Today sees the launch in Country Life of one of Kent’s most illustrious country houses, the striking, Grade I-listed Holwood House, set in 40 acres of historic landscaped gardens and parkland a mile east of the village of Keston, 14 miles from Canary Wharf and two miles from Biggin Hill airport. James Crawford of Knight Frank quotes a guide price of £23.5 million for the imposing, Greek Revival house, built between 1823 and 1826 by Decimus Burton for merchant-turned-property developer John Ward, who later commissioned Burton to design his Calverley Park estate in Tunbridge Wells.

Holwood House occupies a prominent position on Holwood Hill, the setting for a Roman fort known locally as ‘Caesar’s Camp’. The first substantial house built on the site was a six-bedroom hunting box used in the early 18th century by friends of the Duke of Grafton. In August 1785, William Pitt the Younger, by then Britain’s youngest-ever prime minister, bought the relatively modest Holwood House for a reputed £8,950, despite being in ‘straitened financial circumstances’, and engaged Sir John Soane to extend the house and Humphry Repton to improve the grounds, now listed Grade II.

In his History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent (1797), Edward Hasted refers to Holwood House as being ‘the principal mansion’ of Keston, ‘for the accommodation of which the old broad road which used to go at the eastern side of it, has been lately turned by Mr Pitt, and now winds beautifully round the west side of the hill’, adding ‘the fine woods, the variegated grounds, lately improved under the direction of Mr Repton, and the commanding prospects on every side, have ranked this seat in the opinion of all competent judges among the finest situations in this part of the kingdom’. Sadly, Pitt’s labour of love at Holwood House left him considerably out of pocket and, in 1802, the estate was sold to George (later Sir George) Pocock, who sold it to Ward in June 1823.

Ward lost no time in demolishing Pitt’s much-loved country retreat, where the prime minister had entertained the great and the good. Among these was his friend William Wilberforce, who, in May 1787, sitting with his host under an ancient oak tree in the grounds, famously fine-tuned his plans for the abolition of slavery.

The old house was pulled down and Burton’s Grecian masterpiece was built on its footprint, with work completed in 1827. The house then passed through four more owners until Mary Catherine, Dowager Marchioness of Salisbury, rented the estate from Robert Alexander. She married Edward Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, who acquired the Holwood estate on Alexander’s death. For the Stanleys, as for Pitt, Holwood served as a tranquil haven from the pressures of Westminster, before it eventually passed to the 18th Earl of Derby.

During the Second World War, Sibyl, daughter-in-law of the 17th Earl and wife of Lord Edward Stanley, often invited Sir Winston Churchill to dine at Holwood House, despite the threat of bombing due to its proximity to Biggin Hill aerodrome (today, Biggin Hill operates as London’s only dedicated business aviation airport). After the war, the 18th Earl’s widow moved to Berkshire and the estate was sold to a property syndicate in 1951.

The house then passed through several periods of corporate use before reverting to private family ownership in 2002. Since then, Holwood House has been refurbished to the highest of international standards, with the addition of a spectacular swimming pool and leisure complex to the original Burton footprint. The present owner, who acquired the house in 2015, has completed an ambitious renovation project initiated by his predecessor.

As Mr Crawford points out, it’s rare, indeed, to find a Grade I-listed house equipped for family living in the 21st century that retains so many original period features. The pristine main house offers more than 24,500sq ft of elegant living space on two floors, with a party room and two gyms in the basement.

Stately entrance and inner halls with double-height ceilings, intricate cornicing and gleaming limestone floors are the focal point of the house, from which all the primary reception rooms flow. These include music, family, dining, games and drawing rooms, a cinema and a study. The Clive Christian kitchen has a double-height ceiling and large window lights, with the first-floor library mezzanine overhanging the adjoining breakfast area.

A grand sweeping staircase leads to the first-floor family wing, which consists of a vast master suite with spectacular views over the parkland and valley below, plus two adjoining bedrooms with a shared bathroom. A pillared central gallery overlooks the inner hall and leads to a second bedroom suite, a nursery and a two-bedroom guest wing. Underfloor heating is fitted throughout the ground floor and first-floor bathrooms, with Sonos and a Crestron management system installed in all the principal rooms.

Approached down a long drive that meanders through the Repton parkland, Holwood’s lofty position provides wonderful southerly views, with areas of woodland to the left and right creating a delightful vista. Behind the house is a secondary drive, a tennis court and a walled garden with a west-facing garden pavilion where stressed-out City businessmen can quietly watch the sun go down.

Holwood House is for sale with Knight Frank for £23.5 million. For more information and pictures, click here

Some would say that to fight for a landscape is to show how much you care for it. So it was in 1932, when the Kinder Scout Trespass took place, with some 400 workers from nearby Manchester descending on Derbyshire to protest being ‘locked out’ of Derbyshire’s highest peak by the Duke of Devonshire.

It is a landscape worth fighting for and one that is steeped in history. Houses in the area are often sought after and many wealthy landowners built great homes to take advantage of the spectacular scenery. One such example is Upper House, for sale with Fine and Country for £3.25 million.

Upper House can trace its lineage back to the 14th century and comes with fun room names such as the medieval great hall and ‘The Gun Room’. One of its most prominent owners was Sir James Watts, who was the mayor of Manchester and the father in law of Agatha Christie.

A variety of distinguished guests have passed through its halls, including politicians, royalty and local nobility. The property was also home to the Kinder family for 400 years before Sir James took it on.

Despite these ancient origins, the property in its current state is achingly modern. With 12 bedrooms, and five bespoke kitchens, its current life is one of an events venue, hosting weddings, corporate retreats and anything in between.

Which means, of course, that it's a house with its own bar.

That said, it easily could — and should, in my opinion — be returned to use as a grand family home.

As the pictures will no doubt tell you, the property is in magnificent condition, with no expense spared on interiors that are a treasure to look at. Perhaps the only thing better than the interiors are the grounds and gardens.

Extending to 30 acres, the property comes with private woodland, lawns and paddocks. A landscape very much worth fighting for.

Upper House is for sale with Fine & Country for £3.25 million. For more information and pictures, click here.

Research compiled by Crispin Holborow and his team at Savills paints a fascinating picture of the workings of the upper end of the English country-house market in the 11 months from January to November 2024. Sales of houses valued between £5 million and £10m numbered 173 in 2023, but fell to 88 this year, whereas the number of houses sold for more than £10m showed a marginal increase: 25 up from 23.

The significant drop in the volume of deals done at almost all levels of the market in England in 2024 — not only at the rarefied top end, but also for country houses valued at £2m or more — can be attributed to a number of factors, which combined to create a perfect storm. These included the cold, wet winter and spring, wars in Ukraine and Gaza, the snap General Election in July, the October Budget and the US presidential election, not to mention high interest rates, increased stamp-duty rates and high mortgage costs.

As a result, vendors who didn’t need to sell this year are still waiting for the dust to settle and, as Ed Rook of Knight Frank so aptly put it: ‘Generally speaking, only houses in amazing condition or amazing settings found buyers in 2024.’

Given the ever-increasing cost of construction materials and labour, few buyers were prepared to take on a house in need of renovation, which might have meant sharing their new home with builders for months, if not years ahead. However, it wasn’t all gloom and doom, as a snapshot of some of the year’s most interesting sales reveals.

Home Counties highlights included the sale of Redwood at Penshurst, Kent, a handsome, six-bedroom country house built by Quinlan Terry in 1990 on an 18½-acre site that was once part of the Penshurst estate. Described by joint agent Will Peppitt of Savills as being ‘both practical and aesthetically beautiful’, the house came to the market in January 2024 with a guide price of £9.25m and sold six months later.

In the same county, Mr Peppitt also found a buyer for the stately Oxon Hoath, near Sevenoaks, a 28-bedroom, château-style manor house set in 74 acres of gardens and grounds that had been run as a high-end wedding and conference venue for 28 years, before its launch onto the market in October 2023 with a guide price of £7.95m. It sold in October this year to a buyer who, unusually, plans to convert it back into a private country home.

In Surrey, Tim Harriss of Knight Frank in Guildford reported a strong market for houses realistically priced at up to £2.5m. Higher up the food chain, Woodlands in Mill Lane, Chiddingfold, described by Mr Harriss as ‘a Grade A house in a Grade A location’, was launched in April and found a buyer in October at a guide price of £4.2m.

Historic, Grade II-listed Chobham Park House near Chobham, which was originally part of a 100-acre estate that came to the market in 2022 with a guide price of £15m, was relaunched with less land and a guide price of £6.75m in March 2023. It had been beautifully restored by its long-term owners and was acquired in September this year by an American buyer.

In East Sussex, Mr Rook oversaw the sale of idyllic Newbarn, an enchanting Sussex farmhouse set in 14 acres on the banks of Bewl Water, three miles from Wadhurst. Beautifully restored and maintained by successive generations of the same family, the house came to the market in April at a guide price of £4.5m and was sold by October to a local buyer.

Ed Sugden of Savills is one of few country agents who won’t be so happy to see the back of 2024: he has handled the sale of no fewer than 16 prime country houses this year — at prices ranging from £3.5m to £25m — within his area, which runs from the M3 and M4 corridors in the south to the Cotswolds in the north, and boasts some of the most valuable country real estate to be found in the UK. Of particular note was the sale of the impeccably restored and historically important Grade I-listed Down Ampney House near Cirencester, Gloucestershire, which came to the market, jointly with Knight Frank, at a guide price of £7.75m in April this year, and sold a month later to a UK buyer.

The Cotswolds was one of few areas to more than hold its own in 2024, due in no small measure to the return of American buyers, one of whom recently bought Kitesbridge Farm in ‘Clarkson country’ at Swinbrook, Oxfordshire, in a widely publicised sale, following its launch through Savills earlier in the year at a guide price of £12.5m.

Elsewhere in Oxfordshire, the elegant, Georgian-style North Hay at Tackley, in the lovely Cherwell Valley, four miles from Woodstock and 11 from Oxford, was launched in September with a guide price of £12m through Knight Frank and Strutt & Parker.

Designed by Dorset-based architect Stuart Martin and built between 2004 and 2007, North Hay stands in 152 acres of immaculate gardens and ancient woodland, within easy reach of the Oxford schools and the golden triangle of Daylesford, Soho Farmhouse and Estelle Manor. In 2011, it was the only new house listed by Country Life among the ‘12 best family houses in England’. It sold within six weeks to a UK buyer.

Still in the Cotswolds, another American buyer landed old-world Solomon’s Court at Bourne’s Green between Cirencester and Stroud, a classic Cotswold-stone farmhouse set in 48 acres that were part of the Over Lypiatt estate in the 16th century. The house came to the market in September 2023 at a guide price of £3.5m through Blue Book Agency and was sold in August 2024.

Located between the Cotswolds and the West Country, Wiltshire tends to keep its head down and go quietly about its business. Here, Oliver Custance Baker flew the flag for Strutt & Parker with the early-April launch of Georgian, Grade II*-listed Chalcot House set in some 53 acres of gardens, parkland and woodland at Dilton Marsh near Westbury, at a guide price of £8m.

Only a handful of high-profile owners had owned the property from 1585, when the Phipps family became lords of the manor, until the 1970s, when the house, by then in disrepair, was acquired by City financier Tony Rudd, who completed a stylish refurbishment shortly before the 1974 financial crash. The present owners, who bought Chalcot House in 1998, carried on where Mr Rudd left off and the eventual buyer was happy to close the deal before the 2% increase in the surcharge on second homes kicked in at the end of October.

After a relatively strong performance in 2023, the West Country failed to fire this year, with only seven country houses changing hands to date, compared with 26 sales the year before. Informed observers attribute this lacklustre showing to a disconnect between vendors’ expectations with regard to values and what buyers are prepared to spend in uncertain times. Nevertheless, some West Country agents found reasons to be cheerful.

Sarah Brown of Knight Frank celebrated the sale of one of Devon’s great country houses, Lord Ivar Mountbatten’s grand, Grade I-listed Bridwell Park at Cullompton, Devon, which was launched on the market in April with a guide price of £5.5m and sold in August to an American family for close to that figure.

Oliver Custance Baker of Strutt & Parker matched that with the sale of Thalassa at East Portlemouth near Salcombe, Devon: it was launched in March with a guide price of £5.95m, with the deal completed in October.

The only other coastal property of note to sell in the West Country was Ropehawn in St Austell Bay, Cornwall. Joint agents Knight Frank and Jonathan Cunliffe found a buyer for the landmark property that came to the market in May and sold in October.

In Somerset, Alice Keith of Knight Frank underlined Frome’s status as the ‘new (better value) Cotswolds’ with the launch in April of Georgian, Grade II-listed Millards Hill House, set in 44 acres near Trudoxhill, four miles from Frome and 18 miles from Bath. It was sold in October to a young family who were previously renting in the area.By all accounts, Bath bucked the national trend from May onwards following the surprise announcement of an election in early July. ‘The market in and around Bath has been electric,’ reports Alistair Heather of Savills, whose favourite sale of 2024 was that of the inventor James Dyson’s former home, classic, Georgian Sycamore House at Bathford, three miles east of Bath, which was launched in March with a guide price of £4m. It sold quickly for more than the guide to a local family who weren’t even planning to move, but couldn’t resist buying the house of their dreams.

The 18 landmark property sales of 2024

• North Hay, Kidlington, Oxfordshire (Knight Frank/Strutt & Parker): guide £12m, launched mid September; sold late October
• Redwood, Penshurst, Kent (Savills/Strutt & Parker): guide £9.25m, launched October 2023; sold October 2024
• Chalcot House, Dilton Marsh, Wiltshire (Strutt & Parker): guide £8m, launched March; sold October
• Oxon Hoath, Tonbridge, Kent (Savills): guide £7.95m, launched October 2023; sold October 2024
• Down Ampney House, Cirencester, Gloucestershire (Knight Frank/Savills): guide £7.75m, launched April; sold May
• Arthington Hall, Arthington, West Yorkshire (Strutt & Parker): guide £6.95m, launched February; completed October
• Chobham Park House, Chobham, Surrey (Knight Frank): guide £6.75m, launched March 2023; sold September 2024
• Boden Hall, Rode Heath, Cheshire (Savills): guide £6.65m, launched April; sold November
• Thalassa, East Portle-mouth, Devon (Strutt & Parker): guide £5.95m, launched March; sold October
• Bridwell Park, Cullompton, Devon (Knight Frank): guide £5.5m, launched April; sold August
• Millards Hill House, Trudoxhill, Somerset (Knight Frank): guide £4.5m, launched April; sold October
• Newbarn, Wadhurst, East Sussex (Knight Frank): guide £4.5m, launched April; sold October
• Woodlands, Chiddingfold, Surrey (Knight Frank): guide £4.25m, launched August; sold October
• Sycamore House, Bathford, Somerset (Savills): guide £4m, launched March; sold October
• Ropehawn, St Austell Bay, Cornwall (Knight Frank/Jonathan Cunliffe): guide £3.5m, launched May; sold October
• Solomon’s Court, Blockley, Gloucestershire (Blue Book Agency): guide £3.5m, launched September 2023; sold August 2024
• Hardway House, Bruton, Somerset (Knight Frank): guide £2.95m, launched April; sold October
• The Old Rectory, Longham, Norfolk (Savills): guide £2m, launched November 2023; sold April 2024

Credit: Strutt and Parker

Best country houses for sale this week

An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

If you were to design your dream home, what shape would it be? A simple square, with some reception rooms on the bottom and some bedrooms on the top? Functional yes, but perhaps not very creative.

Maybe you might be tempted by something rounder, something that demands flow between rooms as you circle a nice central courtyard? That courtyard could be the heart of the home, a nice open space to enjoy in the summertime. 

Or perhaps you want both. Perhaps you want a home that resembles that Haribo Tangfastic that looks like a baby’s dummy. Well we have good news. Such a property exists and it’s named Milbourne Hall in Northumberland. It is for sale with GSC Grays for offers in excess of £3.15 million.

I have not seen a house that is both a square and a circle at the same time. It is not something I have ever thought about. Thankfully, someone did think about it, and that person’s name is John Paterson, the Scottish architect who designed and built Grade I-listed Milbourne Hall sometime in the early 19th century. Paterson studied under Robert Adam and the property was built for Ralph Bates, a member of a long-established Northumbrian landowning family.

The property enjoys many things. It has many acres (24). It has many bedrooms, so many in fact that I cannot count them all but there are more than 10. It has many stables for horses (6). Incidentally, gazing at the floorplan, it would seem that the rooms in the square part of the house are round, while the rooms in the round part of the house are square. 

Shrouded in woodland while overlooking fine parkland, the property is an imposing manor house in one of the more pleasant parts of the English countryside. That elegance is mirrored within its stone walls, where the interiors have been renovated and restored to provide a mix of period charm and contemporary luxury. Here are some pictures.

It is, dare we use the word, a unique property that demands further inspection. Newcastle city centre is 12 miles away.

Milbourne Hall is for sale with GSC Grays for offers in excess of £3.15 million. For more information and pictures, click here

'You need to be able to pull up the drawbridge': How to make multi-generational living work

For a young, growing family, moving in with, or adjacent to, the grandparents could be just the thing, says Madeleine

Credit: Butler Sherborn

A Cotswolds manor for sale that one of Henry VIII's wives was granted in her divorce settlement

Broughton Hall, in the very heart of the Cotswolds, is a majestic home with a fascinating history — including ownership by

Within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Blenkin & Co seek ‘offers over £1.95m’ for Grade II-listed Embsay Kirk at Eastby, two miles from Skipton. A classic Georgian house, it is set in eight acres of wooded gardens and grounds in the lee of Embsay Crag, surrounded by open Dales countryside and the Bolton Abbey estate; it is also close to one of the best grouse moors in England.

Following the Dissolution of the monasteries in 1538, the Lords Clifford of Skipton Castle bought land confiscated from Bolton Priory and later resold it on 1,000-year leases to local residents who built grand houses with the local stone. According to its Historic England listing, Embsay Kirk stands on the site of the 12th-century Augustinian Priory of St Cuthbert, which later moved to Bolton Abbey.

Built on three storeys of sandstone ashlar under a slate roof, Embsay Kirk dates from the early 1780s; 19th-century additions include a rearranged central staircase and service stair, both from about 1830, and a Victorian former billiard room (now the music room) of about 1870. Its design is attributed to Yorkshire’s most prolific architect, John Carr.

An early incumbent of Embsay Kirk was mill owner John Sidgwick of nearby Stone Gappe Hall, who employed Charlotte Brontë as governess to his children in May 1839. The eldest Brontë sister reputedly admired Sidgwick, but disagreed with Sidgwick’s wife regarding their unruly children’s upbringing and returned home to Haworth two months later. In her novel Jane Eyre, Sidgwick is said to have been the model for Mr Rochester and Stone Gappe Hall that of the heroine’s childhood home, Gateshead Hall. In 1847, Sidgwick moved with his family to Embsay Kirk.

John Edwards, the present owner, remembers admiring the lovely Georgian house from his parents’ holiday cottage in Eastby, when it was a family joke that if the big house ever came up for sale, they would buy it. This his parents did in 1975, when, having seen it advertised in the Yorkshire Post, they viewed it the same day and swiftly agreed a sale.

Mr Edwards grew up at Embsay Kirk before moving away for work, but always dreamed of going back. Some years later, he and his wife bought and moved to Embsay Kirk’s old coach house, before eventually moving to the big house. They now plan to sell the Edwards family’s cherished home of almost 50 years and downsize back into the coach house.

The historic Dales country house is undergoing a programme of restoration, with further modernisation still to be done. It offers almost 10,000sq ft of versatile accommodation, including entrance and staircase halls, four reception rooms, a study, kitchen/breakfast room, various utilities, vaulted monastic cellars, a principal bedroom suite, eight further bedrooms and two bathrooms.

A range of vaulted traditional outbuildings to the north of the house includes a shoot room, workshop, boiler room and pool plant room. The land wraps around the house to the south and west, with an elevated pool terrace to catch the sun throughout the day. Formal gardens comprise a sweeping lawn and a sunken garden enclosed by a dry-stone wall, clipped box hedging and a central ornamental pond. Mown green pathways lead through wildflower meadows and a ‘church walk’ that once led to St Mary’s Church meanders through the grounds.

Embsay Kirk is for sale with Blenkin & Co for £1.95 million. For more information and pictures, click here

Penny Churchill is Country Life's property correspondent.

Credit: Abbotts

A 12th century Benedictine monastery with its own chapel that's now a seven-bedroom family home

There are homes with original features, and then there's Horsham St Faith Priory in Norfolk.

Here at Country Life, and this might surprise you, we are big fans of history and historical buildings. Therefore it’s always a treat when a property comes up for sale that is practically dripping in it. And even more so when it’s in the West Country. 

Step forward Stannary House, for sale with Lillicrap Chilcott and Jefferys for £795,000, which offers four bedrooms, two bathrooms and three reception rooms adjacent to the River Fowey.

The Stannary Palace in Lostwithiel, on which Stannary House now sits, was first built in the late 13th century by the Earls of Cornwall as their centre of administration. It was also sometimes known as the Ducky Palace. 

In September 1644, the English Civil War was raging and the Earl of Essex took the town of Lostwithiel who made it his headquarters. As a result of the battle to take the town, much of the Palace was destroyed, including the Great Hall, which was modelled on Westminster Hall.

Bad news for the Earls (and later Dukes) of Cornwall. Good news for whoever wants a spacious family home in Lostwithiel. Which I imagine is quite a few people.

Set over three floors, the property is relatively compact and makes the most of its available space. The bedrooms are all of a roughly equal size, and are situated on the first and second floors, with a bathroom on each.

The ground floor contains the generously sized family and sitting rooms, and the large kitchen/dining room, with its glorious slanted roof in which you’ll find skylights, providing plenty of natural light and the room a great heart of the home.

Overall, the property offers a fraction over 2,100sq ft of living space in the heart of Loswithiel, providing easy access to the many amenities the town has to offer.

It also has a spacious walled garden, which features fully stocked beds, lawned areas, a pergola with a variety of climbers, an ornamental pond and a paved sitting area adjacent to the house.

Stannary House is for sale with Lillicrap Chilcott and Jefferys for £795,000. For more information and pictures, click here

Credit: Getty

The £116,000 premium you'll pay to live near one of Britain's best state schools

This week's Property Talk looks at the price you'll pay to be near a top school, and the picturesque area

I learned to play table tennis, not on a table tennis table, but on a dining room table. Instead of a net, we used hard-back books about vikings by an author called Conn Igulden if my memory serves, and the uneven warping of the wood meant that you could never really trust the bounce. Learning the secrets of the table was as important as learning how to hit a forehand, backhand, topspin, slice and so on.

This was a memory I had not thought of for some time, until I saw the above picture. They say smell is the best trigger of memory but sight is surely a close second. I know this table, even though I’ve never played on it. It looks nicer than the one I learned on — at least they bothered to paint it green, add some lines and an actual net. 

This table tennis table is itself an accurate representation of the house in which you’ll find it. Inchmartine House — for sale with Strutt & Parker for offers over £975,000 — is a classic Georgian house that is listed Grade A and can trace its roots back to William I ‘The Lion’.

Peering around the interiors as I have done, in a digital sense at least, it’s clear to see that this is a house with great history. Many of the rooms still boast plenty of original features, be they delicate cornice work, original doors, wood panelling and bay windows. 

The current owners have added their own flair to the place, which might not necessarily be to everyone’s taste. What it certainly does do is make for some interesting pictures. Like this one.

And this one.

More important than wallpaper choices and kitchen appliances is that this is a Grade A listed home, with more than 10,000sq ft of living space and 8.6 acres of land and you could, potentially, purchase it for less than £1 million. It has six bedrooms and at the moment one of the annexes is used as an antiques shop. This is a property with a lot going on.

As well as being a great property, it’s also in a great location near the city of Perth. Edinburgh and Glasgow are both less than an hour away, and there is plenty to do if you are interested in golf, fishing, walking in the highlands, cycling, skiing and just about anything else.

Inchmartine House is for sale with Strutt & Parker. For more information and pictures, click here

Credit: Strutt and Parker

A seven-bedroom home near Wimbledon that will make all your modernist fantasies come true

Designed by Maxwell Fry, Miramonte is a delightful 1930s building situated in one of London's most enviable locations. It also

Credit: Inigo

A 300-year-old Jacobean mansion that comes with woodland, orchard and its own mini-village

Frome is where the heart is, so they say. It's easy to see why you might fall in love with

Credit: Hamptons

A 400-year-old house that’s as romantic a country cottage as you could hope to find

How many kinds of sweet flowers grow in an English country garden? Well, head to these magical gardens in Kent

The vast, Grade I-listed Jacobean Dorfold Hall, just outside the market town of Nantwich in Cheshire, was built, so the story goes, for a visit by James I. Completed in 1621, the property and its surrounding estate of 101 acres have been in the home of the Roundell family ever since, making a few detours along the way down the female line.

Dorfold Hall is available as a whole, for £11.4 million, or in two separate lots, the latter made up of the Showground, a large-scale event space, which was, for 70 years, home to the Nantwich Show and is valued at £650,000. ‘Serving as both a cherished family home and a spectacular venue for weddings and corporate events, it is a best-in-class example of what can be achieved by combining creativity with meticulous attention to detail,’ says Savills selling agent Louisa Batterbury.

Many of the original 17th-century interiors have been beautifully preserved, such as the ornate plaster ceiling in the drawing room, commissioned in 1621 to celebrate the unification of England and Scotland. Changes over the centuries have included a remodelling of the ground floor by architect Samuel Wyatt in 1771. Later, in 1862, William Nesfield was commissioned to rearrange the landscape. During the Second World War, the house was used by Canadian troops and sheltered children evacuated from the bombing of Liverpool.

The current custodians, Charles and Candice Roundell, began taking over the running of the estate from 2010 and moved in a few years later when, in their own words, it was in a state of disrepair and facing a rather gloomy future. The couple have since invested significant energy re-shaping the 400-year-old property for 21st-century living. One initiative included a ground-source heat-pump system, one of the first to be installed in a historic house after Castle Howard in North Yorkshire. This combines both ground- and water-source energy from under a nearby field and lake and services properties across the estate.

Yet more significant has been the resurrection of a former stable yard, demolished shortly after the Second World War, which is now used as a venue for weddings and a wide range of events. Following historic research by the architect Zoë Polya-Vitry, planning permission was granted for a new structure clad in zinc, which reflected the scale of the original building and was conceived as a series of sculptural pitched roofs.

L’Écurie (‘stable’) is made up of a large hall overlooking the lake, a kitchen and a converted tack room orientated around a paved courtyard. It was completed in 2021 and was recognised with the RIBA North West Award 2023 and the RIBA North West Building of the Year award. It plays a pivotal role as a revenue source for the estate; the Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle is among many to have celebrated their wedding at Dorfold.

Interior decorator Edward Bulmer worked with the Roundells on design and colour schemes throughout the hall. Meanwhile, specialist lighting from T. M. Lighting highlights some of the intricate interior architecture. Covering more than 15,000sq ft and arranged over three floors, Dorfold Hall has five reception rooms and 10 bedrooms in all, five on each side of the hall. Those on the west are currently used as accommodation for wedding parties.

Three cottages have been converted into holiday lets, although they could, of course, be used as ancillary accommodation or for staff. The latest was once occupied by the estate’s blacksmith and, in an example of the level of detailing involved in its restoration, double-glazed bronze casement windows have been installed with the outer panes in period glass to give the requisite irregular reflection. There is further scope, and planning permission in place, to do more restoration work on other properties on the estate.

The primary garden is enclosed by a low sandstone wall and planted with hundreds of David Austin roses and perennials. Further walled gardens lie to the west of the hall, one of which includes a tennis court. The Roundells restored the lake after it was dredged and restocked with fish during the installation of the renewable heating system.

With twin boys at school down south and Mr Roundell’s business interests in London, the family have decided to put the estate on the market. ‘We have put an enormous amount of effort into bringing Dorfold into a new era, but we’ve reached the point now that we’ve done all we can,’ explains Mrs Roundell. ‘It’s time for someone else to start a new chapter, which could either be taking the house back into family use or making more of the commercial aspects.’

Dorfold Hall is for sale for £11.4 million with Savills. For more information and pictures, click here

Credit: Strutt and Parker

Best country houses for sale this week

An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

Credit: Lillicrap Chilcott

An unlisted Arts-and-Crafts home in one of Cornwall's most desirable villages

Ven Ayr in Lelant is a six-bedroom beauty in the village of Lelant that boasts beautiful interiors and south-east facing

Credit: Symonds and Sampson

A gorgeous house in Devon with 12 acres of land priced at just £250,000... but there is a teeny, tiny catch

Grade II-listed Homebush Cottage might be a shell, but with a little love and renovation, can be returned to its

A £6.5m super-prime home in Devon: The 'best of both worlds' seaside home right across the water from Devon's most expensive town

Thalassa is a home that enjoys glorious sunsets, delightful beaches, privacy and seclusion — yet is close enough to the action

The new housing hotspot is…Chard

There are several places that sprung to mind when I tried to guess where the new property hotspot could be. But I have to admit, Chard, the Somerset town that shares its name with a green vegetable, was not one of them.

According to Rightmove, the number of sales agreed in Chard has more than doubled (132%) compared to this time last year.

What’s fuelling the rise? Some hip new openings that’ll give nearby trendy Bruton a run for its money? The unveiling of a new Waitrose, top-rated school, or new transport links perhaps? Or, as the property portal suggests, house prices that are more affordable than the wider region? Answers on a postcard, please.

Rightmove says that a 13% uplift in agreed sales across Great Britain is being driven by larger homes coming to the market. Sales of detached houses are 17% higher than this time last year, while flat sales are up by 6%.

From The Manor House to Glebe House: what’s in a name?

Nothing sounds more quintessentially English than ‘The Manor House’. And it turns out that there’s nothing more expensive than ‘The Manor House’ either.

Properties called ‘The Manor House’ command an average price tag of £1,400,000, the highest in England and Wales, according to Savills’ top 10 most expensive house names.

‘The Old Rectory’, the more contemporary ‘Mallards’, ‘The Old Vicarage’ and ‘The Oast House’ are also top of the pile. Find out which other names made the cut here.

Have Grade Listed homes lost their charm?

Despite their historical and architectural features, Yopa suggests that Grade Listed homes might have fallen out of favour with buyers.

According to the estate agency, demand for Grade Listed homes across 20 major cities stands at 35%. That’s 13% below general housing market demand.

Yopa attributes their dwindling appeal to tighter mortgage restrictions, as well as the higher running and maintenance costs often associated with Grade Listed properties.

Global sales of $10m-plus homes jump

Knight Frank has released its latest research on a corner of the housing market that most of us will never even dip our toes into: the global super-prime housing market. In other words, really luxurious homes.

Global sales of US$10m-plus homes rose 11% in the last three months of 2023 compared with the same period in 2022. The largest market was Dubai (108 sales), followed by London and New York (with 52 each).

Meanwhile Knight Frank’s Prime Global Cities Index, which covers 45 high-end housing markets, shows that average annual prices increased 3.7% over the 12 months to December. It is ‘within touching distance of the long-run trend rate of growth’, the estate agency said.

Bank of England holds rates – again

Back in the real world, the Bank of England has voted to keep the Bank Rate at 5.25%. It’s the fifth time in a row that the Bank has maintained the current level.

Emily Williams, director of research at Savills, pointed out: 'This was the first meeting since September 2021 in which no members voted for a rate increase, which, coupled with the lowest rate of inflation for over two years, will give mortgage markets further confidence that the Bank will be in a position to cut the base rate in the coming months.'

Most landlords who sell up will pay more tax, says Hamptons

The Chancellor revealed he was cutting the higher rate of capital gains tax (CGT) in the Spring Budget to incentivise landlords to sell up. But this is only part of the story, says Hamptons.

The estate agency’s analysis shows that 89% of higher-rate and 100% of lower-rate taxpaying landlords who sell up will see their capital gains tax (CGT) bill climb in April. Why?

Hamptons claims the reduction in annual capital gains personal allowance will offset the CGT rate cut for most higher-rate taxpaying landlords who sell. They could see their CGT bill rise by £454 or 4% in April, while the average lower-rate taxpayer’s bill could increase by £1,674.

Today’s babies could fork out £500k for first home

'It seems quite unbelievable that a baby born today could face paying half a million pounds for their first home,' says Ed Phillips, CEO of Lomond. Yes, you read that right.

The estate and letting agency reckons that the average price tag for a first-time buyer home could reach £503,584 by 2055, when today’s babies will be 31 years old. That’s an increase of 111.9%. It means they will need to earn £95,121 to get onto the housing ladder.

A reporter for Country Life caught up with two babies to get their reaction to the news. Follow this link to find out what they ‘said’.

Asking prices ‘higher than historic average’

Average asking prices of homes brought to the market this month have climbed by 1.5% (£5,279), says Rightmove. The growth is higher than the historic average March increase (which stands at 1%, if you want to know) and the biggest monthly increase for 10 months.

Buyer appetite is 8% above 2023 and, as we have just discovered, sales are up 13% on this time last year.

But the property portal cautioned: ‘Rather than the start of another market surge, the signs are that overall activity levels have now returned to steadier pre-pandemic norms.’

‘A rebalance of supply and demand’

The average number of homes listed for sale each month in England climbed by 58% last year compared with 2022, according to Jackson-Stops.

The firm’s chairman, Nick Leeming, said: ‘We are at last observing a rebalancing of supply and demand in out of market hotspots.’

The Isle of Wight, Norfolk and Somerset, all scenic coastal locations, saw the biggest increases in homes for sale on an annual basis.

Credit: Getty

Spring Budget 2024: A ‘missed opportunity’ in the housing market

Against a noisy backdrop, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt revealed a series of property tax changes in the Spring Budget. So who

Playing the name game: Why what you call a house really matters

From The Manor House to The Glebe, research from Savills reveals the 10 most expensive house names.

Credit: Mario Gutierrez/Getty Images

How much? A baby born today may have to pay more than £500,000 for its first home

Research reveals that if house prices continue to rise at historical rates, those born today may struggle to get on

Credit: Shutterstock / PJ photography

Housing market back on the up, and buyers 'resorting to bribery' to secure their dream homes

Why the housing market could be turning a corner, how a quarter of buyers have tried to ‘bribe’ sellers to

In Cornwall — nearly as far west as you can go — one of Penzance’s most striking landmarks is for sale. Grade ll-listed The Abbey, which stands high above the harbour looking across to St Michael’s Mount, has since 1979 been the home of 1960s supermodel Jean Shrimpton and her husband, Michael Cox.

It is now for sale through Warwickshire-based agents Pritchard & Company at a guide price of £1.95m.

The Abbey was run initially as an acclaimed boutique hotel with a country-house feel and, latterly, as a luxury self-catering property; the group of three Grade II-listed properties comprising the historic main house and its attached self-contained apartments.

The original building dates from about 1660, when the Spanish raided nearby Newlyn, Mousehole and Paul; it was subsequently rebuilt before being gentrified in the distinctive Georgian Gothic style in 1820, when the drawing room was added.

It is thought that it may have been associated with the abbey on St Michael’s Mount and possibly used as a pied-à-terre for monks when the sea was too rough to make the crossing to the Mount. The Abbey remained in private hands until after the Second World War, when it became a hotel.

The main house offers more than 4,600sq ft of colourful living space on three floors including two principal reception rooms, six bedrooms and six bathrooms, with a further reception room, bedroom and bathroom in the adjoining ground-floor apartment, known as The Slipway, and a reception room, two bedrooms and a bathroom in the Mount View apartment on the floor above.

A hidden treasure is the private walled garden, where granite rock walls provide structure and thoughtful planting and landscaping are laid out with artistic aplomb.

Selling agent Robert Pritchard comments: ‘Although the Abbey has been a former hotel and more recently used for holiday lets, the building is generally domestic in its purpose.

'Having the property split into three elements provides scope for multiple alternative uses, such as a private dwelling with an income, an art gallery, a company headquarters or a high-end guest house'.

The Abbey is listed with Pritchard & Company at a guide price of £1.95m.

A Cornish home with glorious panoramic views stretching from Trenow Cove to St Michael’s Mount

Credit: Lillicrap Chilcott

A dream waterside home in one of Cornwall's most prestigious locations

Perched at the top of a gentle hill in St Mawes, Tresona is a hop, skip and a jump to

A 'Holy Grail' Cornwall property with location, land and endless views

Trevascus Farm is a beautiful property near Cornwall's Roseland Peninsula which seems to tick every box.

Located at the end of a long, sweeping drive, Barton End Farmhouse is the epitome of pared-down chic, located near the pretty village of Horsley and the market town of Nailsworth.

It's on the market via the Blue Book Agency, which is selling the seven-bedroom home for £2,250,000.

The Grade II-listed stone house has classic proportions and a colour palette of chalky tones that wouldn’t look out of place in a glossy interior design magazine — and as the agents make clear in their details, that's thanks to the vendors: ‘The current owners have built on the lovely feel of this house and created timeless refinement in their thoughtful decoration of the interiors.’ 

The main part of this historic house dates back to the 17th century. It’s just one of two surviving properties from this period in the hamlet of Barton End in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

With its neo-Classical façade of ashlar stone, large sash windows, and Tuscan pediment porch, Barton End Farmhouse certainly makes a good first impression.

The drawing room and dining room at the front of the house feature fine fireplaces, original folding shutters, freestanding cast iron radiators, and recently-laid wood floors. They are the main entertaining spaces, according to the agent (this house looks immaculate, it’s hard to imagine raucous parties taking place here).

A study, with French windows that open out onto a terrace, and a cloakroom are set slightly further back. And there’s a clutch of rooms in the 19th century stone extension, including the kitchen, laundry room, and sitting room.

Upstairs, the main bedroom comes with an ensuite and a walk-in wardrobe. There are also five further bedrooms (all with fireplaces and window seats), a dressing room, and three bathrooms. It might be worth popping a few more rugs down though to make this first floor feel a little cosier.

There's another bedroom tucked away in the eaves of the second floor. It’s currently configured as a children’s dormitory so slumbering parents are unlikely to be woken by the patter of tiny feet.

Barton End Farmhouse opens up to a west-facing lawn as well as wider grounds and paddocks. For those keen to live off the land, there's a large walled garden that was once a kitchen garden. It’s still home to mature trees and shrubs, rhubarb, a fig tree, and a covered stone well.

There’s sporting action to be had here too, with a garage and tennis court to one side of the house, and a Victorian stable block, with many original features, to the other.

Barton End Farmhouse is currently on the market via Blue Book Agency for £2,250,000 — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.

Credit: Strutt and Parker

Best country houses for sale this week

An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

Do you subscribe to the view that good things come in small packages? Try casting your eye over this house.

The ‘unique and historic’ one-bedroom home is an early 19th century, Grade II-listed gatehouse. It’s been brought to the market via Bedfords for £299,950.

Located next to the church in Stoke by Clare (yes, that really is the name of the village) in Suffolk, its origins date back to 1815. It’s built of brick and flint and boasts Gothic-style windows and a sublime apexed garden room.

It may be on the small side but the house has all you could need. The hall/study has an open fireplace with a wood burning stove, ideal for cosy nights in. The room has doubled up as a second bedroom in the past. 

The main part of the house is the kitchen and dining area, which features on-trend dark shaker kitchen units and a granite worktop, plus a sink, induction hob and Bosch oven.

The sitting room area opens out into the garden room, with parquet floors and views over both the cottage garden and the grounds beyond — a wonderful little sun trap.

The remainder of the petite property is home to a lobby with storage, bedroom and bathroom.

The gardens are ‘a real feature’ of this property, according to the agents. Its imaginatively planted space has pathways bordered by mature shrubs and is designed to provide colour throughout the year.

It’s home to a fernery (a collection of ferns, for those that don’t know the term), hellebore woodland walk as well as two horse chestnut trees.

There’s also a terrace, a more formal area of garden with box-edged flower beds, seating and a low fence border. Completing the setup is a garden shed and oil-fired boiler.

Stoke by Clare itself boasts plenty of amenities, all within walking distance, while the larger towns of Haverhill and Sudbury are both a short drive away. 

The house is currently on the market via Bedfords for £299,950 — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details. 

Credit: Strutt and Parker

Best country houses for sale this week

An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

Credit: Adam Boother

Four glorious gatehouses for sale, from under £325,000

If owning your own stately home is out of reach, living in the gatehouse can offer much of the charm

The lure of a medieval ruin is always strong, but especially so when it's a former abbey, and accompanied by more practical accommodation. And that's what is up for sale in the rolling countryside of the Kent Downs AONB with Boxley Abbey. It’s currently for sale through the Canterbury office of Strutt & Parker at a guide price of £2.25m.

There’s no denying the monastic credentials of this Grade II*-listed house near Maidstone: a medieval abbey precinct of more than 21 acres that surrounds the present Boxley Abbey House, with a mile-long medieval wall, one which is at most point draped beautifully in the plant life that has tried to reclaim it over the centuries.

Boxley Abbey House itself would be a magnificent country home even without this setting, albeit one which now needs renovation. The internal pictures here give a fair account of what you're looking at: much to be done, but there is huge charm and all sorts of character features.

The work appears to be nothing too concerning, though and the bones of the property are just what you'd hope: it provides 5,107sq ft of pleasant family living-space in the main house, including four reception rooms and a kitchen/breakfast room.

There are seven bedrooms and three bathrooms, with further accommodation in the three-bedroom south wing and the two-bedroom Boxley Abbey Cottage.

According to its listing, the house incorporates part of the west range of the once-great Cistercian monastery, founded in 1146 and dissolved in 1538.

In recent years, the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) and Historic England have done much to help preserve this important site, notably the magnificent, Grade I-listed 12th-/14th-century barn, originally the abbey hospitium or guest house, which was restored and re-roofed in 2012.

After the Dissolution, the property passed to the politician and poet Sir Thomas Wyatt, who built a large Tudor house among the abbey ruins.

That house was much reduced in size in about 1820, when it acquired its present Queen Anne appearance; the south wing was added about 100 years ago, when extensive, mostly walled gardens were established in the ruins of the abbey cloisters and buildings.

Since 1890, Boxley Abbey has been owned by the Best-Shaw family, who lived elsewhere on the estate before moving to the present house after the Second World War.

Boxley Abbey House is for sale via Strutt & Parker at a guide price of £2.25m — see more details and pictures.

Credit: Strutt and Parker

Best country houses for sale this week

An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

The exquisite Grade II*-listed Swannington Hall has come to the market in the timeless village of Swannington, 10 miles north-west of Norwich, 14 miles from Holt, and 17 miles from the north Norfolk coast at Cley-next-the-Sea. Ben Rivett of Savills is handling the sale, and quotes a guide price of £2.1m for the charming country house built of red brick, brick-and-flint with plain-tile gable roofs, which stands within an important medieval moated site, surrounded by beautifully deigned and maintained gardens and grounds.

Described in its listing details as ‘a moated manor house of the 15th century or earlier’, the earliest phase of the present hall is probably the south wing, which incorporates fabric of the late 15th century.

At the beginning of the 16th century, the hall was owned by the Richers family, but it is clear that when John Richers wrote his will in 1501, his family had already lived there for some time. His descendants remodelled the house to roughly its present configuration.

Other notable occupants included the Bladwell family, who moved to Swannington when William Bladwell came into possession of Swannington Manor and the estates of Swannington Hall in about 1630. The east face of the north wing and the west face of the south wing were re-fronted around that time, whereas the west face of the north wing was re-fronted in the 19th century. At other times in its history, the hall was used as a farmhouse.

Swannington Hall was extensively renovated by the current custodians in 2000–01. Improvements included the installation of underfloor heating throughout the ground floor and the fitting of bespoke joinery such as new windows, cabinetry and library shelving.

The central hall showcases the house’s age with roll-moulded beams and a central fireplace dated by the Tudor arch and roses in the spandrels. Of particular note are the south-facing music room overlooking the gardens and the atmospheric dining room. Two staircases lead to the first floor and three principal bedrooms with bathrooms en suite; three more bedrooms are served by a family bathroom and a separate shower room.

At the opposite end of the building is an additional bedroom with a dressing room and shower room — ideal as a guest or staff annexe or somewhere to house noisy children.

The gardens have been transformed over the years with the help of award-winning landscape gardeners. Behind the house, immaculate south-facing lawns are framed by clipped holly topiary, parterre, well-stocked herbaceous beds and structural hedging, with paved and decorative brick-weave paths leading to bridges over the moat and beyond to delightful areas of woodland and some fine specimen trees.

Swannington Hall is for sale at £2.1m — see more details and pictures.

There are a few staple ingredients that help to create an exceptional country house. Mix one part idyllic location — in the case of Lullington House, that’s 10 miles south from the World Heritage City of Bath, in the village of Lullington — with ideally lots of land; combined with stunning period features and beautiful gardens, and you’ve more than got the basics covered.

The sprinkles, or cherry on top (we’re not fussy), at Grade II listed Lullington House is the addition of a two-bed coach house within the grounds; equestrian facilities and, perhaps most illustrious of all, is the knowledge that it has never before been on the open market.

With all that in mind, the elegant property is on the open market for the first time via Savills with a guide price of £3.7 million.

Designed by renowned architect George Devey, the property was once the Rectory for the neighbouring Orchardleigh Estate. It is built of random rubble — yes, that's a real thing, and not in a bad way — under a stone slate roof with dressed quoins at the corners, and set amongst elegant established gardens.

Set over four floors, including the basement and attic bedroom, the property houses eight bedrooms and ‘a trio’ of reception rooms. Of particular note is the sitting room with large bay window and feature fireplace, as well as the formal dining room with decorative cornicing.

A number of smaller rooms complete the ground floor accommodation, including a snug, utility room and an office which was the old Rector’s room for receiving parishioners.

The interiors are styled in a formal, traditional design to help highlight the period features. However, those with varying tastes will have no trouble putting their own mark on the property.

In addition to the main house is also a two-bed Coach House, finished in the same high standard, with a sunny conservatory, large kitchen and separate sitting and dining room. Additionally, there are a number of outbuildings and stables, including a large hay barn, making it perfect for buyers looking for equestrian facilities.

The gardens and grounds amount to nine acres and enjoy a wonderful private setting, set back from the village road. A formal lawn wraps around the house, decorated with established borders and a variety of mature trees. To the east is a wildflower meadow and an orchard and woodland are situated to the north.

The village of Lullington assumes a rural position in the North Somerset countryside, ideally situated just 10 miles from Bath with its excellent range of schools, shops and restaurants. Sporting in the area is also great, with golf clubs located at Orchardleigh, Bath and Warminster. There is a huge number of local foot and bridle paths to explore, plus racing at Bath and Wincanton.

London is easily accessed via train from Bath, taking approximately 75 minutes. Local reputable schools include Beckington Church of England First School (rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted), Rode Methodist VC First School and for secondary, there’s King Edward’s School, Millfield School, Saint Gregory’s Catholic College, Royal High School and Monkton Combe School.

Whether it were appearing on the market for the 10^th time, or as it is for the first time, there is no doubt that buyers will fall in love with all the charm and style on offer here.

Lullington House is currently on the market via Savills with a guide price of £3.7 million — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details. 

Credit: Strutt and Parker

Best country houses for sale this week

An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

One of Durham’s most intriguing country houses, Grade II*-listed Lartington Hall stands in seven acres of formal gardens and woodland on the edge of Lartington village, three miles north-west of Barnard Castle, with views over 100 acres of historic listed parkland and the gently rolling landscape of Lower Teesdale.

Saved from demolition in the late 1970s and lavishly restored by the current owners, who bought it in 2011, the 17,000sq ft hall has been run until recently as an exclusive wedding venue, but is now for sale through Savills at offers over £3.8 million. 

The earliest part of the hall—the three-storey, four-bay central block and projecting three-storey porch—was built, probably in the late 1600s, for Francis Appleby, who bought the manor of Lartington from the Duke of Devonshire in 1639. On Appleby’s death in 1663, the estate passed to his daughter, Margaret, who married the staunchly Catholic Thomas Maire of Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire.

It may have been their son, also Thomas, who built the Georgian extension to the house in about 1750, moving the main entrance to the new wing and adding a chapel.

By 1811, Lartington Hall had passed by marriage to Henry Thomas Maire Silvertop, who married the heiress Eliza Witham and changed his name to Witham; as Henry Witham, he was High Sheriff of Durham in 1844. A noted geologist, he commissioned the architect Ignatius Bonomi to build a museum (now the ballroom) on the north corner of the hall to house his enormous collection of fossils, books and paintings.

In 1847, his fourth son and successor at Lartington, Monsignor Thomas Witham, engaged Joseph Hansom, of hansom-cab fame, to design the porte-cochere on the south side of the building, which was linked to the museum by an impressive corridor. Thomas lived at the hall until his death in 1897, aged 91, when the estate passed to his grand-nephew, Francis Silvertop.

Death duties forced its sale soon afterwards and, in 1918, Lartington was sold again, this time to Norman Field, heir to a Chicago department store chain. Occupied by the Red Cross during the Second World War, the hall was later returned to the Field family and Field’s widow, Olive, lived there until her death in 1973.

In its present incarnation, Lartington Hall is perfectly suited both for modern family living and entertaining on a grand scale, says selling agent Andrew Black. Hansom’s porte cochere provides an imposing entrance, behind which the grand corridor leads to the six main ground-floor rooms, including the ballroom, currently used as the formal dining room.

The 48ft-long drawing room has a centrally placed fireplace with marble surround and a gleaming polished wood floor. The Georgian hall has its original 18th-century floor and double doors leading to the terrace. The south corridor leads to the 17th-century part of the house, the chapel, snug and snooker room.

The former service wing provides additional accommodation in three separate units: the two-storey, two-bedroom Hansom House; Witham Court, a one-bedroom, first-floor apartment; and the San Diego building, which has garaging on the ground floor with a one-bedroom apartment on the first floor.

Available separately is the six-bedroom Stable Lodge, which offers additional living space and the potential to generate a substantial income.

Lartington Hall is currently on the market via Savills for offers over £3.8 million — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details. 

Credit: Strutt and Parker

Best country houses for sale this week

An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

What is truly ingenious about Milbourne Hall, found Pevsner, is that nearly every room is oval in shape.

Built of local iron-flecked Belsay stone, architect John Paterson’s design includes an octagonal courtyard, central rotunda, a Doric-columned portico and octagonal library, all arranged with immense symmetry; other interesting features include classical friezes, beautiful fireplaces and a secret staircase.

In a little hamlet close by the Mill Burn, a tributary of the River Pont (not far from Belsay and Morpeth), there are four bedrooms in the main house (although the principal suite’s dressing room is large enough to double as an extra), plus a two-storey, four-bedroom apartment, which could be kept separate or reintegrated with the main part.

The magnificent property finds itself on the market via Strutt & Parker with a guide price of £3.95 million.

The courtyard contains three carriage houses comprising three, three and two bedrooms, ideal for rental income. Outside, the 24 acres of land offer everything you’d expect from a house of this calibre, with a meandering drive, formal lawn, summerhouse in a walled garden, mature trees, pond, paddock, terracing and stables.

The peaceful hamlet of Milbourne is situated to the north-west of Ponteland where you’ll find a secondary school, medical centre and all day-to-day amenities, plus a golf club and leisure centre.

There’s a great primary in the neighbouring village of Belsay, rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, and for a wider range of shops and restaurants, Morpeth, Newcastle and Gateshead are all within easy reach and offer good transportation links.

Milbourne House is currently on the market via Strutt & Parker with a guide price of £3.95 million — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.

See more properties for sale in the area.

Credit: Strutt and Parker

Best country houses for sale this week

An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

‘Every house tells a story, but few are as steeped in history as this one. Everything about this lovely house tells you it has been a much loved and enjoyed family home, and will undoubtedly be for the next custodians too,’ says Property Agent, Huw Warren about The Priory.

Some properties omit such a strong sense of cosiness and character, that you can almost feel it radiating out from the photos. The Priory, in the Oxfordshire village of Steventon, is one such property.

The 14^th century manor house and former monastic grange is currently on the market via Savills with a guide price of £2.95 million.

The properties (there are three that formed the grange) were once associated with the Abbey of Bec in Normandy. Henry I granted the manor of Steventon to the priory of Notre-Dame de Bonne-Nouvelle in Rouen and because the priory was a cell of the influential and powerful Abbey of Bec, Steventon then in turn became an outlying cell of Bec and became known as Steventon Priory, according to Britain Express.

No church was ever built here and it remained a grange run by two monks. Over time, the grange passed to Westminster Abbey, before being leased to tenants. After Henry VIII ordered the dissolution of the monasteries, the land was sold and the buildings became privately owned; that is until the famous ‘Ferguson Gang’ bought the houses and donated them to the National Trust.

Today, the three properties still receive much attention (only the South Cottage is open to the public, with access given by written permission from the tenant).

The Priory is believed to date back to 1500 and much of its rich history can be visibly seen interwoven in the fabric of the building. Ancient beams, wood panelling and feature fireplaces are just some of the stand-out features, but there are plenty of little corners that ooze charm.

There are seven bedrooms, plus substantial outbuildings which house an indoor pool, garage, greenhouse and garden store, a well as gardens amounting to one acre.

The Priory is currently on the market via Savills with a guide price of £2.95 million — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details. 

Steventon: What you need to know

Location: In Oxfordshire, about 4 miles south of Abingdon and 4 miles west of Didcot. Oxford is 13 miles away and rail services run from Didcot Parkway and Appleford.

Atmosphere: The village has a thriving community with an active cricket club, three great pubs, a small supermarket, post office and artisan bakery. There are also a number of excellent farm shops in the surrounding area, and Abingdon provides more extensive shopping facilities.

Things to do: Oxford is within easy reach for those who wish to immerse themselves in the history and culture of the city. You can punt along the river and explore the numerous little pubs that line its bank. The village is also ideally placed within close proximity of The North Wessex Downs AONB and The Chiltern Hills AONB which are both home to spectacular scenic walks.

Schools: The Hendreds Church of England School is rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted, and St Michael's C of E Primary School and St Blaise C of E Primary School are both rated 'good.' There are a number of other great options in the area, too, including Didcot Girl's School, Radley, Abingdon, St Helen's and St Katherine's.

See more property for sale in the area.

Grade II listed The Old Bakery — currently on the market via Sanderson for offers over £850,000 — is believed to be the oldest Wealden Hall House in the village of Hamstreet, in Kent, dating from circa 1450.

Its iconic timber frames, exposed beams, brickwork and feature fireplaces are at the heart and soul of this old home, yet, thanks to extensive refurbishment projects in recent years, key rooms like the kitchen and bathrooms have been updated and modernised, creating the perfect dichotomy between old and new.

The footprint of The Old Bakery is thoughtfully laid out. Upon entering you are greeted by a spacious entrance hallway (arguably a room in itself), flagged with Milan tumbled limestone from Mandarin stone.

Leading on from here, you'll find a double-sided Inglenook fireplace — oozing plenty of character with its charred exposed brick and thick Bressumer beam — that creates a divide between the sitting and dining room. The floor in each of these rooms is a feature within itself, made from reclaimed antique oak Versailles parquet.

The bright kitchen/breakfast room is accessed from the dining room and a stable door opens out to the garden.

Completing the rest of the ground floor accommodation is a pantry/utility room (accessed from the kitchen), a study and large bedroom/gym with an ensuite shower room.

Upstairs are three comfortable double bedrooms, each with its own unique charm and features. The master room features a luxurious ensuite, made from Italian marble flooring and Galassia Italia sink, while the family bathroom is fitted with a large roll-top bath and a double walk-in shower.

The gardens ensure that greenery is seen from almost every room. To the front are mature trees and a neat lawn flanked by rose beds, and parking isn't an issue as there is plenty of space with a garage and private driveway. Moving to the enclosed rear garden, there is a stoned terrace area and pretty lawn flanked by trees.

The Old Bakery is currently on the market via Sanderson for offers over £850,000 — see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for further details. 

Hamstreet: What you need to know

Location: Six miles south of Ashford, the city known as 'The Garden of England'. Rail services run from here to London St Pancras in just under 40 minutes.

Atmosphere: The village is known as 'The Gateway to the Marsh,' thanks to its close proximity to Ashford where clay hills meet with the Romney Marsh (historically an area rife for smuggling). The village is well equipped with local amenities including a pub, village shop and post office, tearoom and Indian restaurant.

Things to do: Three footpaths weave through the village, one along the Royal Military Canal (the UK's third-longest defensive structure) and the other two through the Hamstreet Woods. Ashford is just a short distance away (a good bus service runs between the two), and is home to a large designer outlet shopping centre. You can also visit Godinton House & Gardens and for beer lovers, visit the Curious Brewery.

Schools: Hamstreet Primary Academy is the local village primary, rated 'good' by Ofsted. Also in the area are Furley Park Primary Academy and Kingsnorth Church of England Primary School — also both rated 'good.' There are excellent secondary options in Ashford, with Highworth Grammar School, Ashford School and The Norton Knatchbull School.

See more property for sale in the area.

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An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

Believed to be the last Victorian fort under private ownership, Fort Borstal finds itself on the market via Savills for offers over £1.5 million.

Originally designed to hold the high ground southwest of Rochester to protect the Chatham dockyard, Fort Borstal was used as the base of an anti-aircraft battery during the Second World War.

Construction of the fort began in 1875 — following the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom in 1859 — with works completed in 1895.

Its network of underground tunnels and Napoleonic pathways are just some of the unique features within the 50 acres of grounds in which it is located.

Externally, the fort is surrounded by 12ft concrete walls with original firing slots (great for keeping nosey neighbours at bay), and at its centre are nine former casements — used as billeting for soldiers during the war. Today, this space offers ample storage and stabling.

The current owners have dedicated two decades to the transformation of the fort, utilising every corner of the subterranean network to the highest capacity — the highlight of which is surely the secret bar and entertaining area, located in the old magazine chambers, which has been used in a number of music videos and films.

Built of polygonal design, Fort Borstal has sweeping views over the River Medley and is comprised of a series of dwellings, stables and store rooms, which offer exciting scope for further development.

The Guard House is a 1,900sq ft dwelling, offering two bedrooms, bright living space and a long galley-stye kitchen. The main dwelling can be found in the former Officers’ and Sergeants’ Mess, and has been recently refurbished to offer just over 3,000sq ft of striking accommodation.

Walking into the black and white tiled entrance hall, you will find three bedrooms, plus a spacious kitchen and drawing room with arched windows overlooking the former parade ground.

History is infused everywhere, and the network of tunnels and former ammunition rooms could be transformed into something really special.

Chris Spofforth, the head of Savills rural agency team and handling the sale of Fort Borstal says that, 'without question, this is one of the most unusual sales I have been instructed on in my career. Not only does it have a wealth of history, Fort Borstal also presents an utterly unique opportunity to acquire a one-of-a-kind site that offers an exciting renovation or redevelopment project that brings with it an array of possible future uses.

'This spectacular and diverse property, the like of which may not be seen again, is complemented by the viticulture, equestrian, natural capital and leisure potential of the sale, subject to the necessary consents.'

Fort Borstal is currently on the market via Savills for offers over £1.5 million — see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for further details. 

Rochester: What you need to know

Location: On the Kent coast, just over 30 miles southeast of London. There are excellent communication links with trains running from Rochester to London St Pancras, London Bridge, Victoria, Cannon Street and Charing Cross. Gatwick Airport is also less than an hour away.

Atmosphere: Kent's heritage coast was last year named one of the best places to visit in the entire world, according to Lonely Planet. Rochester is home to a pretty high street with a mix of independent and chain shops, plus a cathedral and castle.

Things to do: Visit Rochester Cathedral — the second oldest in England, and Rochester Castle. Charles Dickens spent much of his childhood in the surrounding Medway area (the district in which Rochester lies), and many buildings which feature in his work can still be visited today. There's also a large cultural and create scene, with annual festivals and events held in the area.

Schools: St William of Perth Roman Catholic Primary School is rated 'good' in Ofsted reviews, The Rochester Grammar School, Brompton Academy and Chatham Grammar are also well-regarded.

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An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

The High Peak District of Derbyshire hides its secrets well. When, in 1698, the intrepid English horsewoman Celia Fiennes rode from Chatsworth to Bakewell in the picturesque Wye valley, she described the pretty market town as ‘standing on a hill, yet you descend a vast hill to it which you would think impossible to go down… the common people here know not above 2 or 3 miles from their home, but they of the country will climb up and down with their horses those steep precipices’.

From the 17th century onwards, wealthy Derbyshire mine-owners built fine country houses on the steep hillsides of the Peak to make the most of spectacular valley views, using the region’s natural contours to create impressive terraced gardens.

Such a house is imposing, Grade I-listed Holme Hall near Bakewell, which stands in more than four acres of historic gardens on the eastern bank of the River Wye that runs through the town. Meticulously restored by its current owners, who bought the house in 2009, Holme Hall comes to the market at a guide price of £3.75 million through Derbyshire agents Caudwell & Co.

Research assembled by the hall’s owner, John Stansfield, reveals that the main part of the present house, which incorporates an earlier 15th-century building, was built between 1626 and 1628 by Bernard Wells, a successful lead merchant originally from Gloucestershire. The new house was reputedly based on plans for smaller Italianate villas by Elizabethan architect Robert Smythson, the designer of Hardwick Hall near Chesterfield, now owned by the National Trust.

Wells left Holme Hall to his daughter, Anne, and her husband Robert Eyre of nearby Highlow Hall, whose family had long been involved in lead mining. In 1658, they expanded Holme Hall with the addition of the east and west wings. Eyre also oversaw the creation of Holme’s magnificent terraced gardens, which still include the stone-built, Grade II-listed Banqueting House and the romantic Prospect House or belvedere, with its commanding views over Bakewell and down the Wye valley.

Robert and Anne’s eldest son, William, who was Sheriff of Derbyshire in 1691, inherited the Holme and Highlow estates, which then passed to his son, also William, following his death in 1706. This William became a barrister at Gray’s Inn and, having inherited by marriage a further portfolio of estates in Essex and elsewhere, changed his name to Archer and thereafter spent little time in Derbyshire.

In about 1720, William’s widowed mother, Catherine, wrote to complain that ‘ye county report that ye come no more to Holme… I hope you’ll restore it to me, for I think I have a right to it’. She later bemoaned the state of the grounds at Holme Hall, advising him that ‘the Arch at Holme Garden is Ready to fall in: and if Itt be Repaired speedily Itt May save a great deal of money: Else the Battling (battlements) and the Stairs And the face of ye Arch Will be Broken to pieces by the fall… tis said you will be Much Reflected on Having such an Estate if you let such a place as Holme go to Ruine for want of a little Repair’.

In the event, William had his younger brother, John, and his family installed as tenants at Holme Hall for a period of 10 years from 1721 until 1730, when John inherited Hopton Hall near Matlock, and changed his name to Gell (Property market, February 15, 2022). During his tenure, John managed his brother’s Derbyshire estates and carried out numerous repairs to the grounds of Holme Hall, including, in 1724, that of the aforementioned stone arch, which still stands to this day.

William Archer (formerly Eyre) borrowed heavily on his estates, as did his son and heir, John, who was effectively bankrupt at the time of his death in 1800. In 1802, the Archer estates were sold by order of the Court of Chancery; Highlow Hall was bought by the Duke of Devonshire and Holme Hall by Robert Birch.

Birch, too, eventually encountered financial problems and, in 1854, Holme Hall was purchased by the Gisborne family, who owned it until 1912, when it was leased and then sold to Edward Lascelles Hoyle. He had the hall overhauled and restored and lived there until after the Second World War. It was sold again several times before the current owners bought it and embarked on a further renovation of the house and grounds.

During their time at Holme Hall, Mr and Mrs Stansfield have not only updated the main house, which boasts more than 10,000sq ft of well-structured living space on three floors, including four reception rooms, games room and cinema, large kitchen/breakfast room, grand master suite, six/seven further bedrooms, three bath/shower rooms and two further dressing rooms, which could be converted to additional bathrooms.

They are rightly proud to have continued the restoration of the gardens to their original early 1660s layout, facilitated by very detailed sketches, plans and a poem about the estate (possibly by John Eyre), which are held in the Bagshawe Collection of the Derbyshire archives.

Holme Hall in Derbyshire is for sale at £3.75 million — see more details and pictures.

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An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

Rather remarkably, The Old Deanery, in Wells, is so close to the iconic cathedral that the two fascinating landmarks almost touch noses.

Also rather remarkably is the asking price for this vast property, which is on the market via Savills for offers over £1.1 million. (Yes, it’s the entire building for that price).

We’ve come across The Old Deanery before, back in 2019, when it amazingly appeared on the market for the first time. ‘It is both majestic and historic,’ we wrote, ‘and has borne witness to a rich history that dates back almost 800 years.’

It was used as the primary residence for the Dean of the Cathedral (who enjoyed a short commute across the city green) between the years 1230 and 1958, after which is became office and the administrative centre for the Diocese of Bath and Wells.

The Old Deanery was used for over six decades by the Diocese up until several years ago, at which time it was launched onto the market. Although receiving much interest, it did not ‘generate a proceedable offer.’

James Millard, Head of Property and Glebe for the Diocese of Bath and Wells comments on its sale:

‘It is a complex building, having been expanded and remodelled many times over its eight-century history, for different uses. While it is being sold in its current guise as an office building, there is potential for a myriad of uses, subject to planning consent, and I am delighted to work with the diocese to identify a buyer that will honour and preserve its legacy, while providing it with a positive future.’

There’s no doubt that its sale is of huge significance. The building lies in the heart of England’s smallest city, and is a much-loved part of the architectural landscape.

This is something which James Millard, Head of Property and Glebe for the Diocese of Bath and Wells, reflects upon, stating:

‘Securing its [The Old Deanery’s] future is of great importance to us and we will be working closely with Savills to ensure that any offers we receive are considered and progressed with utmost care.’

So, what does an offer over £1.1 million get you? In this case — rather a lot.

Extending over 18,000sq ft, three floors and across four wings (known as the North, South, East and West Ranges) The Old Deanery also has ‘The Court’ (as the name suggests, this was an original court) towards the east of the main building, and another building towards the north known as ‘The Education Wing.’

There is also an original stable block which has been converted into offices.

As you would expect from a property of this historical magnitude, it is full of ‘remarkable historical features’ (we’re talking more than a few inglenook fireplaces), with parapet gargoyles, stained glass windows, Tudor fireplaces and Jacobean wall panelling.

The South and West Ranges date back to the 13^th century and enjoy spectacular views over the Cathedral. They were updated by Dean Bathurst to reflect a Neo-Classical style.

Proceeding in date order, the North Range dates from the late 15^th century with spectacular rooms named after bishops of Bath and Wells, and also Henry VII and Margaret (Henry’s mother), following a royal visit.

The East Range, which houses the main entrance to the building, was built it the late 16^th century.

Outside the building to the north and west are magnificent Tudor style gardens, bursting with plants grown by ‘The father of English Botany’ Dean William Turner.

The final —but by no means least — impressive nod to the history enveloping The Old Deanery is a majestic 200-year-old beech tree in the garden which completes the remarkable setup.

The Old Deanery is currently on the market via Savills for offers over £1.1 million — see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for further details. 

Wells: What you need to know

Location: On the southern edge of the Mendip Hills, approximately 20 miles from Weston-Super-Mare and roughly the same distance from Bath.

Atmosphere: England's smallest city is rich in history and culture and is well-equipped with shops and leisure facilities.

Things to do: Once you've explored all that the city has to offer — from the fascinating Cathedral to the moated Bishop's Palace — head out and explore the Mendip Hills, Cheddar Gorge, Wookey Hole and Glastonbury Tor.

Schools: Wells Cathedral School, Millfield School and Storberry Park School are all well-regarded in the area.

See more property for sale in the area.

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Best country houses for sale this week

An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

The Moat, on the outskirts of Benenden — in the heart of the High Weald AONB — is a rare find. It's a Grade II-listed 'Wealden hall house' — that is to say, a timber-framed hall hosue dating back to the 15th century. It's currently on the market via Hamptons at a guide price of £3.75 million — and, as the name might have given away, has a beautiful moat, which was restored by the current owners.

The property was part of a larger estate that Lord Rothermere split in 1912, and its 15th-century origins are easy to see. There are many striking features, such as exposed beams, latch doors, an Inglenook fireplace and a king post on the second floor.

It's not all ancient wood on show, however. A dual Aga (gas and electric) is the crowning glory of the colourful kitchen, which also has hand-painted cabinetry and a central island with granite work surfaces.

There’s also a hand-painted mural in the dining room, which portrays the property and its grounds.

Upstairs are eight bedrooms, plus a lavish master suite complete with two dressing rooms and a sauna in the bathroom.

The leaded-light casement windows take in wonderful views of the 21½ acres of gardens, paddocks and grounds, which include a lake suitable for wild swimming.

Also out in those grounds, among the many outbuildings, you'll find a huge garage fit for a classic car collection, and a traditional pub.

The Moat is currently on the market via Hamptons for £3.75 million — see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for further details. 

Benenden: What you need to know

Location: In the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Kent. Mainline rail services run from Staplehurst, Headcorn and Marden stations into central London, while there are fast services from Tunbridge Wells and Ashford International.

Atmosphere: There is an excellent butchers within the village, plus a village shop, post office, primary school and pub. Nearby Cranbrook, Tenterden and Tunbridge Wells have more extensive facilities.

Things to do: Plenty of walking and cycling routes around the High Weald AONB and the nearby larger towns provide further leisure facilities.

Schools: Primaries include Benenden, Sissinghurst and Cranbrook and for secondary there is Malborough House, Cranbrook Grammar School, Sutton Valence School and Benenden School.

See more property for sale in the area.

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Best country houses for sale this week

An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

Schools aren’t known as the elite in architectural or interior design in the property world. Memories of harsh fluorescent overhead lighting, 'temporary' classrooms in porta cabins and Lino flooring spring to mind.

So it's refreshing to consider how 'Lot 51'— a former -school house, now disregarded building, could be transformed, as it is available to purchase via auction with Clive Emson, with a guide price of £480,000 — £500,000. The property goes under the hammer on February 9.

The Grade II listed building is believed to have been built circa 1873, and ‘may offer potential for a wide variety of uses, subject to all necessary consents being attainable’ according to the auctioneers overseeing its sale.

It’s a lukewarm statement for what could be an intriguing renovation project if in the right hands.

There's ample of space on offer with the ground floor comprised of an entrance hall, rear hall, two classrooms; a library room, washrooms, art room, staff rooms and several store cupboards (no doubt full of crumpled bits of un-finished homework assignments).

The first floor houses an attic room, with no further clues given as to size or height.

The former playgrounds and outdoor space is include in the sale and offers excellent options — whether lovingly updated as gardens or as part of a lifestyle business restaurant venture with seating.

Lot 51 is for sale via auction with Clive Emson at a guide price of £480,000-£500,000 — see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for further details. 

Benenden: What you need to know

Location: In the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Kent. Mainline rail services run from Staplehurst, Headcorn and Marden stations into central London.

Atmosphere: There is an excellent butchers within the village, plus a village shop, post office, primary school and pub. Nearby Cranbrook, Tenterden and Tunbridge Wells have more extensive facilities.

Things to do: Plenty of walking and cycling routes around the High Weald AONB and the nearby larger towns provide further leisure facilities.

Schools: Primaries include Benenden, Sissinghurst and Cranbrook and for secondary there is Malborough House, Cranbrook Grammar School, Sutton Valence School and Benenden School.

See more property for sale in the area.

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Best country houses for sale this week

An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

Grade I-listed Brewhouse sits in the Royal William Yard in Plymouth and Apartment 14 enjoys magnificent views of the yacht basin and the River Tamar from its Juliette balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows. The waterside apartment is currently on the market via Knight Frank at a guide price of £575,000.

The open-plan kitchen, dining and sitting room is a great place to soak up the panorama, but the best views are from the master bedroom, which looks out across the water to the Rame Peninsula.

The Royal William Yard was designed by architect Sir John Rennie and is said to be one of the most important groups of historic military buildings in Britain and is 'home to the largest collection of Grade I listed buildings in Europe.'

As well as a wide selection of spectacularly developed apartment buildings, the yard is also home to a large number of restaurants, cafes, boutique shops, wine bars and salons.

During the summer months, open-air theatre productions and an outdoor cinema take their placewithin the grounds, as well arts-and-craft markets.

Moorings facilities are available in the harbour, which means you can easily zip into the Barbican or hop over to Cornwall for fish and chips. There is a regular ferry service too which makes trips from the yard to the barbican.

Completing the apartment is a second bedroom and a private parking space and the property is sold with a 104-year lease.

Apartment 14 is currently on the market via Knight Frank at a guide price of £575,000 — see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for further details.

Plymouth: What you need to know

Location: Plymouth is located on the coast of south-west Devon. There is a train station within the town which offers First Great Western rail services which link to Cornwall, London and the north. The cathedral town of Exeter is roughly and hours drive, and the Tamar Bridge provides easy access over into Cornwall (which is also where the nearest Waitrose is located).

Atmosphere: The town was bombed heavily during WW2, resulting in the majority of the city being re-built. The Royal William Yard is a cultural hub, offering fantastic dining and shopping option. The city has a young student population due to the several universities in the area and therefore benefits from a lively nightlife.

Things to do: Explore the surrounding south- west and make the most of the spectacular surroundings. Water access from the Royal William Yard means you can be out in Plymouth Sound within minutes. Pop over to Kingsand Cawsand for fish and chips and anchor off from its colourful harbour front, or head east toward Wembury, and explore the many beautiful coves and hidden beaches along the coastline. Explore the cobbled streets of the barbican, or have a tasting tour of the Plymouth Gin distillery.

Schools: Plymouth High School for Girls, Devonport High School for Boys and Plymouth College are all great independent schools. Ivybridge Community School is also a well-regarded secondary school, known for its excellent sporting facilities.

See more property for sale in the area.

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An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

The handsome mid-18th-century property in the heart of Hampstead, where Charles de Gaulle lived between 1942 and 1944 — about the time he led the Free France government-in-exile — has come to the market for the first time in more than 50 years.

It launches onto the market via Knight Frank at a guide price of £15 million.

The French general could little have imagined that, after his tenure, the building would go on to become a finishing school and home to the Sisters of St Dorothy.

Much renovated, Frognal House — with its cast-iron balconies, sash windows, wood panelling and marble fireplaces — has been used to house international students most recently and its 13,147sq ft could easily be developed into units or transformed back into a family home.

It is offered as a freehold interest with vacant possession with a bid deadline of 12 noon, October 14.

Frognal House is currently on the market via Knight Frank at a guide price of £15 million — see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for further details. 

Hampstead: What you need to know

Location: A quiet and leafy lane in-between Hampstead and the Finchley Road, in the London borough of Camden and the Hampstead Conservation Area 6 miles north of Central London and just 0.2 miles from Hampstead high street.

Atmosphere: Hampstead is one of London's leafy and most highly sought-after neighbourhoods with a sprawling high street full of independent cafes, bars and excellent restaurants, plus boutique shops and galleries.

Things to do: Explore the beautiful Hampstead Health which feels like truly getting away from the fast-paced city life and taking a deep breath in nature. Perfect for dog walks, running and sunny days laying by one of the swimming ponds.

Schools: There are (rather unsurprisingly) a selection of excellent schools in and around Hampstead including St Mary's School Hampstead, Hampstead Hill School, The Hall School and Fitzjohn's Primary School.

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Knebworth House presents an architectural conundrum. The building is Tudor, yet bats and gargoyles stare from a stucco façade crowned with turrets and battlements. The additions were made in about 1813 by Elizabeth Bulmer-Lytton, with further alterations by her son, Edward, the novelist, of ‘It was a dark and stormy night’ fame.

Inside, the house is deceptively shallow, belying the grand exterior. ‘There used to be four wings,’ explains the Hon Martha Lytton Cobbold, ‘but Elizabeth demolished three sides, to simplify the house and make it more manageable. It was a survival thing.’

As châtelaine of Knebworth since 2000, Mrs Lytton Cobbold is no stranger to tough decisions. She has been preoccupied with preventing the masonry from collapsing. She shows me around, apologising for the scaffolding, focusing not so much on the splendours of the house (the Tudor hall, the re-created grand staircase, the library with its fake-bookcase doors, the Queen Elizabeth Room, which has featured in several films) as on water damage, floating chimneys and cracks in the walls.

‘The north-west turret is twisting away from the underlying brick, causing 4in cracks to ricochet right through the building,’ she explains. ‘All the [leaded] windows had to be replaced and the stonework rebuilt. But we haven’t yet redone the gaps in the floor-boards. It’s a work in progress.’

The problem of maintaining a house that gobbles funds to the tune of some £250,000 a year has been compounded by the pandemic. ‘We all suffered a massive drop in income, but we were very fortunate to qualify for aid through the Cultural Recovery Fund, a fantastic grant opportunity the Government put together, for work planned before Covid hit. We lobbied hard to allow privately managed heritage to participate.’

‘We’ refers to Historic Houses (HH), an independent collective of some 1,000 privately owned houses, gardens and estates, of which Mrs Lytton Cobbold was elected president this year: the first woman, and the first American, to hold the post in the association’s 41-year history.

"If we can’t support owners, they’ll give up and sell"

Martha Boone was 11 and living in Alabama when she first met her husband-to-be, screenwriter Henry Lytton Cobbold. Their parents were friends through a shared love of antiques and Henry, aged 13, was visiting Martha’s brother. Two years later, Martha went to England and spent her first night at Knebworth. ‘Never in a million years did I think I’d become responsible for the upkeep!’ she laughs.

From Henry James’s heroines to Jennie Jerome at Blenheim, from Sudely to Mapperton today, the notion of the New World infusing new life into the Old Country has become familiar.

It is, Mrs Lytton Cobbold concedes, ‘a daunting concept at any time to look after a heritage property of this magnitude and age’, but her husband’s grandmother, Hermione (who unexpectedly inherited Knebworth), proffered sound advice: ‘Remember, dear, whatever you do, it may be considered wrong, so make your decision and don’t delay. Keep the momentum going.’

Knebworth opened to the public on a regular basis in 1970 and is famed for its concerts, from the Rolling Stones to Robbie Williams. ‘We jokingly refer to two turrets as Metallica and Iron Maiden, as they helped fund their restoration.’

The ‘cash cow’, however, has been the Barns Conference and Banqueting Centre, built by the present Lord Cobbold in the 1970s and which his daughter-in-law began expanding in 2000. This, with residential and commercial lettings, are among the six businesses that she runs with her team of 14, diversifying as much as possible.

Knebworth’s challenges are common to HH members. ‘Our interests align. There is no point in anyone trying to reinvent the wheel. We share information on what does and doesn’t work — it saves so much time. Only yesterday, someone in Devon was asking about a system for dealing with pre-sale tickets — a Covid requirement — and almost immediately, a neighbour here, in Hertfordshire, was able to provide her with the name of a company.’

The HH’s concerns are currently remedial, but its modest, collegiate president has already notched up triumphs: eligibility to apply to the aforementioned Cultural Recovery Fund and permission to erect temporary structures for up to 56 days without planning consent.

A key function of the HH — in addition to advising on matters such as applying for funds or dealing with dry rot — is its remit to lobby Government. Issues range from increasing the number of listed buildings officers to lifting the cap on Sideways Loss Relief to enable greater support of rural jobs and economies.

‘If VAT were no longer charged on structural repairs to listed buildings, 20% more work would be done, there would be 20% more employment and that much more secondary spend,’ she observes. ‘All of us support our local trades and we purchase all our materials locally.’

It is worth noting that the National Trust and English Heritage can reclaim VAT and are zero-rated for business rates: ‘We aren’t looking for special treatment, simply an equal playing field.’

She believes private ownership is the most efficient way to maintain historic properties and preserve heritage. ‘If water is coming through the roof, my husband or I will climb to remove the dead pigeon from the hopper head to allow it to flow. Time is of the essence before the water overflows and water damage occurs.’

The easing of lockdown has brought cautious optimism, yet the HH has seen a big drop in both house and visitor membership. ‘Our biggest fear is that, if we are unable to support owners, help them survive and thrive, they’ll give up and sell.

You might get a sympathetic new owner who is able and committed, but sometimes houses are sold to become hotels or public access is denied — and that would be a huge shame.’

On the record: Martha Lytton Cobbold

• Favourite place in Britain? The coastline of north Devon
• Favourite building? The Palace of Westminster
• Food? Mexican
• Book? 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
• Music? Classic rock. The Eagles is my favourite group — the soundtrack of my youth!
• Dream dinner guest? Choreographer Mikhail Baryshnikov

Find out more about Knebworth House and Historic Houses.

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Why it’s time for the Royal Family to turn Buckingham Palace Gardens into a public park

Historic, Grade II-listed Shield Hall sits in 100 acres of productive meadow, parkland and woodland in the heart of the Tyne Valley, in Northumberland, close to the village of Slaley, five miles south-east of Hexham and 5 1⁄2 miles south of Corbridge.

William Douglas of Savills quotes a guide price of £2.25 million for the late-18th-century former farmhouse, which was extended in the 19th century and remodelled as a single house in 1977.

The main house offers some 4,000sq ft of living space, now in need of some gentle updating. The ground-floor accommodation encompasses three reception rooms, including a panoramic dining room overlooking the gardens and the large drawing room, which also has glorious views as well as a feature fireplace, plus a farmhouse kitchen with two-door AGA. A striking staircase with large fan window leads to the six bedrooms upstairs, which include a fine master-bedroom suite.

Owned by the same family for more than 100 years, the elegant brick-built hall could potentially incorporate the remains of a Grade II*-listed, 13th-century peel tower to create a buffer between it and the adjoining courtyard of stone farm buildings, now beautifully converted to three holiday cottages.

To the south of the hall is a lovely walled garden, beyond which a ha-ha opens onto the park- land and those wonderful Tyne Valley views. The entire steading sits neatly in a natural amphitheatre overlooking the lake, surrounded by traditional livestock farms and undulating grassland interspersed with belts of woodland rising towards the Pennines in the distance.

Shiel Hall is for sale at £2.25 million via Savills — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.

Slaley: What you need to know

• Location: Slaley is 5 miles from Hexham and 24 from Newcastle
• Atmosphere:This is very much a rural village, surrounded by farmland
• Things to do: The village is the perfect starting point to explore the countryside on foot or on a horse, with an extensive network of footpaths and bridleways, the Northumberland Wildlife Trust's Juliet's Wood reserve to the north and the Derwent Reservoir to the south. The Slaley Hall hotel also has two golf courses.
• Schools: Slaley First School is rated good by Ofsted.
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An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

The buyers of the Old Dairy, in Box, Wiltshire, won’t only get a Grade II-listed house dating originally from the 16th century; they’ll also become the proud owners of Hercules, the resident tortoise.

Hercules, who, despite the name, is a female tortoise, has been living in the walled garden at the back of the four-bedroom property for at least the past 14 years when the current owners bought The Old Dairy—and probably a lot longer. The 94-year-old tortoise has lived through the two World Wars and only narrowly missed the 19th-century renovation works that made the house, which is for sale through Hunter French at an asking price of £825,000, what it is today.

She’s also a relatively low-maintenance guest, hibernating from October to April and living on a diet of lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes. But the new owners of The Old Dairy will enjoy more than brushing shoulders with the village celebrity, which Hercules most definitely is.

The house comes with 2687sq ft of living space laid across three floors, with the kitchen, reception rooms and conservatory on the ground floor—including a delightful sitting room with open fire—and the four bedrooms upstairs. The top floor bedroom, in particular, has its own living space, making it perfect for guests or teenagers in need of a little privacy.

Outside, the gardens are split into different spaces: beyond Hercules’ walled domain, there’s a side garden with patio area and a lawned front garden with an outbuilding that was converted into a café but could be put to different uses.

‘The Old Dairy is an incredibly charming home filled with character and would make for a wonderful family home,’ says Lauren Walsh of Hunter French. ‘Although Hercules the tortoise is undeniably one of the most popular characters in the local village, Box itself has a lovely sense of community and offers great places to spend days out with family and friends, whether this be in the great outdoors or at one of the welcoming pubs or restaurants on offer.’

The Old Dairy is for sale at £825,000 via Hunter French — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.

Box: What you need to know

• Location: Box is situated in the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, three miles from Corsham and five from Bath (to which it is linked by bus)
• Atmosphere:A thriving village, it has a very active community, with many events—including the Box Rocks music festival—held at the local recreation ground. Other facilities include a doctor's surgery, post office, three pubs and a restaurant, a butcher’s, a pharmacy, a small supermarket and two cafes
• Things to do: The Box Tunnel — once the longest railway tunnel in the world — is well worth a visit. There’s also a lovely circular walk taking in long views of the countryside and of course Bath, with its shopping, culture and entertainment, is only five miles away
• Schools: Box Church of England Primary Schoo is rated good by Ofsted.

For sale through Yorkshire agents Blenkin & Co for ‘offers in excess of £1.25 million’, historic, Grade II*-listed Bolton Old Hall in the village of Bolton-on-Swale, six miles from Richmond, stands in the lee of the village church, close to the River Swale, some five miles east of the Dales National Park. The A1 runs some three miles to the west at Catterick, providing swift access to Newcastle and the conurbations of the north and west.

Approached through an impressive gated entrance in the high stone wall that surrounds the wonderful walled gardens, Bolton Old Hall, which dates mainly from Elizabethan times, incorporates Richard le Scrope’s magnificent peel tower built in the 1380s to withstand the ravages of border raids.

Further altered in the 20th century, the entire house has recently been renovated throughout. It offers 3,845sq ft of elegant accommodation on three floors, including entrance and staircase halls, three reception rooms, a kitchen/dining room, five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a box room and study.

Bolton Old Hall is currently for sale via Blenkin & Co for offers in excess of £1.25 million — see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for more details. 

Bolton on Swale: What you need to know

Location: Bolton-on-Swale is located in North Yorkshire, in the Richmondshire district and five miles east of the Dales National Park.

Atmosphere: The small, historical village has a primary school and several good pubs in the area.

Things to do: A haven for nature-lovers and keen walkers, Bolton on Swale is ideally located for those wanting to get out and explore the Yorkshire Dales and surrounding countryside, with the coast to coast national walk passing through the village.

Schools: Brompton-on-Swale Church of England Primary school received an outstanding review from ofsted, with further options for primary at Bolton-on-Swale St Mary's C of E Primary school and Michael Syddall Church of England Aided Primary school.

See more property for sale in the area.

Credit: Strutt and Parker

Best country houses for sale this week

An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

The best country houses for sale in Yorkshire

Penny Churchill says that long histories and tranquil settings make Yorkshire’s country houses irresistible

Winterbrook House stands in an appealing setting on the banks of the Thames on the edge of this historic Wallingford, 12 miles from Henley-on-Thames and 15 miles from Oxford and a mile from Waitrose.

Dating from the 17th-century with Georgian rear additions, this Grade II-listed property comes to the market through Savills at a guide price of £2.75 million.

An English Heritage blue plaque on its Queen Anne façade announces that this charming five-bedroom house was the much-loved former home of Dame Agatha Christie and her globe-trotting husband, the archaeologist Sir Max Mallowan.

Having met and married Mallowan in 1930, crime writer Christie — reputedly the bestselling author of all time — bought Winterbrook House as their main residence before buying, four years later, Greenway House in Devon as their summer retreat.

The couple lived at Winterbrook House until Christie’s death in 1976, although they travelled widely in connection with Sir Max’s work (fans of Hercule Poirot will recall every minute of Death on the Nile and Murder on the Orient Express, the latter written in the Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul).

For the past 20 years, Winterbrook has been the cherished family home of its international owners, who are now looking to downsize. The main house offers 4,190sq ft of immaculate living space on three floors, including a reception hall, three main reception rooms, a study, a kitchen/breakfast room, a principal bedroom suite and two further bedrooms on the first floor, plus two more bedrooms on the second floor.

It comes with an attached one-bedroom cottage and frontage to the Thames, with scope to instal a historic pontoon mooring, subject to the usual consents.

Winterbrook House is for sale at £2.75 million via Savills — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.

Wallingford: What you need to know

• Location: Wallingford is situated about half an hour's drive from both Oxford and Henley-on-Thames
• Atmosphere: A historic riverside town, Wallingford brims with antique shops, coffee shops, pubs and restaurants. It also has a theatre and cinema and a large Waitrose
• Things to do: There's plenty of choice, from walking and cycling on the Chilterns to boating and rowing on the Thames. Golf is at the Springs Hotel Golf Club and the Wallingford Sports Park is home to tennis, squash, rugby and hockey clubs.
• Schools: Independent schools in the area include Moulsford Prep School, Cranford House, The Oratory Prep and Public School, Downe House, Radley College, Abingdon School and the European School in Abingdon, Pangbourne College and Bradfield College. Find more properties in the area.

A Georgian country house full of period features, set in grounds that are a true haven for wildlife

In the heart of Devon, Bolham House is a simply delightful country home with almost endless space, plus three cottages.

Dating from the 16th century, Grade II-listed Yew Trees, in Kingsbury Episcopi, began life as a medieval hall, before being substantially altered in both the 17th and 19th centuries. Yew Trees is listed with Humberts for £800,000.

The property’s most recent renovation occurred from 2003, but those who got very excited by baking during lockdown will be enticed by the fully functioning 19th-century bread oven.

As well as the oven, the four-bedroom property boasts various other period features, such as handsome fireplaces, window seats, exposed beams and spacious family rooms.

The gardens are south facing, level and mostly laid to lawn, and new owners can expect to see lashings of colour in the spring as the roses that adorn the property spring to life.

Yew Trees is listed with Humberts for £800,000.

Kingsbury Episcopi, Somerset: What you need to know

• Location: Yew Trees is located in the village of Kingsbury Episcopi within easy reach of the A303. The village is nine miles from Yeovil, 15 miles from Sherbourne and 18 miles from Taunton.
• Atmosphere: Kingsbury Episcopi is a sought-after village, largely composed of period properties and benefitting from a church, pub and shop. The village is known for its community spirit and festivals and has been crowned Somerset Village Of The Year. The nearby village of Martock, two and a half miles away, has a wider range of amenities.
• Things to do: Outdoor enthusiasts are spoilt for choice with diverse landscapes to explore by foot, bicycle or horseback, including wooded hills and valleys and the Somerset Levels and Moors.
• Schools: There are good schools locally including Kingsbury Episcopi Primary School, Ash Primary School, and Huish Episcopi Academy, Sixth Form & Leisure Centre. Find more houses in the area

Credit: H Tiddy

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The Penwith Peninsula has been synonymous with art for decades, with generations of painters flocking to an area that combined beautiful sea views with a rare quality of light. John Miller and Kurt Jackson are perhaps the ones whose work is most recently tied to the local landscape but the list of Cornish made artwork ranges from Barbara Hepworth’s sculptures to Terry Frost’s abstract work.

Art loving-house buyers who've fallen in love with this landscape might be interested to take a look at Morveren House, in Trowan, for sale through Lillicrap Chilcott at £1.45 million, is the perfect place for budding artists or art lovers: you can take in the play of the light on the sea, while being within easy reach of the Tate St Ives (a footpath links Trowan to St Ives and the South West Coast Path).

Built in 1909 for Sir Edward Hain MP, the property looks out towards the sea and the open countryside, which is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Sir Edward was a notable local figures — as well as representing St Ives in Parliament from 1900 to 1906, he ran The Hain Steamship Company Limited, later sold to P&O, was the local mayor for six times and eventually became High Sheriff of Cornwall in 1912.

Morveren House was devised to suit such an illustrious personage, combining understated, elegant architecture with high quality stones — and has since been restored to the same high standards.

The interiors have kept intact some Arts & Crafts fireplaces, which combine with vaulted ceilings, exposed floorboards and stone walls and wood panelling to create a striking home.

The living room, which looks out towards the gardens and the countryside beyond, is particularly striking, with a massive granite slabs surrounding the brick fireplace, within which sits a bold, red woodburning stove.

There’s a mellow kitchen and dining area with limestone floors, pastel-blue units and a full heigh feature fireplace, and a cosy sitting room, which also has a fine brick fireplace.

But perhaps the most beautiful rooms are the bedrooms — especially the vast, vaulted master suite, which affords long views across both the countryside and the sea, and has an original Arts & Crafts fireplace in the ensuite bathroom.

Equally charming is the attached two-bedroom cottage, which has a large open-plan kitchen, dining and living area with vaulted ceiling.

The gardens are split into a walled area with paved patio to the west — perfect for outdoor entertaining — and, to the south, a lawn overlooked by two fir trees and adjoined by another paved terrace.

Morveren House and Cara Cottage are for sale at £1.45m via Lillicrap Chilcott — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.

Trowan: What you need to know

• Location: More a hamlet than a village, Trowan is a little more than a mile from St Ives
• Atmosphere: Trowan has ancient origins, but it was almost completely abandoned in the second half of the 20th century — only 10 people lived there in 1959, according to a local newspaper, after which the number dwindled to one — then none. It was revived in the early 2000s after a developer bought the entire village, with its 11 buildings and 700-year-old well.
• Things to do: There are plenty of lovely walks along the South West Coast path and of course St Ives, with its shops, restaurant, art galleries and the Tate, is only three minutes’ drive away
• Schools: St Ives has a wide range of schools rated good and, in the case of the Holywell Church of England Primary School, outstanding by Ofsted. Some excellent private schools are available a little further away in Truro. Find more properties in the area.

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A regal 15th century property where the Queen Mother once played as a child

Rachael Turner looks in awe at this marvellous property in Kent.

Any house that hits the 800-year-old mark — as Crook Hall, Durham, did in 2017 — will have plenty of tales to tell. Few, though, are as dramatic as those told of this medieval building, where the White Lady has, in her time, been credited with ringing bells and even turning over tables at dinner gatherings. Today, house, hall and all are up for sale; Andrew Black of Savills is handling the £1.75 million sale of Grade I-listed Crook Hall.

Crook Hall lies in the Framwelgate area of the city of Durham, the oldest part of which is the open hall itself that dates from the 13th century, but as the pictures show here it is also a comfortable and characterful home.

The hall isn't named for any misdeed. Instead, it takes its name from Peter del Croke, whose ancestor, Aimery, son of the Archdeacon of Durham, was granted the manor of Sydgate in 1217, it is the only known domestic open hall in the county.

The hall was extended in the 17th century to form a Jacobean manor house until, in the 18th century, a large, three-storey, brick Georgian townhouse was linked to the 17th-century manor to create a substantial, 6,517sq ft house, with views across the River Wear to Durham Cathedral.

The gardens are as much a feature of the property as the buildings: there are over five acres here, once described by Alan Titchmarsh as a 'tapestry of colourful blooms'.

Unusually, they are arranged as a series of outdoor rooms: the Cathedral lawn, the Shakespeare garden, the silver and white garden and the walled gardens, for example. There is also large, open larger lawned garden area between the house and pond, as well as a vegetable patch and a paddock.

In addition, there's a maze — though that is part of an additional lot. The hall and its famous gardens are being offered for the £1.75m asking price, with the adjoining Garden Gate Café, maze and private car park available subject to separate negotiation.

As for what lies ahead? Well, Crook Hall has been run by its present owners as a successful tourist and wedding venue, until lockdown. The new owner will have the option to either occupy the entire six/seven-bedroom main house privately or adapt it for mixed private and commercial use.

Crook Hall is for sale via Savills — see more pictures and details.

Britain's architectural legacy of great houses built in the country means has left the nation with a huge number of truly remarkable buildings. Yet while almost all offer grandeur, history and scale, very few are able to combine those qualities with truly cosy homeliness.

That makes it all the nicer to come across a house such as Canonteign, on the outskirts of the village of Christow, a few miles north of Exeter in the heart of the Teign Valley. This 400-year-old home — which is for sale at £3.5 million — has ten bedrooms, a great hall, library and vast gym within its 11,422 sq ft, yet still manages to feel the sort of place that works just as well for family life as it does to impress guests.

Set in 10 acres of lovely gardens and parkland, gracious Canonteign Manor has been impeccably refurbished by its current and previous owners, and has some wonderful Tudor features, including linen-fold panelling and enormous stone mullioned windows.

Elegant accommodation includes a Great Hall, four fine reception rooms, a kitchen/breakfast room, 10 bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a self-contained staff flat and a luxurious 60ft gym space and steam room on the second floor of the house.

The sunken walled garden houses a heated swimming pool and a hot tub; it's hard not to imagine the looks on the faces of Canonteign's former residents over the centuries if they could see such wonders.

Canonteign Manor traces its origins to Domesday, when it belonged to the canons of St Mary du Val in Normandy. In 1268, it was turned over to the Black Canons of Merton Abbey in Surrey, who gave the place the name it still has today.

The Dissolution brought their ownership to an end, and it was one of many properties handed by Henry VIII to his close adviser John Russell, who became the 1st Earl of Bedford. Russell sold it to John Berry, after which it passed through a number of hands, one of whom — even the Historic England listing is hazy on exactly who and when — built the present Elizabethan house.

The present owners have only had the place five years, but Mr Cooper explains that it's a reluctant sale. ‘With the current owners having to spend the majority of their time overseas, it is with a heavy heart that they are looking to sell.

Whilst the building has been looked after, the property really needs someone to look after and love it for future generations to enjoy. This is a wonderful opportunity to own one of the most magical properties in the South West.’

Canonteign is for sale at £3.5 million via Fine & Country — see more details and pictures.

Credit: Strutt and Parker

Best country houses for sale this week

An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

Previously known as High Shottisham Old Hall with renowned 18th-century surgeon Benjamin Gooch as an early occupant, Grade II*-listed Dukes Head at Shotesham All Saints, six miles south of Norwich, is a charming Queen Anne house with impeccable medical credentials, now on the market with Will Mullan of Strutt & Parker at a guide price of £1.375m.

Gooch ran the Shotesham Cottage Hospital, the first of its kind in England. He studied at the London schools and hospitals, returning to Norfolk to be apprenticed to Robert Bransby, a GP at Hapton. Later, they both moved to Shotesham and, on Bransby’s death in 1748, Gooch succeeded to the practice.

Some time later, Gooch became friendly with William Fellowes, the philanthropic squire of Shotesham, and together they established the cottage hospital for the benefit of the sick and needy of the neighbourhood. Gooch honed his surgical skills there and, in 1771, Fellowes asked him to help found the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.

In the 1890s, the Old Hall became a coaching inn owned by the Fellowes family, who renamed it Dukes Head.

A regular haunt of the artist Sir Alfred Munnings, it reverted to private ownership in 1920 and to medical ownership in 1948, when it was bought by Dr Kenneth Latter, a Norwich physician.

Described by Pevsner as ‘a most handsome house’, Dukes Head was built in the classic Queen Anne style in 1712, of brick with casement leaded windows, curved Dutch gables and a pantile roof; the earlier, rear part of the house dates from the 16th and 17th centuries. It enjoys south-westerly views over the surrounding countryside and the southern end of Shotesham Common.

Carefully maintained by its current owners, who have retained much of its original character, Dukes Head offers generously proportioned reception rooms and seven spacious bedrooms.

To the rear of the house are a triple garage, a two-bedroom converted barn, an outdoor heated swimming pool, hard tennis court, summer house and beautifully tended formal and informal gardens.

The Duke's Head is on the market through for £1.372 million, click here for more information and pictures. 

Credit: Strutt and Parker

Best country houses for sale this week

An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

Spectacular Scottish castles and estates for sale

A look at the finest castles, country houses and estates for sale in Scotland today.

The launch onto the market — at a guide price of £8.5 million — of Grade I-listed Hinwick House on the Bedfordshire/Northamptonshire border has been the highlight of a wet and windy November for Crispin Holborow of Savills.

The recently renovated Queen Anne manor house, set in 37 acres of notable gardens, parkland, lakes and woodland, is for sale for only the third time in more than 300 years. It was described in the first of three Country Life articles (in September 22 and 29 and October 6, 1960) as ‘the ideal of an early 18th-century squire’s home’ and ‘among that category can be ranked as one of the very best, not only because it has been so little altered but on the strength of its architectural character’.

Hinwick House and its adjoining Victorian wing together provide some 25,800sq ft of gracious living space — so big, in fact, that it crossed our minds if it might not be easier to measure in acres. It turns out to be 0.6 acres of floor space; if that alone doesn't make the point of the size of the place, the floorplan will:

The accommodation is spread across three floors, including four grand reception rooms, two kitchens, 12 bedrooms, six bathrooms and a range of licensed function rooms.

In addition to the estate cottages, outbuildings include garaging, stables, a dovecote and the picturesque 18th-century clock tower. There’s a Georgian walled garden, an orchard and a paddock, with parkland let for grazing to a local farmer.

Although, technically, Hinwick House, in the village of Hinwick, is located in Bedfordshire, its ethos and history are more closely related to the ‘county of squires and spires’. It stands on the site of a Hinwick manor called Brayes Farm that was acquired by William Payne, a Bedfordshire dignitary and landowner, in 1617.

All that remains of the 16th-century manor house are the three cottages attached to the 1710 clock tower, known collectively as Turret House.

When Payne died in 1624, his nephew, Richard Child, inherited his Bedfordshire estates; Child’s heir was his only daughter, Margaret, the wife of George Orlebar, scion of an old Northamptonshire family.

In 1709, George’s great-grandson, Richard Orlebar, completed the purchase of Brayes Farm from his cousin, Elizabeth, on her coming-of-age. He set about building a grand new house for himself and his new wife, Diana.

According to Country Life, and as recorded on a rainwater head at the back of the house, building started in February 1709 and was almost completed by the end of 1710. Accounts show that glazing began in May 1710, although the fitting of the rooms went on for another three years, with the final bills being paid in 1714. The total cost was £3,848 4s 9d.

Orlebar planted the magnificent lime trees that still stand guard in front of the house. He had two passions in life: his lovely wife and hunting, both commemorated in the striking bas-relief on the south front by John Hunt of Northampton, showing the huntress Diana in full flight.

When his wife died in 1716, the lonely squire found solace in hunting and hound breeding. The pedigree book of his hounds, from 1708 to 1727, is believed to be the oldest surviving record of its kind. When ill health forced him to give up hunting in 1722, he presented his pack to the Duke of Grafton, who deemed them ‘ye best Hounds that can be bred in ye world’.

For the first 150 years, Hinwick House underwent few changes. The entrance hall and the splendid main staircase by Daniel Wyman of Northampton remain unaltered, although the dining room and drawing room were re-arranged by Richard Longuet Orlebar, who added the long Victorian north wing in about 1860.

Hinwick House remained in the hands of the Orlebars until 1995. There followed a period of decline until, in 2004, it was bought by the current owners, who embarked on a long-term programme of repair and modernisation.

The works done included tracking down and recovering items sold off by the Orlebars, adding and upgrading bathrooms, restoring outbuildings and reinstating the gardens and pleasure grounds.

Hinwick House is for sale via Savills at £8.5m — see more details and pictures.

Northamptonshire: the new Cotswolds?

Country house buyers should look in Northamptonshire for good transport links, excellent country houses and stone villages as pretty as

Credit: Strutt and Parker

Best country houses for sale this week

An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for

The Dovercourt lighthouses and causeway are a celebrated landscape feature in Harwich, Essex, but the fabric of the buildings is deteriorating and if work is not carried out, this precious landmark could be lost.

Historic England has added the 19th century lighthouses to its At Risk Register along with hundreds of other once-cherished buildings in need of repair. The oldest surviving timber trestle bridge in England, Wickham Bishops railway viaduct in Essex, has also joined the register.

The Maldon landmark comprises two adjoining viaducts, one crossing the River Blackwater, the second the Wickham Mill leat. Despite extensive repairs in the 1990s, the timber is suffering from rot and decay due to damp, poor maintenance and tree growth across the monument.

Folkstone's Grade II listed Leas Lift in Kent is also at risk. The 1885 construction closed in January 2017 due to safety issues with the braking system. Since then, the buildings, tracks and machinery have degraded further.

Work is planned for the Dovercourt lighthouses following a survey in 2018, with a view to repair work commencing over the next two years. A trust has also been formed to care for and manage Leas Lift in the long-term.

Historic England has added a total of 247 sites to its register, but 310 have been removed as they are regarded as saved. A well in London, a lead mine and a Georgian warship are among the buildings that are no longer classed as at risk.

'The message is clear – our heritage needs to be saved and investing in heritage pays,' said Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England. 'It helps to transform the places where we live and work, and which we visit, creating successful and distinctive places for us and for future generations to enjoy.

'But there’s more work to do. There are buildings still on the Heritage at Risk Register that can be rescued and can be brought back to beneficial use and generate an income, contributing to the local community and economy. These are the homes, shops, offices and cultural places of the future.'

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The crenellated west façade of Belvedere at Lympstone, near Exmouth, Devon, has long been a familiar landmark for sailors passing up and down the picturesque Exe Estuary. Now for sale through Knight Frank and Savills for ‘offers over £5 million’, the intriguing Georgian house, listed Grade II, stands in splendid seclusion within almost 13 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and woodland, with far-reaching views over the estuary to the countryside beyond – itself unseen except from the water.

Historically, Belvedere was part of the Nutwell estate, which spanned both banks of the River Exe and descended through the Drake family of Buckland to the notoriously unsociable Sir Francis Drake, 5th Baronet and the last of the Drake male line. He left Nutwell to his nephew, Francis Eliott, 2nd Baron Heathfield, who died without a male heir in 1813.

The estate eventually passed through a female line to Sir Francis and Lady Eliott Drake who, in 1894, let Belvedere to a Mr White, a local farmer, whose eldest daughter, Annie, born in 1897, compiled a memoir of those early years: ‘Sir Francis was an invalid and did not live long after their arrival, but Lady Drake was an able and revered ruler of the little kingdom set like a fortress within its high brick walls… [she] was always The Ladyship and her orders were simply given and firmly enforced.

Sometimes she would call to inspect the trees in the avenue which formed a beautiful crescent around part of the field in front of our house, for trees were her great delight.’

The account continues: ‘Little girls were neither to be seen nor heard on the occasions of these state visits. The early Georgian front of Belvedere was built on to a much earlier structure which could be conveniently shut off from the rest of the house, so we were whisked off to the kitchens or up the back stair to the old attic room under the roof where the letters “A. S. 1747” and another date less distinct of the 17th century, were cut deep into the sloping ceiling.’

In a seamless transition to the 21st century, the Belvedere has been extended and improved by its current owners, who carried out a major renovation in 1997. With its high ceilings and large windows, the grand reception hall sets a scene of casual splendour; the dining room in the older part of the house has a cosy, more relaxed feel, thanks to the slightly lower ceilings.

An open archway links the kitchen and breakfast room, leading through to the west-facing drawing room, where vast windows and glass doors allow magical views of the gardens and estuary beyond.

With seven bedrooms and four bathrooms on the first and second floors, Belvedere has 7,742sq ft of living space, excluding the spectacular swimming-pool and leisure complex – undoubtedly the most notable recent addition, built underground to the north of the house and lit by a central skylight. Behind the entrance gates, a pretty single-storey lodge provides further staff or guest accommodation.

Belvedere sits centrally within its landscaped formal gardens, paddock, woodland and orchard. The formal gardens wrap around the rear of the house, where the tennis court and pavilion are located. Along the boundary behind the house, a path leads to the woodland, through which several paths have been cut. The estuary views from here are sublime, with the area offering a haven for wildlife and a captivating outlook back towards the house.

Belvedere is on the market through Savills and Knight Frank for offers over £5 million. Click here for more information and pictures. 

Credit: Galbraith

Your own loch and 65 acres of Scottish countryside for the price of small flat on the outskirts of London

Credit: Savills

A glorious loch-side home with magical views, private beach and its own boathouse

A few miles from Tarbert you'll find The Studio, a delightful two-bedroom house designed to make the most of the

Credit: Sturtt & Parker

A spectacular lochside estate where the Dambusters trained for their mission

The Glenstriven Estate is a wonderful example of a Scottish country house and land, with over 1,000 acres, direct access

Credit: strutt & parker

A magnificent beachfront Scottish castle with 28 acres of wonderful woodland– all for less than a small country cottage

This stunning estate housed a naval captain, a Canadian mounted officer and the Profumo family.

Buckinghamshire - £2,000,000

Residential farm with established income on the Buckhinghamshire/Northamptonshire border.4 bedroom farmhouse, 3 bedroom barn conversion (subject to AOC), farm buildings, rental income and development opportunities (STP), parkland setting and pasture.

For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details about this property.

Cornwall – £950,000

This handsome Edwardian villa is spectacularly positioned on Coverack's harbour peninsula enabling glorious sea, beach and coastal views to front and rear, from all its rooms. Set over three floors this outstandingly spacious and elegant five-bedroom, three reception room home blends style, originality and great comfort, complete with large beach facing sun terraces and parking space, making it one of the villages' most desirable and uplifting properties, superb as a permanent home, for holiday or letting investment.

For sale with Heather & Lay. See more pictures and details about this property.

Devon - £3,600,000

An immaculate Grade II listed farmhouse with 4 reception rooms, master bedroom suite, 4 further bedrooms, outbuildings, swimming pool and tennis court. 7 guest properties including 2 bedroom cottage, 3 bedroom barn, 1950’s Airstream and 4 Cedar Yurts with wood-fired hot tubs. About 20 acres

For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details about this property.

Dorset -– £1,175,000

A handsome period farmhouse with far reaching views over the Blackmore Vale.

For sale with Jackson-Stops. See more pictures and details about this property.

Dorset - £1,500,000

Grade II* listed and built circa 1750, this elegant and prominent townhouse has excellent accommodation just moments from the town centre. 5 reception rooms, including a fine reception hall with Chinese Chippendale style staircase, 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and walled gardens.

For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details about this property.

Dorset - £1,950,000

Beautiful Grade II* listed 6 bedroom country house, close to Bridport & the Coast. Enchanting gardens with a lake. Detached 3 bedroom cottage. Stabling. Garaging, and modern barn. All ring fenced by pastureland.

For sale with Symonds and Sampson. See more pictures and details about this property.

Dorset - £2,250,000

Charming Grade II* listed house in a private and peaceful setting just minutes’ drive from Wimborne Minster. 5 reception rooms, 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 2 bedroom annexe, beautiful gardens with tennis court and garaging for 5 cars. Leasehold, approximately 99 years remaining. About 2.24 acres

For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details about this property.

Dorset - £2,500,000

Handsome farmhouse, converted barn and outbuildings in glorious Blackmore Vale country. 3 reception rooms, 6 bedrooms, 3 bedroom converted barn, excellent range of traditional and modern outbuildings, tennis court and garaging, river frontage. About 29 acres

For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details about this property.

Fife – £795,000

Exceptional country property close to St Andrews. Commanding breath-taking panoramic views out over the Firth of Forth and beyond, NorthCassingray House is an outstanding country property quietly positioned in a lovely secluded rural setting with a generous garden.

For sale with Galbraith. See more pictures and details about this property.

Somerset – £2,500,000

For the first time, The Old Deanery in Wells has been brought to market. It is both majestic and historic and has borne witness to a rich history that dates back almost 800 years. It is magnificently positioned in the centre of Wells overlooking “the Green” with un-rivalled views of the Cathedral itself.

For sale with Lodestone Property. See more pictures and details about this property.

Surrey - £6,000,000

A rare opportunity to acquire a fine country estate in need of modernisation. 4 reception rooms, 13 bedrooms,6 bathrooms, workshop, swimming pool, 6 car garage, gardens, lodge house available via separate negotiation.

For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details about this property.

West Sussex - £3,950,000

A part Georgian country house with a rich history. 7 reception rooms, 6 bedrooms, annexe, detached barn, garaging, green house, stables, swimming pool and formal gardens.

For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details about this property.

Wiltshire - £3,950,000

Designed by the renowned Bath based architects Watson Bertram & Fell, Elcombe Farm is a wonderful family home with outstanding views over its own surrounding land. Offering all the charm of a period house but with the comforts of 21st century living, the property includes 3 reception rooms, 6 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. About 125 acres

For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details about this property.

Wiltshire - Price on application

Ring-fenced private amenity estate located in the New Forest, including a Grade II listed country house, 2 ancillary cottages, traditional farm buildings, productive arable land and woodland, family shoot and in hand tree nursery which provides a secondary income stream. About 260 acres

For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details about this property.

Credit: Strutt and Parker

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Although accepting that the claim of ‘possibly England’s best beach house’ in relation to Kentlands in Princes Drive, Sandwich Bay, Kent, may be ‘a little over the top’, the many virtues of this remarkable Arts-and-Crafts house are evident.

Kentlands sits right alongside the beach, overlooking Sandwich Bay and adjoining the famous links of the Royal St George’s Golf Club.

For sale through Strutt & Parker at a guide price of £2.9m, the house was built in 1920 by the architect Charles Biddulph Pinchard for Frederick Leverton Harris (an influential Tory MP who was Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Blockade during the First World War), using materials reclaimed from two 17th-century Dutch weavers’ cottages and timbers taken from local Tudor barns – hence its Grade II listing.

It was later owned by the Heinz family and subsequently by its current owners, who have completely renovated the property.

Kentlands sits within the private Sandwich Bay Estate, just south of the medieval Cinque Port of Sandwich, and boasts more than 6,000sq ft of living space, including a reception hall, four reception rooms, a kitchen/breakfast room, eight bedrooms and four bathrooms. It comes with a walled garden, a swimming pool and unhindered access to the beach.

Also included in the sale is The Lodge House, a two-bedroom property, ideal for accommodating all the friends and family who'll be flocking to the new owners for holidays.

Adjacent to The Lodge House is another building currently in use as a playroom, with the potential of being converted into a games room, an office, a studio or a home gym.

Although seemingly in the middle of nowhere (it certainly feels like a world of its own), Kentlands has surprisingly decent transport links, only 17 miles from Canterbury and all of its charms.

Kentlands in on the market with Strutt & Parker for £2.9 million. For more information and pictures, click here.

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For the second time in 18 years, Richard Addington of Jackson-Stops in Exeter is handling the sale of Grade I-listed Fardel Manor at Fardel, near Cornwood, on the southern fringes of Dartmoor, 10 miles from Plymouth and 35 miles from Exeter. He quotes a guide price of ‘excess £2m’ for the compact, late-medieval manor house, with its 13th-century chapel and service cottage, set in five acres of glorious gardens and surrounded by the appealing mixed-farming landscape that forms the hinterland to the high moor on the horizon.

Recorded in the Domesday Book as a Saxon estate known as Ferdendelle, the discovery in 1860 of the early Christian Fardel Stone (now in the British Museum) suggests that it may even date from some time between the 5th and 8th centuries.

Described by architectural historian Robert Waterhouse as ‘a classic example of the development of the courtyard mansion in medieval and early post-medieval Devon’, Fardel was acquired by marriage in the 14th century by the Raleigh family of Smallridge, east Devon.

Sir Walter Raleigh’s father lived at the house in the early 16th century, after which it passed to Walter’s brother. Raleigh himself is not known to have lived there, although he often visited, and the manor remained in his family until the mid 17th century, when his son sold it to another Devon dynasty, the Hele family.

The oldest parts of the manor house date from the arrival of the Raleighs, with major modifications in the 16th and 17th centuries, when the fine panelled drawing room and the staircase hall were created. Fardel’s high-quality stonework is matched by some equally fine joinery and plasterwork, notably in the complex 17th-century staircase.

In the late 17th to early 18th centuries, the south cross-wing of the house was remodelled in the Queen Anne style with moulded plaster ceilings and panelling. From the later 18th to the mid 20th centuries, the house was adapted for use as a tenanted farm with the addition of new farm buildings.

Fardel was again modified in the early 20th century, when much of the roof was rebuilt. The plainly vaulted library/dining room, now overlooked by a gallery, is actually a mid-20th-century reconstruction of five rooms and makes a worthy addition to the other fine rooms, notably the screens room (the former medieval hall) and the study.

The house has been well maintained in recent years, with renovations – including the restoration of the 13th-century chapel – carried out by the present custodians. Modern conveniences include a fitted kitchen, central heating and bathrooms cleverly adapted into the ancient structure.

Although described as ‘compact’ in the sales particulars, having only four bedrooms, the manor’s 6,980sq ft of living space allows plenty of room to manoeuvre within its historic walls.

Ample breathing space abounds in Fardel’s ancient courtyards and many garden rooms, not to mention the very modern swimming pool, from which the balmy South Hams climate can be enjoyed all year round.

Fardel Manor is on the market with Jackson-Stops for offers over £2 million. Click here for more information and pictures. 

Credit: Knight Frank

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Credit: Savills

A perfectly-preserved home on an ancient stretch of land in one of the prettiest spots in Wiltshire

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Lane Farm, down Cherry Garden Lane, is just as picturesque as its name suggests. On the market for £1,895,000 through Knight Frank, this grade II-listed character home provides the perfect combination of country living and easy access to the city by the Elizabeth line, set to open between autumn and winter 2019.

The Crossrail will take commuters from Berkshire to Tottenham Court Road in under 40 minutes, a perk which is sure to draw people tired of living in the capital to this quiet corner of the Home Counties.

Dating back to the 15^th century, the stunning property has been extensively updated since it was first completed but has nevertheless retained much of its original charm and detailing. Exposed wooden beams are prevalent throughout, while light walls and soft furnishings soften and modernise the spacious rooms.

With five bedrooms, a large eat-in kitchen and both a utility room and separate pantry, Lane Farm provides the perfect setting for family living. A charming inglenook fireplace boasts a wood burning stove, providing the perfect place to wind down after a busy day or retire to after a lovely dinner.

A lovely walled garden wraps around the house, laid with lavender bushes, fruit trees and plenty of room for summer barbecues throughout the half acre of land attached to the property. A spacious double garage with a workshop and room for storage upstairs also sits on the land on the other side of the pebbled driveway.

With the delights of Marlow and Henley close to hand and a number of excellent primary and secondary schools in the area, Lane Farm is sure to make one family very happy.

Lane Farm is on sale through Knight Frank at a guide price of £1,895,000 click here for more pictures and information.

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Estate agent Andrew Grant has crossed the threshold of almost every important house in Worcestershire in his 40 years in the business, and has also sold quite a few of them. All those homes have a story to tell, none more so than gracious Ripple Hall in Ripple, near Upton-upon-Severn, on the Gloucestershire/ Worcestershire border, which is on the market for the first time in almost 60 years at a guide price of £2.25 million.

Ripple Hall, listed Grade II, stands next to Ripple’s Grade I-listed, 12th-century St Mary’s Church, surrounded by more than 13 acres of gardens, grounds and ancient parkland.

The oldest, rear part of the house is believed to date from the 1400s, with the main south front added in 1780–90. The whole is rearranged in a style similar to several prominent houses in Upton-upon-Severn, including The Rectory, built by Ralph Sheward for the Rev J. E. Martin in 1787.

With its high ceilings, wide doors and original 18th-century design and fittings, Ripple Hall exudes a discreet grandeur rarely found in country houses these days. With more than 10,000sq ft of elegant living space on three floors, it caters for every aspect of full-time country living.

There are four fine reception rooms, a breakfast room, an orangery, 8–10 bedrooms, five bathrooms, three wine cellars and an alarmed strong room.

Traditional outdoor amenities include a stable block with original stabling, a green- house with productive vines, a croquet lawn, a heated outdoor pool with a view of the church, a walled kitchen garden and delightful gardens laid mainly to lawn.

There are some splendid specimen trees, including an ancient tulip tree, a cork tree and a majestic oak.

The remodelling of Ripple Hall in the late 18^th century was carried out for Fleetwood Parkhurst, a descendant of John Parkhurst, Bishop of Norwich from 1560, who is renowned in academic circles for his Hebrew and English Lexicon.

On his death in 1801, Ripple Hall passed to his son, also named Fleetwood – a clergyman who appears to have combined a number of ecclesiastical roles, including vicar of Epsom and curate of Penzance, with a successful career in the world of property. He retired to Ripple Hall, but died suddenly in 1844, apparently while out walking in Cheltenham.

Although not loved by all, the Rev Fleetwood’s passing was noted by his Rugby and Oxford contemporary, the writer Walter Savage Landor, who wrote in a letter: ‘Little as Parkhurst is to be respected, I am shocked and grieved at his death. A happier one, however, there could not be. I shall often think of our early friendship and our happier days.’

Thereafter, Ripple Hall was owned or occupied by a number of short-term tenants, before being sold to a Miss A. J. Behrens, who lived there until 1931, when it passed to Edward F. Gray, son of the Rev Edward Gray of Donnington Hall, Ledbury.

Following a career in the consular service, Gray died in 1960, after which Ripple Hall was bought by Mr and Mrs Hugo Baldwin Huntington-Whiteley, later Sir Hugo Baldwin Huntington-Whiteley, 3rd Baronet Huntington-Whiteley of Grimley and grandson of one of Worcestershire’s most famous sons, three-times Prime Minister Sir Stanley Baldwin.

Sir Hugo died in 2014, aged 90, and Ripple Hall is being sold by his widow, Jean, Lady Huntington-Whiteley. The Huntington-Whiteleys have long been involved with county affairs and it was entirely appropriate that Andrew Grant’s wife, Beatrice, daughter of Sir Miles Huntington-Whiteley, 4th Baronet, should have spearheaded a successful campaign for a life-size bronze statue of Sir Stanley to be erected in Bewdley – the town he served as MP for almost 30 years; the unveiling by The Duke of Gloucester took place on September 27 this year.

Ripple Hall is for sale through Andrew Grant – see more details and pictures.

Credit: Knight Frank / Andrew Grant

A fine Worcestershire mansion at the price of a Birmingham apartment or a Hackney terrace

On the outskirts of the delightful cathedral city of Worcester lies a grand country mansion with glorious gardens, stables and

Credit: Savills

A beautiful country house on the banks of the River Stour whose history has been forged in fire

A mansion in Dorset on the banks of the River Stour looks every inch the tranquil country pile, but Manston

Originally built as Guildford’s Third House of Correction in 1820 and afterwards becoming the official residence for three generations of Keene prison governors, South Hall still bears traces of its previous uses in three small, converted cells and one prison door (one of the other doors is said to have been removed and placed in the Guildford museum, the location of the other is unknown).

These three cells once housed the most unruly of prisoners of Guildford's three correctional facilities, jailed under the watching eye of the prison governor. However, since the property’s conversion into a family home in 1852, it has played host to a very different calibre of inhabitants.

South Hall is one of the finest and most historical buildings in Guildford and as such it attracted the attentions of several famous authors, among them William Thackeray and Lewis Carroll, both of whom were frequent visitors to the house in the 19^th century after it was auctioned off by Guildford council.

Perhaps surprisingly for its previous occupation, South Hall is flooded with natural light, featuring large windows in every room, so placed to make the most of the stunning vistas available from its prime position atop Castle Hill, namely the castle itself, as well as the stunning surrounding parkland.

South Hall’s situation is ideal for any family wanting to move into this desirable part of the Home Counties. The house lies less than 400 yards from the high street, a quick walk away from the train station, an easy drive to the racing wonders of Ascot and Chichester and within ten miles of no less than seven golf courses.

Cowdray and Hurtwood polo clubs are similarly nearby as is the Chichester Yacht Club, making South Hall the perfect home for a country-sporting enthusiast.

Closer to home, the property itself boasts attractions that ironically would make it the ideal place to be locked up in on a rainy winter day; six bedrooms, two ensuites, five reception rooms, a pool with a shower room and even a wine cellar.

'A property of this calibre is understandably kindling interest from across the globe.'

In the unlikely occasion that a person looking over South Hall’s already impressive 5848 sq ft of living space finds it lacking, plans are in place for a conversion which would replace the current sitting room with a three story high extension, increasing the already sizable footage to 10,000 sq ft.

James Ackerely at Knight Frank has high hopes for the new owners of South Hall – who will only be the 6^th to take up residence since the property’s conversion to a family home – noting that “a property of this calibre is understandably kindling interest from across the globe and in particular from those with school age children”.

Whoever takes on South Hall next is sure to benefit from ownership of what Knight Frank are calling ‘the finest and most historically important private house in Guildford’.

South Hall is on the market with Knight Frank at a guide price of £4.5 million. See more pictures and information here.

Credit: Simon Brown

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Credit: Savills

The ancient estate of the de Vere family, sympathetically updated to include a tennis court, swimming pool and a stunning orangery

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Credit: H Tiddy

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Credit: Strutt & Parker

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Throughout the property downturn, Oxfordshire has consistently outperformed every other county in the UK – a fact underlined by the lively response to the recent launch onto the market, at a guide price of £5.5 million, of idyllic The Priory at Great Milton, nine miles from Oxford, reveals Ed Sugden of Savills.

Described in the Victoria County History, Oxfordshire, as ‘a well-preserved example of a 16th and early 17th century house’, its name, apparently of 19th-century origin, is said to be something of ‘a mystery’, given that, historically, neither Eynsham Abbey nor Abingdon Abbey had a priory at Great Milton.

Nevertheless, it is generally accepted that the Grade II*-listed house was built by Dr Westfalling, a vice-chancellor of Oxford University in 1565, perhaps as a refuge from the plague in Oxford. He was consecrated Bishop of Hereford in 1585 and presumably left Milton, as he died in Hereford in 1602.

Later, Dr John Wilkinson, president of Magdalen College, bought the house and lived there with his nephew, Henry. A friend was Oliver Cromwell’s Secretary of State John Thurloe, who later leased the house. According to village tradition, both Cromwell and the poet John Milton visited him there.

The Priory, which stands in more than six acres of enchanting mature gardens, overlooking a lake and fields adjoining the kitchen garden of Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons in the heart of the village, comes with a two-bedroom cottage, a heated swimming pool, a tennis court, garaging, stabling and an outdoor manège.

The house, which has been cleverly refurbished and extended by the current owners, has some 6,250sq ft of warm and welcoming living space on three floors, including three reception rooms, a study, a light and airy kitchen/family room, seven bedrooms and five bath/shower rooms.

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Credit: Knight Frank

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Credit: Findon Place (Knight Frank)

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It is rare indeed to find a classic country house that hasn’t been altered, extended, remodelled or generally ‘mucked about with’ in the course of the 20th century. This makes the launch of the exquisite Grade II*-listed Hapsford House at Great Elm, near Frome, Somerset – at a guide price of £2.5 million through Strutt & Parker – all the more refreshing, in a market that’s only just starting to find its feet after a long and dreary winter.

The core of the elegant, white-painted house, which was originally called Hapsford Cottage, was built by an unknown architect between 1815 and 1820 for George George, a Frome woollen-cloth manufacturer, and extended some 15 years later, when George bought additional land from Sir Henry Strachey, the lord of the manor.

The gardens and pleasure grounds, which are listed Grade II and designed in an intimate style to suit the house when it was first built, were extended in the mid 1800s.

By then, George had passed away and his widow, Mary, had married Capt Henry Morrish, a former Royal Marine. The couple continued to live at Hapsford House, which was also known variously as Vallis House, Vallis Cottage and Vallis Villa, a reference to the picturesque Vallis Vale, a rocky, steep-sided, wooded valley of the Mells River, which it overlooks and where quarrying thrived for many years.

After Mrs Morrish’s death in 1876, Hapsford House was bought by a Bristol dentist, who lived there until 1923. Thereafter, owners came and went. Seemingly, none felt the need to change the house, although the gardens were improved in the late 1990s, with the addition of a woodland garden and a laburnum walk designed by Penelope Hobhouse.

With its former kitchen garden, cottage and mill buildings now in separate ownership, dreamy Hapsford House stands in its immediate 8¼ acres of original gardens and grounds on the eastern edge of pretty Great Elm village, set only 2½ miles from Frome and 14½ miles from Bath.

The house, as originally built, comprised a central two-storey, hipped-roofed range facing the gardens, with a two-storey wing to the north and a single-storey wing on the garden front. The latter houses the enchanting drawing room, with its elaborate Gothic Revival plasterwork; the Chinese dining room next door, with its bamboo-patterned wall panels, is also richly decorated.

The matching two-storey south-west wing was added in about 1834 and, soon afterwards, a conservatory was built alongside the kitchen. However, since then, the house has remained virtually unaltered.

The timeless quality of Hapsford House was a large part of its appeal for its current owner, who bought it in 2008, and, apart from creating a bathroom for the master suite and decorating throughout, has concentrated on essential maintenance, which included dredging the mill race and repairing the romantic river bridge.

In all, the house offers more than 5,600sq ft of living space, including the hall, reception rooms, a playroom, the kitchen and conservatory, five bedrooms and four bathrooms, with additional three-bedroom accommodation in the renovated coach house.

Hapsford House is on the market with Strutt & Parker at a guide price of £2.5 million – see more details and pictures.

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The Grade II-listed Copcourt House is a charming Queen Anne-fronted house and set in 73 acres of gardens and farmland at Thame, Oxfordshire, and for sale through Savills at £5.25m.

Originally part of the Thame Park estate, it stands in a pleasantly rolling landscape at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, some four miles south of Thame – once the heart of one of England’s most powerful monasteries.

The main house was built in 1706 – though some parts pre-date that – and enjoys unspoilt westerly views over its formal gardens, offering more than 6,500sq ft of light and airy accommodation.

The undisputed highlight is the splendid 40ft medieval banqueting hall, with its impressive double-vaulted ceiling and a mezzanine floor at one end.

The room is accessed via the drawing room which leads in turn to the rest of the main house, but it can also be accessed externally through French doors – and there are attached a bathroom and cloakroom which make it an ideal entertaining space.

Elsewhere on the ground floor there are three further reception rooms, a kitchen/breakfast room, with a cellar and utility room below.

The six bedrooms and four bathrooms are split across the first and second floors of the main house.

Within those huge grounds are a number of other buildings that include a two-bedroom cottage, a granary, a summer house, a barn and a series of garages and sheds.

Copcourt House is for sale via Savills at £5.25 million – see more pictures and details.

Credit: Strutt and Parker

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Credit: Strutt & Parker

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Credit: H Tiddy

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Cheshire - £2,850,000

A fully restored country house with land in a private, yet accessible location.

Delamere Lodge has been restored to an exacting standard with ancillary accommodation and land.

For sale with Jackson-Stops. See more pictures and details about this property.

Kent – £3,500,000

A beautifully presented Grade II listed Georgian property with later additions created. The highlight of the additions is the fantastic kitchen/dining room designed by the current owners.

The extension has been carefully planned to link up the original part of the property, creating another living space that is currently used as a relaxing sitting area with a wood burning stove.

For sale with Knight Frank. See more pictures and details about this property.

Cornwall – £2,950,000

An immaculate mini-estate with outstanding views, Lower Polgrain Farm is set in the centre of 90 acres and approached via a long private drive with spectacular views over the surrounding countryside.

The principal house has been tastefully and seamlessly extended to create a grand yet comfortable family home which has been designed to be thermally efficient and economical to run.

For sale with Knight Frank. See more pictures and details about this property.

Credit: Knight Frank

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From 1930s coal fire to Pink Floyd cover art, Battersea Power Station is a Grade II*-listed London icon. The original coal-fired power station was decommissioned in two stages, with the final trickle of electricity coming out of its wires in 1983.

Ever since then, its future has been a hot topic for Londoners – and there have been countless plans over the years, from turning it into a park to a shopping centre to – memorably for football fans – the suggestion that it could become the new stadium for Chelsea Football Club.

Most of those ideas never went far, but seven very serious schemes almost came to fruition, each time collapsing over some detail or other.

That finally came to an end in 2012 when a Malaysian consortium came up with a redevelopment plan. The area will eventually contain over 3,000 homes, with 400m of river frontage. The four chimneys and wash towers are all being retained, with 253 apartments in the power station itself.

The consortium bought the 42-acre site for £400 million in 2012; now, they it seems that after 30 years of back-and-forth, the site will end up going from wasteland to 'open for business' in a mere eight years.

Some of the regeneration has already happened. There are studios up to four-bedroom flats and penthouses and Circus West Village – where the first residents arrived at the start of 2017 – is already thriving, with shops, restaurants, a concert venue, The Battersea General Store, spinning classes at Boom Cycle and office space.

And there is more such development on the way. Apple has already signed up to base its headquarters there and the new Battersea Power Station Tube stop is set to open in 2020 as part of the Northern line extension which will travel from Kennington via Nine Elms.

Apartments in Phase 3, Electric Boulevard, have 997-year leases and benefit from a 24-hour concierge, a bar, a business centre, a screening room, a gym, a pool, a spa and roof gardens; construction is due to be completed in 202o.

See more pictures and details of the properties available at Battersea Power Station

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