffington Manor’s classic exterior is made from the same stone as British Columbia’s iconic Parliament Buildings. Quarried on Haddington Island, a small volcanic island just south of Port McNeill in the Broughton Strait, the grey andesite (which has a mineral composition between granite and basalt) has stood the test of time.
Before you even catch your first glimpse of the imposing house, that volcanic stone is the first thing that greets visitors as they turn into the tree-covered, arced driveway off Beach Drive. After the elegant gates, engraved with the manor’s name, a stately stone porte-cochère entices guests inside.
The towering, two-story, octagonal entrance hall has beautifully-carved stone balconies and an ornate ‘rose window’ stained-glass skylight—common in Gothic architecture—at its dome, which used to be covered in gold leaf and is now a silvery aluminum leaf.
But it’s not all serious. Some funny little quirks have also been built into the sophisticated design.
“One that’s fun is if you look up at the top (of the entryway), you can see all the men pictured in the stained glass dome, and they’re all different,” the homeowner says with a smile. “And one guy has his tongue sticking out.”
Throughout the home, there are intricately carved mouldings and mantles, fancy woodwork, and special details everywhere you look. The attention to detail is something rarely seen in the century-plus since the manor was built, and symmetry is everything.
“It’s all about balance,” explains the homeowner’s assistant as she ushers me toward the waterfront dining room, just off the entry hall. “A single door is all you could put here off the hall, but inside the dining room, it’s a double door, and it’s so well done that people try to open that door because they don’t realize it’s a faux door. It’s all about balance and about symmetry.”
The expansive dining room, designed for entertaining and anchored by an elaborate French chandelier, has a stunning view of the beach and the Salish Sea with 10 Mile Point in the distance. On the opposite wall is a massive, commissioned Robert Bateman painting.
“It’s the largest one he ever painted, and it’s the view from the window, so either way, you’re getting the same view,” the assistant says with a laugh.
There’s another smaller, sunny, yellow family eating area just off the dining room, also with spectacular views, and just beside the kitchen, which was the only room the homeowner renovated after he purchased the property in 1985.
“The kitchen seems quite antiquated now, but in 1985 it was cutting edge,” the homeowner tells me. He adds that his late wife helped restore period fixtures throughout the house, removing the “gaudy ones from the 80s.”
Upstairs, four large bedrooms, each with a bathroom and some with spacious sitting areas, occupy the entire second floor. An enclosed sun porch between two of the waterfront bedrooms is a favourite spot. It has radiant floors and a large window that opens up.
“In the summertime, we often come up here to eat and open it up,” the homeowner says.
The attic level hosts two additional bedrooms, originally servants’ quarters, and a large exercise and games room that was used for dances when the historic home housed the U.S. Consul from 1928 to 1942.
There’s also a two-bedroom carriage house on the grounds, with three car bays, overlooking bustling fruit and vegetable gardens that are harvested by the chef. But it’s the established gardens—flowering Magnolia trees, Camellias, colour-drenched rhododendrons, climbing Wisteria and flowering bushes—that you smell as soon as you step outside. Part of the grounds are wooded, with towering Douglas firs and western red cedars that make you feel like you’re in the forest.
It’s a special spot, and it’s easy to see why Hollywood came calling. The property has starred in numerous Hallmark productions, including Once Upon a Prince, Christmas Bells Are Ringing and the Gourmet Detective series, as well as 2022’s American Dreamer movie starring Hollywood heavyweights Peter Dinklage and Shirley MacLaine.
The homeowner rented the estate to production companies for more than 20 years, donating all the proceeds to charity in memory of his beloved wife. This not-so-little slice of paradise is where they raised their four children, and happy memories are everywhere, floating along with the sea breeze.
