Nick Ashley-Cooper was a 24-year-old DJ in New York when his brother, Anthony, came to visit for a holiday. During that trip, Anthony tragically died of a heart attack. It was the second tragedy to hit the family in the space of a few months: Nick and Anthony's father had been murdered the year before, though at the time of Anthony's death the father's body had only recently been found at the bottom of a ravine in the south of France.

This might seem an odd place to start a story about a Georgian townhouse for sale on one of the smartest streets in London, but there's a reason for going off on this tangent. Nick's father had been the 10th Earl of Shaftesbury; Anthony had become the 11th Earl; and thus, at the age of 26 and living 3,000 miles from the family seat, Nick suddenly found himself becoming the 12th Earl. Rather than turn his back on he jumped in with both feet: 'I took my inheritance incredibly seriously and wanted to do a good job,' he told Country Life back in 2013. 'I have a strong sense of family and I've grown up incredibly proud of what my ancestors have achieved.'

Lord Shaftesbury quickly earned the right to be proud of what he achieved himself. His inheritance centred around the dilapidated St Giles House in the Dorset village of Wimborne St Giles, whose restoration and salvation he led with remarkable focus, dedication and panache. Instead of attempting to turn the clock back, he and his team of architects and builders restored the house in a way that didn't resurrect the fabric of the place to its original condition, but instead celebrated the beauty of it as it was.

Thus the ancient portraits hang in rooms where the plaster has long since fallen away from the brickwork, where walls bear the marks from where long-broken mirrors once were, and where all that's left of the grand chandeliers are the wires that once held them from the ceilings.

The resulting work caused something of a sensation, winning pretty much every award going — among them the Georgian Group Award, the HHA/Sothebys Award and the RICS National Building Construction Award. It also inspired many other owners of period houses to do the same thing.

Today, it's not at all unusual to find homes where marks on the wall and cracks in the plaster are left untouched despite refurbishment work taking place, to keep the original character of a house. One such place, an art and antique dealer's home in New York which came up for sale in March, is particularly memorable.

That Manhattan home is probably the most extreme example we've ever seen — but the property at 61 Colebroke Row — a four-storey townhouse for sale at £3.5 million in a conservation area in Islington — runs it close. And it's sparked a huge debate in the Country Life office between those who have fallen head-over-heels in love with the place... and those who have done pretty much the opposite.

The house had lain derelict for many years before being bought in 2021 by the present owners, who've carried out a huge amount of work (the Google Streetview picture of what it used to look life from the outside gives a fair clue as to its condition).

The whole place has been gutted, rewired, re-fitted with top-end materials and expertise (including a Plain English kitchen and some incredibly smart bathroom suites).

There is underfloor heating beneath wonderfully-refurbished original floorboards, and even a 55-feet garden that's been designed by the great Dan Pearson.

That garden was apparently the starting point of the project, and Pearson based his layout around a beautiful old fig trees that had somehow survived years of neglect in this central London courtyard garden.

There's just over 2,000 square feet of space on off over the four storeys, with dining room and kitchen on the lower ground floor, and a reception room plus a study (or third bedroom) on the ground floor.

The two larger bedrooms each have a floor to themselves, and each has its own generously-sized bathroom. It is, in short, an ideal city pad in a much sought-after street where Boris Johnson lived while he was Mayor of London.

But as fascinating as the work that has been done is the work that hasn't been done. Some rooms have been plastered but left roughly unfinished, and several others have original timbers and walls that have been stripped right back but then left unpainted and unfinished.

Taking the stairs up from the ground floor, for example, the wall to one side of you is so blemished and scarred that it feels almost Dickensian.

We did also wonder something else: the shabby chic on display in the other examples in Wimborne St Giles and Manhattan contrast their intentionally-unfinished rooms with wall-to-wall art, from ancient portraits to modern pieces. The house on Colebrooke Row has sparse furnishings and almost nothing hanging on the walls.

That's not to say it isn't starkly beautiful. We doff our cap to the photographer Dan Glasser, whose pictures for estate agents Hemingway & K are breathtakingly beautiful, and could happily hang in a gallery. But there's no point ignoring the elephant in the room: some people might walk in and love the place, but an awful lot of others will wonder if the renovation budget ran out before the owners had a chance to go down to Farrow & Ball. It might be original and full of character, but what would it be like to live here on a cold night in February?

Rather than wonder, we put that question the way of the owners and agents, and while the work on the house is finished nobody has yet moved in: 'The house today is the result of a long and painstakingly detailed restoration, so, the house we are marketing has not been lived in,' says agent James Klonaris.

'The restoration was done by carefully chosen craftsman and in a manner that is befitting of the period,' adds Klonaris. 'This means lime plaster over lath and lime-wash finishes, the natural beauty of stripped wood stairs, rails, panels and architraves, and the mottled effect of hand-blown Georgian glass.'

As for the lack of decoration? 'Some would argue that it is a more modern trend or fashion to cake our homes in non-breathable paints,' James adds. 'There is undoubtedly an increasing consideration in home renovation around harmful volatile organic compounds found in many modern paints and composite materials.

'The design achieves a great balance of originality and comfort; exposing the layers of centuries and celebrating natural materials, but incorporating some wonderful contemporary punctuations.'

Though the house hasn't been lived in, Klonaris points out that the furniture and art that has been put in place has been done 'with fastidious attention to detail, to bring the spaces to life through carefully chosen pieces... They compliment shades and give light an intriguing canvas on which to fall. They also provide perspective so that the eye can gauge the spaces and volume....

'The owners have a wonderful art and furniture collections, and everything from antique to Mid-Century Modern and contemporary pieces have been chosen, really highlighting the versatility of this Georgian aesthetic.'

And then there's that garden. 'The garden was actually the first part of the project to be completed, the first element from which everything else followed,' Koldaris explains.

'It is indeed a rare thing to have such a large and quiet garden in this central part of Islington...

'The creation of the garden was like sculpting in reverse; forming spaces for people within and around the huge snaking limbs of the unruly, but glorious fig trees. That first step, to create usable outside spaces and give the house the outlook it deserves, gave the owner a huge amount of hope at the start of what was inevitably going to be an Odyssean journey.'

No 61 Colebrooke Row is for sale at £3.5 million through Hemingway+K — see more details.

For generations in Britain, moving to the countryside with a young family has been both a rite of passage and a mark of success. Outside observers find it curious and somewhat enviable. Several years ago, the Editor of Country Life was asked at the Japanese embassy in London to explain the very different attitudes the two countries had to rural living. While the Japanese flock to the cities of Tokyo and Osaka, they questioned why, in the UK, a move to the countryside is seen as aspirational. The answer was simple, he replied: both the countryside and the desire to live in it are in the nation’s DNA.

While the phenomenon continues, there is a subtle but noticeable shift in how families live in these houses. The changes are less a rejection of the historic English country house tradition and more a different perspective on what the house is expected to do. Today’s younger owners focus on preserving the property's character while gently bringing it into the 21st century and making it more suitable for family living.

Dispensing with drink coasters

Chief among these changes is a loosening of formality: today, the house is a home first and foremost, not a showpiece. While older generations maintained a distinction between formal rooms and private life, younger owners are much more likely to want the whole house to work around family life and informal entertaining. Today, a dining room doubles as a home office, no child (nor dog) is banned from the drawing room, cocktail bars are built into the joinery and fewer surfaces need drink coasters. Comfort and ease are key; decorating is less about statement-making and more about being welcoming.

Social spaces

Kitchens have borne witness to some of the most noticeable changes. Once a purely functional space, it has morphed into an all-in-one living, eating and relaxing room and the social hub of the home. While the fashion for vast open-plan spaces seems to have peaked, younger owners increasingly appreciate smaller dedicated rooms because each can have its own atmosphere and function. Life is busy and a sense of order and a place for everything is important. Into the list of desirables has moved a connection to the garden — or, even better, a kitchen garden.

Provenance and craftsmanship

Decoratively, there has been a move towards a more eclectic and personal style: one that feels immediately settled, even if things have been acquired recently. Moving away from being historically faithful to one period, a room might have a chair inherited from a grandmother, a painting bought on holiday or an antique found at auction, which all sit alongside a brand-new George Smith sofa. There is a clear desire to invest in interior architecture where modern joinery is made using traditional methods and craftsmanship. Colour and pattern are used in a bold, almost theatrical way (see Blythe Collinson).

An eye on energy

Sustainability is an important consideration: heat pumps, solar panels, electric charging points and good glazing — anything that will bring down the reliance on fossil fuels. While older generations might have been more concerned about preserving the building, the focus today is on respecting the architecture and reducing its environmental footprint. Estate agents routinely prepare documents detailing how much a house will cost to run; it’s a question nearly every buyer now asks. Energy prices have played a part. Heating a large and poorly insulated country house in the 1980s cost roughly £3,500 to £8,500 a year in today’s money; today the same house might cost tens of thousands.

Country Life panel discussion

These topics and many more will be the subject of a Country Life reader event taking place at Daylesford, near Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, on Friday, October 2. The panel will feature interior designer Nicole Salvesen, co-founder of Salvesen Graham; Cirencester-based architect Ross Sharpe of Yiangou; Edward Smith of family-run British stone specialists Artorius Faber; Greg Tirri of the construction firm RW Armstrong; and Andrew Petherwick of cabinet makers Guild Anderson, who are based in Tisbury, Wiltshire.

Moderated by Country Life’s interiors editor Giles Kime, the panellists will discuss their perceptions and views on how the country house is being reinvented for the 21st century. The event runs from 11 am to 2 pm in the Heritage Barn and includes lunch as well as an opportunity to seek advice from the experts.

To book, telephone 01608 692871 or visit the Reinventing the Country House event page on the Daylesford website.

Gloucestershire — £15 million

Foxcote Manor is pretty much as grand as the Cotswolds get. This historic, eight-bedroom house near Cheltenham is magnificent, and sits in almost 60 acres of rolling countryside.

For sale via Savills — see more details and pictures.

Leicestershire — £18 million

Leicestershire's answer to Versailles is Stapleford Park — and it's on the market right now. This Grade I-listed property is currently run as a hotel, with all the facilities you'd expect; there are also six cottages within the 54 acres.

For sale via Strutt & Parker — see more details and pictures.

Buckinghamshire — £3 million

Five bedrooms, seven reception rooms and 10 acres that include a pool, tennis court, paddock and stables — this 17th century rectory has it all.

For sale via Michael Graham — see more details and pictures.

Gloucestershire — £4 million

This Georgian home in the Cotswolds has been refurbished in utterly immaculate fashion. Five bedrooms, six bathrooms, a separate coach house and even a self-contained bothy are part of the deal.

For sale via Knight Frank — see more details and pictures.

Devon — £2.25 million

This 16th century farm comes with a couple of dozen acres, six cottages and some excellent equestrian facilities.

For sale via Stags — see more details and pictures.

Warwickshire — £6.5 million

Where do you start with a property like Upper Billesley House? It's grand, beautiful, charming, historic, and yet also somehow a cosy and very liveable home.

For sale via Knight Frank — see more details and pictures.

One year when I was at school, my English teacher set a summer homework task: to read The Go-Between, by LP Hartley.

I only remember two things about the book. The first was that as soon as we were given our dog-eared copies, we all set about 'improving' the cover to make the author's name become J.R. Hartley (if you know, you know). The second is the novel's opening line: 'The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.'

I never actually got beyond that line (one of the most famous openings in literature), but neither have I forgotten it — and I was reminded of it again today by reading that when the journalist and TV presenter Anne Robinson got her first proper job in journalism, by way of congratulation her mother sent her on her way to Fleet Street with a fur coat and a convertible MG. When I started in journalism four decades after Robinson, all I got from my mum were worried comments about what a precarious existence it would be, and how I should start driving a taxi at night and get some shifts pulling pints to tide me over when it inevitably all went wrong.

Well, Robinson's mother was spot on, because it was the start of a glittering career. While the budding reporter might have been gifted the car and the coat, everything else she earned for herself as she blazed a trail through a string of senior roles at newspapers including The Sunday Times and the Daily Mail before moving into television and becoming a household name. The latter era started with viewer-feedback show Points of View, moved on to consumer affairs show Watchdog, and finally, triumphantly, peaked with a long spell as the ultimate Bad Cop quiz show host on the BBC's show The Weakest Link. Caustic, rude, yet with a twinkle in her eye, Robinson became iconic in a role which she truly made her own, spawning dozens of international versions —, not least a highly-lucrative US edition featuring Robinson herself.

Throughout all that fame and fortune (which allowed her to buy a house in the Hamptons, among other places), she's called the Cotswolds home for 40 years. Now in her 80s, she is moving away, to a place overlooking Hyde Park that's close to her daughter. And that means her home in a village near Cirencester, Willamoor Barn, is now up for sale, with Butler Sherborn quoting £4.25 million.

The presenter bought Willamoor Barn 20 years ago after owning a couple of other properties in the area, and has done a huge amount to it — work, she says, that desperately needed doing. 'The inside, recently converted, was hideous,' she wrote of the place in a recent article in the Daily Telegraph. 'But its land and the views were breathtaking.'

Having bought the place soon after breaking up with her second husband, John Penrose, everything that's in Willamoor Barn now is Robinson's vision.

'Now I was on my own, without his eye or impeccable taste,' she continued in the piece. 'The barn was Grade-II listed, but I ripped out the tacky interior, installed several bathrooms, and filled it with my pictures and books. If you’ve got enough art and books, you don’t need an interior designer.'

The pictures speak for themselves: the ceilings are lofty and there are four reception rooms, seven bedrooms and six bathrooms.

Dating originally from the 1800s, the property and an adjoining cottage sit in the Coln Valley at Hatherop, with Cirencester only a short drive away.

The barn sits in 4½ acres of gardens and grounds — plenty of space to roam, relax and soak up the peace and beauty of this Cotswolds haven.

It is reached via secure gates, a driveway and ample parking for several cars.

Willamoor Barn is for sale through Butler Sherborn — see more pictures and details.

Sweden — £1.9 million

'Welcome to the Remarkable World of Concrete' reads the listing for this remarkable (and perhaps Lego-inspired?) home, which bravely shuns any sort of soft design touches, instead being a simple series of rectangular blocks. I suppose even an absence of design is a design choice? Anyhow, the critics see things differently, for the man responsible — Jonas Lindvall — has won awards for his architecture.

In any case, the setting more than makes up for the house's rather odd look: it's on a three-acre private peninsula 'surrounded by the shimmering waters of Lake Vittsjön and majestic beech forests', in the words of the agent.

For sale via Residence Fastighetsmäkleri Christie’s International Real Estate — see more details and pictures.

Italy — £1.65 million

Portofino, the Italian harbourside town nicknamed 'The Pearl of the World', is as pricey as it is beautiful. At this budget, in this corner of north-west Italy, you'll get a modest two-bedroom flat — but you will be at the very heart of a place that's been beloved by A-listers for decades.

For sale via Knight Frank — see more details and pictures.

South Africa — £1.9 million

On the sheltered Bantry Bay, and 'located on one of the most prestigious streets in Cape Town' according to the agents, this home has outstanding ocean views, three bedrooms, and a location right next to Clifton Beach and beneath the striking Lion's Head mountain.

For sale via Chas Everitt International Property Group — see more details and pictures.

St Lucia — £2 million

At the top end of the budget, but worth the extra, Colibri Cottage sits right on the beach on the south-west corner of St Lucia.

Six bedrooms, infinity pool, and perfect views of Petit Piton, the island's UNESCO World Heritage site.

For sale via Christie's International Real Estate Caribbean — see more details and pictures.

France — £1.7 million

We couldn't go without a chateau on this list — and this one is an 11-bedroom beauty, sitting atop a remote hilltop in the countryside near Toulouse.

Château de Marquein sits in just under 30 acres, has been entirely refurbished, and comes with a string of outbuildings, heated pool, a four-bedroom cottage and much more. Amazing value.

For sale via Poncet & Poncet Christie's International Real Estate — see more details and pictures.

The London commuter belt swells periodically and slims back down again, and needs adjusting on a semi-regular basis. Traditionally this has been linked to the property cycle. When the London property market gets too hot, homeowners sell up, cash in and take advantage of the huge value gap between the capital and the countryside.

Most recently the expansion of the commuter zone was due to a unforeseen disruption. During the pandemic and in the aftermath, commuters pushed the boundaries of travel time and distance to live in the most idyllic parts of the British coastline and countryside thinking that remote working was here to stay.

As working life reverted to more normal pre-covid patterns for many quick access to the office became a priority once again. However, some have managed to cling to a few days a week working-from-home and are therefore able to choose further flung locations from London.

This is the second in our ‘best villages’ series, based on research by Savills and Country Life. The first part looked at the super-commuter villages within an hour of London; this second instalment goes the other way, naming ten villages where you'll have to put up with a long commute of an hour and a half or more — but where you'll be glad you did.

Interestingly, speed and distance aren't directly linked here — and indeed the village on this list with the shortest commute is also the furthest away. Long Buckby, in the north of Northamptonshire, is on a fast line into the capital taking only 68 minutes. But would you consider it a commuter village? That part is up to you.

Notes on methodology: These villages have their own railway station, or one close by, with a direct service into London that goes during normal commuter hours. Season ticket prices are based on travel five days a week for a year. Average house price figures from Savills / Land Registry.

Long Buckby, Northamptonshire

• Average house price: £479,361
• Journey time: 68 minutes into London Euston
• Season ticket: £7,352

Long Buckby is not an obvious pick for commuters skipping over the home counties to move north. Many headed in this direction get distracted by the Notswolds (the villages on the Northamptonshire side of the Oxfordshire border) won over by an address close to the chi-chi Cotswolds AONB.

However, for value for money and a direct train service into London, buyers should keep going until they hit upon Long Buckby, on the other side of the M1 and to the northwest of Northampton. Rachel Johnston of Stacks describes it as 'a stealth commuter spot.

'It's a former shoe-making village,' Johnston adds, 'but feels more like a small, self-sufficient town with shops, a library, and pubs around the market square.'

Two-bedroom cottages start from around £217,000 to detached period houses from £600,000.

'For families and commuters, it provides an ideal balance between rural charm and convenience,' says Nick Rudge of Savills. Despite its remote feel, Long Buckby is only 10.7 miles to Northampton — and you can trim the journey time a bit by going from Rugby instead, though that means dealing with more traffic to get to the station, and busier trains.

Kemble, Gloucestershire

• Average house price: £584,966
• Journey time: 74 minutes into London Paddington
• Season ticket: £12,188

You might not think of Kemble as being the gold-plated epicentre of the Cotswolds. The Beckhams will not be your neighbours, and you won't have Soho Farmhouse on your doorstep. Yet you will have The King nearby — his place at Highgrove is just outside nearby Tetbury — and you'll enjoy living in a beautiful part of England that doesn't get hit by the tour buses you'll find at some of the more famous villages.

On top of that it's cheaper and more convenient, just four miles outside of Cirencester and with a direct train service into London. 'It offers buyers the best of both worlds,' says Sebastian Hipwood of Blue Book Agency.

'Buyers can enjoy excellent access to Cirencester, Tetbury and Malmesbury, strong schools and a genuine sense of village life — without the crowds or premium prices often associated with the north Cotswolds,' he adds.

'It's quieter, less touristy and represents better value while still offering everything people imagine when they picture Cotswolds living.'

Kemble — whose village church was the setting for the wedding of Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling in June 2026 — is dubbed the gateway to the south Cotswolds and close to the source of the Thames at Thames Head, and the 180 lakes of the Cotswolds Water Park. It has a school, a village hall and the Tavern pub. Three-bedroom cottage start from £750,000 and £1.5 million for a four-bedroom family home. Country piles will fetch around £2 million.

And on top of that, the station you'd be commuting from looks like something out of Thomas the Tank Engine. Wonderful.

Crowhurst, East Sussex

• Average house price: £442,240
• Journey time: 90 minutes into London Charing Cross
• Season ticket: £6,764

This village suits several different (rather niche) groups and its wide appeal is clear, the number of people using the train station has increased by 27 per cent since covid (according to the Savills research). History buffs will feel at home in 1066 country, just 10 minutes from Battle (home of the Battle of Hastings), and the Crowhurst Yew supposedly predates the Norman Conquest.

For nature lovers the village is surrounded by Sites of Special Scientific Interest (such as the Forewood RSPB reserve) while bleak geeks can enjoy a foreboding stormy sky from the shingle beach of Hastings (under five miles away). It is even closer to Bexhill-on-Sea where there is a burgeoning arts scene. Walkers can head out from Crowhurst on many routes to either the coast or inland to the High Weald.

The village itself has a recreational ground, a village hall and the Plough pub. The nearest primary school is in Battle. Four-bedroom houses start for around £600,000 in the village with larger country homes over the £1 million mark.

Kingston-on-Soar, Nottinghamshire

• Average house price: £246,848
• Journey time: 101 minutes into St Pancras International
• Season ticket: £12,612

Kingston-on-Soar is the closest village to the East Midlands Parkway railway hub, what was meant to be an important stop on the second phase of HS2 linking Birmingham to Manchester. Due to spiralling costs, the former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak scrapped the line beyond the West Midlands, and his successor Keir Starmer (so many PMs in so little time) did not reverse this decision.

However, Andy Burnham has pledged to complete this section, guaranteeing better connections for the villagers living on the Nottinghamshire-Leicestershire-Derbyshire border.

Kingston-upon-Soar is a small and pretty village with an ancient church at its heart and the Grade II-listed Kingston Hall (once home to Lord Belper — a big deal in this neck of the woods). It has now been converted into homes within 16 acres of parkland; one wing, now a four-bedroom house, is currently on the market at £548,000.

Further amenities can be found in neighbouring Kegworth – such as a post office, a shop, two restaurants, three pubs and a primary school. If you need more entertaining, it's just a 25-minute drive into Nottingham city centre.

Barnham, West Sussex

• Average house price: £378,061
• Journey time: 89 minutes into London Victoria and London Bridge
• Season ticket: £6,236

From the train station at Barnham, travellers can reach London Victorian, Brighton, Littlehampton, Chichester, Portsmouth and Southampton. It suits families with older teens who want independence and mobility. Barnham is five miles north of Bognor Regis and the south coast – although the best beaches in the area are 12 miles away at East and West Wittering. In between the two lies the coastal Pagham nature reserve and on the doorstep are other West Sussex gems, namely Goodwood Race Course and Chichester Harbour AONB.

Farmland and industrial glass-house agriculture surround the village. One landmark is the old flint and stone windmill (now a home) and the pub which was an 18th century farmhouse.

Despite its incredible surrounds Andrew Richardson of Jackson-Stops says Barnham is not a traditional, picture-postcard West Sussex village (he cites Rowlands Castle and Amberley instead) but it has plenty of selling (or buying) points. 'Barnham occupies an interesting position within West Sussex, offering buyers access to the coast, the South Downs and the surrounding countryside, with direct rail links to London. The area appeals to buyers who are seeking more space and better value for money than they might find elsewhere along the same railway line,' says Richardson.

Meldreth, Cambridgeshire

• Average house price: £448,696
• Journey time: 70 minutes into London Kings Cross
• Season ticket: £6,280

Commuters to London and Cambridge choose Meldreth. It is to the southwest of Cambridge on the road that runs to Letchworth Garden City. It is surrounded by notable beauty spots and day out locations, such as the National Trust's Wimpole Estate, Shepreth Wildlife Park, RSPB Fowlmere and the Melwood Nature Reserve. Richard Freshwater of Cheffins calls it a 'lovely, lowkey, rural village'.

Properties range from pretty, thatched cottages and barn conversions, to larger detached houses with price tags from sub £400,000 to £1.5 million and higher. 'Houses don't tend to sit on the market for very long as demand is high from London-based buyers or professionals from Cambridge. Another driver is the schools, the primary school has a good reputation, older children can jump onto the train to the secondary schools in Cambridge,' says Freshwater.

The smaller cottages tend to be bought by first time buyers working in Cambridge who can't pay central Cambridge prices, he continues. Although day-to-day amenities are in neighbouring Melbourn (residents can walk from one village to the other) there is a pub in Meldreth (the British Queen), a primary school and a village hall with community activities.

'Meldreth is one of south Cambridgeshire's quieter success stories — which attracts well-informed buyers who want excellent connectivity, genuine village character and relative good value. It is one for buyers who look beyond Cambridgeshire's most expensive commuter villages, it offers a balance between lifestyle and accessibility,' says Katie Neale of Harringtons.

Lenham, Kent

• Average house price: £417,300
• Journey time: 83 minutes into London Victoria
• Season ticket: £6,200

Lenham residents use Harrietsham railway station (listed further down this page) which is two miles away, although Lenham is the bigger of the duo by population. The village sits between Maidstone and Ashford (although closer to Maidstone and Leeds Castle) on the southern edge of the North Downs. It is a pretty market village with a square at its centre surrounded by Georgian homes, listed properties and period cottages with newer family-sized homes too.

New build, three-bedroom detached homes built by the developer Countryside are priced at just under £500,000 while there is a handsome, Georgian, semi-detached, three-bedroom house overlooking the square for £650,000 (Jackson-Stops). 'Buyers are typically drawn to the area by the balance between character and convenience, with the market made up largely of growing families looking to upsize, together with some older couples choosing to downsize while staying close to amenities,' says Alastair Hancock of Jackson-Stops.

'The village has a great atmosphere with independent shops and restaurants (the Sweetpea Bakery and the Dog & Bear Hotel), schools (the Lenham School is a state secondary and sixth form) and it is close to grammar schools in Maidstone and Ashford,' he adds.

Rowlands Castle, Hampshire

• Average house price: £631,929
• Journey time: 90 minutes into London Waterloo
• Season ticket: £6,176

Although Rowland's Castle is an hour and a half commute from London it has a city on the doorstep being just 2.9 miles from Havant, a suburb of Portsmouth. The peaceful village is however bordered by countryside — including some wonderful bluebell woods — and feels a world away from the urban sprawl of Pompey.

Rowland's Castle is named after a motte and bailey castle that dates back to the 1100s and was once a fortified hunting haunt of Henry II. It now lies in the grounds of a private house by the green in the centre of the village. There are three pubs, the Robin Hood, the Castle Inn and a harvester, and a village hall with a stage and an indoor badminton court. The rec is next to Rowland's golf course and the village is bordered to the south by Staunton Country Park and farm and close to Standstead Park stately home.

Beyond is the glorious West Sussex countryside, chocolate box villages of South Harting and Buriton and beauty spots such as Harting Down. Rowlands Castle is one of the more expensive villages on the list, with six-bedroom country houses costing more than £2,000,000 and four-bedroom cottages from £700,000.

Harrietsham, Kent

• Average house price: £417,300
• Journey time: 83 minutes into London Victoria
• Season ticket: £6,236

At the foot of the North Downs, and along the Pilgrims Way, Harrietsham, on the banks of the River Len, is steeped in history. In the hills above the village, archaeologists have uncovered evidence of the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, the Romans and the Saxons. At the centre of the village is a Grade I-listed Norman church and the railway station opened in 1884.

Visitors and walkers head up the hills from the villages to the Ringlestone Inn, originally a retreat for monks, with stories of highwaymen, smugglers and ghosts. Harrietsham has a primary school, a doctor's surgery, a parish church, a village hall, and a local store.

Edward Torry of Knight Frank calls it one of the most desirable villages in Kent with 'charming character cottages, period houses, substantial country houses and new build developments, making it appealing to a wide range of buyers.' This is golf country with a group of clubs nearby: Bearsted Golf Club, Ridge Golf Club, Weald of Kent Golf Course and Tudor Park Golf and Country Club.

Dorridge, West Midlands

• Average house price: £691,488
• Journey time: 102 minutes into London Marylebone
• Season ticket: £7,360

Dorridge is pricey for the Birmingham area. It is a village on the outskirts of the well-heeled Solihull that runs into neighbouring village Knowle. It has its own 'golden triangle' of roads close to the station, which has a direct service into Birmingham as well as London. There has been a shift west and northwest as those looking to relocate to the Cotswolds realise they can get far better value for money and yet still achieve a village lifestyle in Warwickshire and Worcestershire and now the West Midlands.

This is a village well-stocked with pubs and bars including the Scandinavian Skogen — serving cocktails and pizzas – and the Drum & Monkey. There is a well-trodden Sunday walk from Dorridge to the National Trust's Packwood House by country lanes (around 50 minutes).

It's always nice when a beautiful old country house has a lovely, original interior, with exposed beams, open fireplaces and the like. But, equally, it's always slightly thrilling — in a rather different way, of course — when a home comes on to the market whose centuries-old front door opens on to an interior that looks like the set of a glossy 1980s soap opera.

Today's house — Ripple Hall, near Tewkesbury, on the north-east extremity of the Cotswolds — is very much in the latter vein. It's for sale through Knight Frank at a nice, round-sounding £5 million. And it's the sort of house that makes you sit up a little bit straighter in your chair.

It's not actually that long since Grade II-listed Ripple Hall appeared in these pages. Back in December 2018 it came on to the market for the first time in 60 years, priced at £2.25 million for a home whose oldest parts date back to the 15th century, but which was remodelled in the 18th century into the exquisite Georgian country house that it is now.

Set in 13¼ acres of gardens, grounds and paddocks on the edge of picturesque Ripple village on the west Gloucestershire/Worcestershire border, it was offered for sale on behalf of Jean, Lady Huntington-Whiteley, widow of Sir Hugo Huntington-Whiteley (grand-son of former Prime Minister Sir Stanley Baldwin), whose home it had been for six decades.

It's changed hugely since then. The current owners have doubled-down on the recent trend for bright, light-filled interiors and uncluttered contemporary layouts, turning what was a smart but very traditional-looking home into a palace of clean, white, unsullied interiors.

Even the boot room is so white, bright and clean that it's hard to fathom how they get rid of the mud so comprehensively.

The changes are more than just cosmetic, though: the agents note that the present sellers have completed a meticulous programme of restoration and improvement, and have striven to preserve the house's architectural heritage and timeless character. Except that now the house has a gym, with a Coco Chanel yoga mat.

Significant investment has been made throughout, including major upgrades to the infrastructure and services. And did we mention the mirrored champagne bar?

Ripple Hall provides more than 11,000sq ft of light-filled accommodation on three floors, the entire interior a dreamy symphony of monochrome design, with the only touches of colour coming from the odd spots of gilt, and the occasional piece of furniture or artwork.

That said, upstairs some of the bedrooms and bathrooms (there are six of the former and four of the latter) have flashes of blue to liven things up.

The space on offer is enormous, with the main house having more than 11,000 square feet. The ground floor houses a welcoming reception hall, a gracious drawing room, a formal dining room, a library/study, a cinema, bar and well-designed kitchen/breakfast room that forms the heart of the house.

The bedroom accommodation is particularly impressive, comprising a vast principal bedroom suite, two further suites and a separate guest wing with two additional bedrooms and a family bathroom.

Further accommodation is available in an adjoining self-contained cottage and a large former coach house has planning consent for conversion to residential use.

Outside, the gardens and grounds have been thoughtfully landscaped to create a balance between formal gardens and open paddocks.

Leisure facilities include an outdoor swimming pool and a tennis court. Given the work that's been done here it's slightly surprising that they haven't also built a padel court, but perhaps that's a project for the new owners.

Ripple Hall is for sale through Knight Frank — see more details and pictures.

Where was it?

I rented a stone Cotswold cottage in the village of Notgrove, on a Gloucestershire estate between Bourton-on-the-Water and Northleach

A quick description

It had three bedrooms, a garden large enough for a badminton net and a defunct night storage heater in the kitchen. We were there from 1985–88.

What made you rent it?

I was dating a first-year Oxford student and, being eight years older, my strategy was to lure her out of university for weekends and pack the cottage with friends older than myself, so I appeared more age appropriate. It worked. Georgia and I have been married since 1989.

How did you find it?

I rented it from the parents of a friend. The Aclands were perfect landlords who owned the whole village and charged a peppercorn rent. In those pre-mobile, pre-wifi days, a red telephone box on the village green was used to organise social outings.

Any grumbling about the landlords?

Periodically, Liz Acland would ride past our front garden on her giant hunter and observe that Japanese knotweed was dimly visible between the flowers. I can’t recall doing much about it. Years later, they generously sold us their beautiful mahogany circular dining-room table for a small charity donation, and we have used it ever since at our house in Worcestershire.

Favourite aspect?

The walks — either across the fields to Turkdean in the hope of spotting rock legend Steve Winwood, who lived there, or to The Plough Inn in Cold Aston.

How did you make the cottage your own?

We arrived to find it fully furnished by our predecessors — every plate, pillowcase and log basket provided. When they eventually collected it, we got to know the antique shops and markets of Cirencester and Tetbury. Most of the mirrors and Turkish rugs we bought then are still with us 40 years later.

Why did you move?

The cottage had fulfilled its covert purpose and we became engaged in Calcutta and married in St George’s Hanover Square. We handed back the keys with the happiest of memories. Occasionally we take a detour through Notgrove and think: ‘That was cold but fun’.

Sir Nicholas Coleridge is Provost of Eton and chair of Historic Royal Palaces and The King’s Foundation. You can read his Consuming Passions interview with Lotte Brundle here.

This feature originally appeared in the September 2, 2026, print edition of Country Life. Click here for more information on how to subscribe.

It may be a well-worn cliché, but White Cottage truly is chocolate-box material. Even its location is like something from a storybook: the address is Peppercorn Walk, in the village of Holton le Clay.

Thatched, white walled and immaculate, this property — which is on the market through Fine & Country at £350,000 — dates back to the late 1600s, though it has seen plenty of alterations from 1800 onwards.

Exposed timbers proliferate, including in the spacious dining kitchen that forms the hub of the cottage — complete with its fire engine-red Rayburn.

in the adjoining sitting room there is also a sizeable inglenook fireplace.

Ground-floor living is possible, as what could be transformed into another reception room is currently furnished as a bedroom that has an adjoining bathroom.

The other two bedrooms have sloping ceilings and are on the first floor, tucked beneath the thatch — and thankfully there are no low ceilings to contend with, as if often the case with cottages of this vintage.

The mature gardens are a highlight, and very large given the size of the house. They run to about half an acre, with lawns, play areas, seating, and include a series of outbuildings that include a summer house and extensive storage.

The agent Jade Chapman describes the house as as if it’s part of a ‘fairy tale’. ‘This isn’t just a home; it’s a rare and beautiful piece of our heritage,’ she says, using adjectives such as ‘captivating’, ‘authentic’ and ‘timeless’ to describe the Grade II-listed home that is situated centrally in Holton-le-Clay.

The village itself is ancient, having been mentioned in the Domesday Book, but has been expanded greatly over the years with new housing, swelling the population to more than 3,500.

That growth has had an impact upon the character of the village, but on the other hand it's a big enough settlement to sustain shops, several pubs, a primary school, a cricket club and a thriving local community. The larger village of Waltham is just a few minutes away, while Grimsby is five miles away to the north.

If you need more to keep you entertained, the sandy beaches at Cleethorpes are less than 20 minutes away, as is the RSPB reserve at Tetney Marshes, and the charming landscape of the Lincolnshire Wolds is within easy reach.

White Cottage in Holton-le-Clay is for sale through Fine & Country — see more details.

For much of the early 19th century, the Channel Islands were considered key to Britain's security — and Alderney in particular. The northernmost of the islands, eight miles from France and 60 miles from the English coast, even Napoleon considered it the key to invasion. Forts and other fortifications were erected on the island — and elsewhere on the Channel Islands — in the mid-to-late 19th century by as part of Lord Palmerston's defence initiative, and among the most striking is Château à l'Etoc (or Château l'Etoc), on the very northern tip of the island.

L'Etoc's days as a fort are long behind it, though, and today it's up for sale as a magnificent coastal property, full of potential, with an asking price of £3.75 million through Harding Green.

The fort has a wonderful setting, atop a peninsula that juts out with the English Channel on three sides, and it caught the eye of man long before the 19th century: the site was a Neolithic burial ground dating from about 4,300BC.

Sadly, when the fort was constructed in the 1850s, sappers uncovered burial chambers, human remains and pottery, much of which was reportedly thrown over the ramparts into the sea.

Built with 23 guns and accommodation for 128 soldiers, it was inspected by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1854. By the 1930s, it seemed as if its days of strategic importance were long gone, and it was sold to Vera and Charles Kay-Mouat in 1935.

Sadly, the fort's military history didn't end there. During the Second World War, the occupying Germans came to Château l'Etoc and added gun emplacements, reinforced bunkers and searchlights to the site.

Thankfully, after the War, the house was returned to its current owners, who have kept it in the family ever since, and who have a lovely history of the place on their website. It's been used as everything from an event space to holiday flats, as reported in Country Life back in 1967.

The same Country Life article — which dealt with all the forts of Alderney — noted that l'Etoc's original 1850s fortifications 'were obsolete before they were even finished', and added that, 'the only scars that any of the stonework bears, apart from those of age, are the wounds caused by Germans, practising gun fire from their own heavily-functional island fortifications.'

After over 90 years in the Kay-Mouat family the property is now on the market, and it's full of potential. Selling agent Pollyanna Hunter of Harding & Green believes that Château L’Etoc offers significant potential for commercial use, such as corporate gatherings, weddings and cultural events. ‘Its scale, seclusion and authenticity make it a one-of-a-kind venue for those seeking to combine privacy, creativity and legacy,’ she says.

The fact that it's set amid some spectacular scenery — the blue seas, the craggy rocks, and the wide open spaces of Arch Beach, Corblets Beach and Saye Beach — must also make it appealing. Alderney might not be easy to get to

For those wondering if it's subject to the same 'local market' or 'open market' restrictions in place on Jersey or Guernsey, the answer is apparently that it is not. As part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, Alderney offers a similarly favourable fiscal environment, but without the restrictions on property purchases as is the case on those other islands.

Château L’Etoc is on the market for £3.75 million — see more details.

Gloucestershire — £2.65 million

Just a beautiful home in a beautiful place, this is a rare find: a Cotswolds farmhouse with six bedrooms, paddock, barn and eight acres of land that also has an edge-of-village location in Laverton.

Broadway, one of the most celebrated places in the Cotswolds, is just a couple of miles away.

For sale via Jackson-Stops — see more details and pictures.

Hertfordshire — £2.95 million

This former Dower House offers six bedroom and nearly 6,000 sq ft on the Grove Estate, home to the celebrated hotel, spa and golf course on the edge of London, and an easy commute.

It's a wonderful home, with summer house, cinema room, and two and a half acres of gardens that run down to the river.

For sale via Savills — see more details and pictures.

West Sussex — £5.95 million

Space to spread out in the 26.6 acres of this country home in a village not far from Horsham, with its outstanding access to London and the south coast.

Nine bedrooms, a pool, a lake and some wonderful outbuildings are all part of the appeal.

For sale via Strutt & Parker — see more details and pictures.

Berkshire — £2 million

Looking for a home for a big family? A very big family? This 12-bedroom home in Cookham Dean could be just the thing.

It's in need of some TLC, but the house is bursting with character — this is a wonderful opportunity.

For sale via Knight Frank — see more details and pictures.

Essex — £460,000

A dinky, thatched, 17th century cottage right on the village green in Chalgrove. Two bedrooms, a pleasant garden, and there's a pub, school and even an airfield (really) in walking distance.

For sale via Turner Properties via OnTheMarket — see more details and pictures.

Cheshire — £1.15 million

As handsome a townhouse as we've seen this year, with six bedrooms, four reception rooms and vast amounts of period charm.

The house dates to 1734, and sits near the centre of the town of Neston, on the southern side of the Wirral peninsula, easily accessible to Chester, yet despite its town location still has a large walled garden.

For sale via Jackson-Stops — see more details and pictures.

I love my neighbours. Both sides — they’re great. We’re very lucky. Most people are lucky: 90% of us get on fine (or better than fine) with our neighbours, according to a survey by Go.Gompare earlier this year.

Not everybody is quite so lucky. Some people end up dealing with loud music, passive-aggressive parking, or even 14-year legal battles involving fences and ornamental squirrels that run up hundreds of thousands of pounds in legal costs.

If you’re unfortunate enough to find yourself in a position where your neighbours are irking you, instead of enriching the legal profession and clogging up the courts, it might be better to find a place where your only neighbour is Mother Nature. And if that sounds good, then wow — do we ever have the place for you: Ardmore House, in Dunbartonshire, which is for sale through Strutt & Parker at offers over £635,000.

Those looking at that price tag from well-heeled suburbs where the cost of living is high — not least nearby Glasgow, where it would stretch only as far as a nice split-level flat — will be quietly staggered by what you can get for your money. Ardmore House sits in about 22 acres of land, which include the ruins of the 16th century Ardmore Tower, and surrounded by mature woodland just a stone's throw from the water.

The Ardmore in Dunbartonshire — not to be confused with the Ardmore in Ireland, or Ardmore Bay on the Isle of Skye — is actually its own little peninsula. While the property doesn't include the whole promontory, this is the only house here, with a ring of mature woodland sheltering the house from the gaze of the walkers and birdwatchers who come along this part of the Firth of Clyde.

Ardmore House itself dates to 1806, and is Category B-listed thanks to its age and somewhat unusual and rather striking architecture, with a central tower and crenellated parapets.

That tower on the front of the building forms part of the hallways on the ground and first floors, but is set up as a study on the second floor, offering glorious views of the surroundings. There are also two bedrooms on this floor, seemingly an ideal set-up for families with older children who need space to themselves and a place to study.

The remaining four bedrooms are all on the first floor, which is lit by a glorious circular cupola that crowns the entrance hall and sweeping staircase. Two of those bedrooms — one at either end of the house — are en-suite, while the other two have a bathroom and a separate cloakroom between them.

The ground has a similar layout, with the drawing room and kitchen-dining room both huge rooms placed on opposite sides of the house, with that grand hallway between them. There's also a library, a second kitchen and an artist's studio — the latter could be put to all sorts of uses.

Although a little updating here and there wouldn’t go amiss, Ardmore House currently combines ‘period proportions with contemporary artistic flair,’ according to the agent.

Beyond the 5,000 square feet of the main house you'll also find a number of outbuildings, including an early 19th-century observatory tower (which is a ruin) and a handsome stable block. There's also a lake, created by the current owners.

Situated on the northern shore of the Firth of Clyde on the accessible Ardmore Peninsula, between Cardross and Helensburgh, the views over the Firth of Clyde and north to the Arrochar Hills and Western Argyll are glorious. It's just a few minutes from Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, and you can jump in the car and be in Glasgow in about three quarters of an hour.

Ardmore House is for sale through Strutt & Parker — see more details.

'Châteaux owners don’t need to sell, and buyers don’t have to buy,' French property expert Stewart Cook told Country Life back in 2008. Stewart was speaking in generalities, but the point stands even today.

Bruno de Saint-Exupery, also quoted in the article and still in the business all these years later, made a similar point, adding that buying a chateau 'is about the fulfillment of dreams.

'It’s often influenced by intuition, different way of life, dreams, or even emotions,' he continued. 'A place to escape, lay back and enjoy the peaceful way of life of the French countryside.'

If it's a classic, dreamy château you're after, they don't come much more classic or dreamy — or châteauy, for that matter — than the wonderful Château de Domblans, for sale through Arriere-Cour and Belles Demeures at €1.3 million (£1.12 million).

It's an absolute picture book of a place, so entirely on-the-nose for a medieval castle, that you can almost imagine some warrior king of centuries gone by riding in to the place at the head of his retinue. And if you did imagine such a thing, you'd be closer to the truth that you could realise: the Bourbon King Henry IV apparently stayed here in 1595 while on his epic (and successful) quest to reunite and bring peace to France.

Even by Henry's time, Château de Domblans was old. A fortified manor is thought to have stood here since the 12th century, but the present building dates to 1446, when the whole place was substantially rebuilt following damage caused during the Hundred Years' War.

The intervening years saw the place go through all manner of ups and downs. It was bought, restored, sold, restored and changed down the centuries until, in the late 20th century, a nightclub called Le Babylone was opened on the premises.

Le Babylone was apparently quite a hit, since when it was forced to close in 2012 the local press lamented the death of 'one of the most famous nightclubs in Franche-Comté... the biggest, the wildest, and for a long time the most frequented.'

What we wouldn't give to see what Henry IV would have made of people dancing to 1990s techno in the halls where he once planned his next move in the Wars of Religion. And if we were able to resurrect Henry, we'd be able to show him this video and this Facebbook post to help him make up his mind.

Château de Domblans has been a private home since Le Babylone closed, and it's huge: there's around 9,500 square feet of floorspace, and over 17 acres of grounds — quite a chunk considering it's located on the edge of the town.

The character of the place is everywhere you look, with the ancient stonework and beams left exposed in many of the rooms to make the most of the atmosphere.

The agents note that there are seven bedrooms and 15 habitable rooms, with the house working well 'for family life or entertaining... the whole retains a warm, almost timeless atmosphere, where every detail contributes to a sense of belonging and continuity'.

Beyond the main castle itself, as you'll see in the pictures, a plethora of newer buildings have gone up over the centuries, including a barn, orangery, workshops and even a former stables, which could presumably be refurbished and returned to operation should you so desire.

There's also a series of cellars beneath the castle itself, which aren't pictured in the agent's details, which leaves us free to imagine turning them into a cinema room, wine storage, or anything else which takes your fancy.

Château de Domblans is for sale at €1.3 million — see more details.

Up on the Moray coast stands Innes House, proud as punch, since 1913 the headquarters of the Tennant family — and gladly so. But in today’s world, Innes must pull its weight; too big, today, reckoned its custodian Edward Tennant for his family of four, he had a choice to make. He could have mothballed Innes, covered it over and hoped for the best — but instead he has turned it into a short-stay venue, and instructed it to sing for its supper. ‘We look at it as a business asset that needs to sweat.’

Time was when such a pursuit might have been frowned upon. Indeed, time was when houses were just closed up when, for whatever reason, not in use. It’s not that mothballing no longer happens, says Crispin Holborow, director of the private office at Savills, it’s just that it’s no longer the only option. As we are speaking, the sale is soon to complete on a major country house in England. Its new owners, says Holborow, ‘are buying the property with as much furniture as they can. Although they don’t need to, they will let it out for short stays every now and again because they’re only going to be there every so often.’

This approach to managing big houses is on the up, he says. ‘The sort of people that I’m coming across now have moved abroad for whatever reason and don’t want to sell — they say, “it’s crazy not to use the house.”’ And so here we are, at a point where mothballing is falling out of fashion. Out have gone the dust sheets, and in have come luxury short-term rentals — where simply nothing is too much trouble. ‘If the money is right, which nowadays it is, then why would you not think about having some light touch rentals every once in a while,’ asks Holborow, perfectly reasonably.

The allure of the short-term let over the lock, stock and barrel shutting up of a country house is considerable, even for the super-rich, says Lindsay Cuthill, founder of the Blue Book Agency. ‘People do the maths and see that this three-week or month-long rental will pay the gardener and the oil bills for the next year, and frankly however rich they are, that’s a no-brainer.’ Even hustlers must hustle. ‘In the times we’re in, people look at what they’ve got and think how can they make some extra income from it,’ says Katherine Watters, partner at The Buying Solution. That extra can be very significant; one house in Sussex, she says, goes for £100,000 a week, fully staffed. ‘I know somebody took it for July, for the month — a family over for the polo season.’

After all, if you’re away, why not capitalise on it — and have your guests do some of the crucial maintenance for you? Having people at Innes, Tennant says, is a great help. ‘Just having people in the house pushing air around it keeps the damp away and the plumbing is being used so it’s not sitting there freezing. We find out about problems early on.’ Of course, this doesn’t work for every house. ‘If you live in a crumbling wreck which is fine for you and every time the heating turns on the house vibrates because everything’s starting up then actually, you don’t have that option,’ Holborow says. ‘People want a certain level of condition.’ And they’ll pay for it, he adds. ‘Nowadays the wealthy get bored going to the same hotel [again and again]. There’s only a certain amount of places they would want to go and stay, but to go and stay in a beautiful house, which is new and interesting, that’s really exciting to them.’

It’s not all bad news for dust sheet suppliers — there remain those with more than a foot in the old world, those ‘double-handed’ country house owners with properties around the British isles, who close one up to visit another. Sir Charlie Gladstone, 8th Baronet divides his time between Glen Dye in Aberdeenshire and Hawarden Castle in Flintshire and has perfected the balance.

The key, he says, is to have ‘brilliant people to take care of everything when we are away — from dealing with alarms that go off by mistake to keeping things dust free and making them ready for my return. We have exceptional and hard-working people on both estates whose principal job is security and caretaking and they do all of the above and more when I’m away.’ He has, he adds, ‘tried to create a system where I can walk into and out of each house without any effort. It makes it all doable and it works really well.’

The team is critical, of course — as not only the Gladstones know. From Alnwick Castle, the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland decamp to the Borders in the summer when it gets too busy, leaving their ancient castle in the hands of armies of robot lawnmowers and gilet-clad staff members. The duke’s cousin Richard Scott, 10th Duke of Buccleuch moves between not just Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfriesshire and Bowhill in the Borders, but Boughton House in Northamptonshire too — he is ‘a nomad with some very substantial tents,’ as he puts it.

His trio of houses seems a lot today, but pales in significance when compared to the lot of his great-great-great-grandfather the 5th Duke who had 12 principal homes, aptly described by Lord Ernest Hamilton as ‘an embarrassing accumulation’. This meant a lot of moving around — and, as Lord Ernest described in his memoirs, most of these ‘were so kept up as to be ready for occupation by their owner at any moment.’ Mothballing then, even on the most extraordinary of estates, went only up to a point.

For Sir Charlie, ‘I always feel that a house is waiting for you to return from the moment you leave it.’ But there are some upsides. ‘I hate leaving both Glen Dye and Hawarden, but equally I love arriving at both — a Champagne problem with a Champagne consolation.’ And not a dust sheet in sight.

Heirs and Graces: A History of the Modern British Aristocracy by Eleanor Doughty is published by Hutchinson

In the long distant days of July 2025, we posed a question: is it madness to buy a house simply because you love the staircase?

The examples we gave did a pretty decent job of providing an answer (go ahead and take a look — you know you want to), but a year down the line a house has come to the market that prompts a new question. Is it madness to buy a house simply because you love the bathroom?

If you even got as far as clicking on this article in the first place, you're probably already inclined to say 'yes!' — and the good news for you is that the rest of No. 2 Gads Hill is just as beautiful as the bathroom.

The even better news is that this a four-bedroom, detached house with over 3,750 square feet of space and just under half an acre of grounds on sale for just £750,000.

If you're keen to pass your time bathing in a cast-iron bath next to an artwork, the house you'll be doing it in is a Victorian home in a wonderfully private, wooded spot above the historic market town of Halifax.

The floral wallpaper is as colourful as the history of this house, which was built in 1882 by local entrepreneur Wilkinson Pickles, a fan of Charles Dickens. Pickles was so enamoured that he even named his own house after the famous author’s home in Kent.

No. 2’s Yorkshire stone exterior provides shelter to an interior that still retains a Victorian look and feel, in part thanks to its decorative plasterwork, stained-glass windows and six fireplaces.

There is even a former servant’s kitchen and historic bell system for an authentic trip back through time.

It's not just the bathrooms that are visusally striking, with the decor and colour scheme throughout the house often drawing on bold tones and floral patterns — the master bedroom in particular is utterly glorious.

The two reception rooms have impressively lofty 10ft ceilings, with the dining room currently containing a table that seats 20. Who would ever forget formal suppers here?

Besides the arty bathroom, the main one boasts deep green glazed tiles, patterned wallpaper and a walk-in rainfall shower.

And while you're wandering through the house to and from these beautiful spaces, you need not fear getting too close to the windows: privacy is guaranteed thanks to a ring of mature trees that envelop No. 2, Gads Hill’s half an acre of established gardens. As well as mature trees, lawn areas, terraces and formal planting areas, you'll also find a chicken coop, a brick-built outdoor pizza oven and and summer house with its own bar and electricity, used as a superb all-weather entertaining space.

No. 2 Gads Hill is for sale through Finest at £750,000 — see more details.

Where is it?

In Cirencester. My first, my only and my last house in the country. We have tried to sell it, but it didn’t want us to and it’s now raising the standard for multi-generational living. There are two independent units, one for myself and [my wife] Jackie and one for [my daughter] Hermione and her family.

We’ve also built a house out of a garage block for my other daughter Cecile and her family. We’re all on the same courtyard — rather like a Birmingham back-to-back.

A quick description.

It’s an eyecatching, Grade II-listed farmhouse on the edge of a village that’s sited at the slummy end of the Cotswolds, close to the King and the late Jilly Cooper rather than the Beckhams. If I sat on my roof I could probably see Swindon.

The house has a reputation for being haunted, although I’ve never seen anything. Perhaps they’re star-struck or freaked out by the wallpaper and so they have decamped to an abandoned nunnery.

It was pretty affordable at £1.2 million, but having been used as an antique dealer’s den it originally had no kitchen. We stripped it right back and because we had a great rapport with our planners it all went rather well. People always go in fighting, but the secret is to talk to them.

How did you find it?

Twenty years ago when we were living in Greenwich, Jackie decided that there was something rather vulgar about living in London in your 40s, and so we decided to make a run for it. We saw it advertised in Country Life. There was no shopping around. Jackie viewed just this house and she rang me while I was filming in India, saying: ‘I really like it. Shall I buy it?’ You can watch the entire moment on YouTube as I had a camera crew with me.

What sold it to her?

It ticked a lot of our boxes; for example, it had a cottage for Jackie’s PA, it was a project, the garden was nudging a couple of acres, it was on the way to our cottage in Cornwall, and it was near a station — Kemble, the poshest in the world.

Was it a smooth purchase?

We were more or less cash buyers, nobody lived there, and so it was pretty straightforward, which is just as well as we had a camera crew following our buying journey. They were, however, rather disappointed as they like ‘jeopardy’.

What do you love about the area?

Its people. When I told a producer that we were moving to Gloucestershire, he said: ‘Why are you moving to the poshest county; they hate telly folk,’ but they really didn’t and it was lovely. One neighbour was a little disappointed as he had been looking forward to meeting Bullseye’s Jim Bowen. On the school run you bump into your planner, or the Earl or the Amazon delivery man.

We also love our multi-generational living, which grew out of lockdown and which makes us amazingly happy. Until the 20th century, this is exactly what everyone had been doing for thousands of years, so the 20th century was wrong and I’m so pleased it’s gone. Let’s not do anything like that again.

Favourite aspect of the house?

It’s basically L-shaped and Jackie and I live in the older bit and Hermoine’s crew have the Grand Designs extension that was put on by the 1640s equivalent of Kevin McCloud. The refurbishment in the 1980s to turn it into an emporium meant that they raised the ceilings, meaning some really weird window placements. I adore our drawing room and as part of its refurbishment I went out of my way to make it as 1980s as I could. It is now shades of salmon and apricot, and there’s a large, unrepentant pattern going on.

I remember describing all this to Jilly Cooper, who was laughing like only she could laugh, and it’s a great sadness to me that she died before she got to see our Jilly-inspired Rivals-esque drawing room. It is a complete antidote to the Cotswolds cliché of puritanical minimalism and shades of greige, with a couple of bits of very, very uncomfortable modern furniture and a pitchfork in the corner.

Best memory of living there?

I can’t commit to one as the memories keep coming. This is the longest we’ve ever lived anywhere, so this house has been all about children going away to boarding school, university and film school, children coming home, then returning with husbands, getting married and grandchildren being born.

This house is a repository of us. You need to see your home as the museum of you and the background to everything important that ever happens to you. It’s a big emotional investment. Don’t treat it lightly and think, ‘I’ll find something better and make a couple of quid’.

Actually, there’s so much more to it than that. We have now moved away from that Noughties obsession when we all had to be Sarah Beeny and we worshipped Kirstie and Phil as minor deities. Property is a very irritating way of making money, and it’s a bad way of making happiness. Find somewhere you love — and love it. The more you put into it and the more you do to it, think about it, redecorate it, the more you make it you and the more powerful and supportive it becomes.

Biggest indulgence?

The biggest psychological indulgence was laying a vinyl floor in the kitchen to my own design. It doesn’t take any prisoners; it is orange and lime green and it’s a festival of 1970s Spanish-inspired tile motifs. To make it worse, I covered the large fridge in the same pattern. It’s inescapable, but I think this is one of the reasons the house is enjoying having us. It loves our larger-than-lifeness.

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is an artist, interior designer and TV personality. He helped to set up the Llewelyn-Bowen Emporium, 42 Castle Street, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, which is now run by his daughter Cecile. He is also the design curator for Rangeford Villages luxury retirement villages.

A shorter version of this feature appeared in the print edition of Country Life on September 9, 2026. Click here for more information on how to subscribe.

'An actor who knows his business ought to be able to make the London telephone directory sound enthralling.' So said Sir Donald Sinden, the late British actor renowned for his distinctive voice, commanding stage presence and remarkable versatility. That voice was his greatest treasure, honed by a training exercise as a young actor in which he tested his lungs by making sure he could be heard while bellowing from a quarter of a mile away across the South Downs. The result is a voice that his one-time co-star Judi Dench described as 'a Christmas pudding of a voice, soaked in brandy.'

Sinden — whose home is currently up for sale — reportedly fell into acting by chance during the Second World War, stepping into his cousin’s role in an amateur production. Before long, he was appearing in films in the 1950s alongside some of the era’s biggest stars. His credits included The Cruel Sea with Jack Hawkins, Mogambo with Clark Gable, Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly, and Doctor in the House and Doctor at Large with Dirk Bogarde.

Sinden became a household name after the stellar start to his career, but raised his domestic profile still further in the 1970s and 1980s as he starred in the popular sitcoms Two’s Company and Never the Twain. In later years, he again became a familiar face on the small screen with his role in the legal drama, Judge John Deed.

The screen might have brought the great fame but Sinden was happiest treading the boards, note least performing Shakespeare with the RSC. He sunk his teeth into a myriad of high-profile roles over the years, from the Duke of York in The Wars of the Roses and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, to King Lear, Malvolio in Twelfth Night, and Othello. For all that he still believed that comedy and farce are harder to do than tragedy. 'Any old fool can play Hamlet,' he once said, 'but to succeed in farce is the highest accolade you can hope for.'

His passion for theatre even extended to the props. According to the Guardian, Donald would regularly appear on stage with a treasured theatrical item: Henry Irving’s boots, Fred Terry’s eyeglass or John Martin Harvey’s hat apparently all found their way into his own props department.

He worked continuously — he claims to have only had five weeks of unemployment in 60 years — and earned a knighthood in 1997.

And throughout almost his entire career, there was once constant: the countryside idyll where he lived, a place with the unlikely name of Rat’s Castle, near Tenterden in Kent, which is for sale for £1,000,000 via Harding Green.

Despite its title, Rat’s Castle is very much a house — albeit one with a rather extraordinary history, given that this is a man who rubbed shoulders with Dirk Bogarde and Richard Burton, and who counted Dench, Penelope Keith, and Ronnie Corbett.

The house is being sold reluctantly, with Sinden's granddaughter, Harriet, having put it on the market. It's a place that holds many happy memories of the Christmas, Easter and summer holidays she spent there as a child – and more recent times too. 'The Easter egg hunts in the garden were epic,' she says. 'We have this huge hedgerow maze so the Easter bunny did very well hiding all the eggs there. And what’s nice is we’ve continued that with our kids as well.'

The house has clearly had something of a makeover since Sinden's days at Rat’s Castle. This is no theatrical time warp. The period features are still very much there — exposed beams and lovely fireplaces. But the interiors are light, bright and modern.

The kitchen and two reception rooms are the heart of the home. The walls are lined with bookshelves built by Sinden to accommodate his book collection. 'There’s a bookshelf over the doors looking out over the terrace from the dining room that fits Shakespeare scripts — tiny ones — perfectly,' says Harriet.

She fondly remembers the family sitting around the dining room table doing crosswords together. 'Being the youngest grandchild at the time, and living in a family of actors, trying to get a word in edgeways, was not the easiest thing,' she laughs.

Also on the ground floor are two bedrooms, a bathroom and a loo. Upstairs, there are three further bedrooms, each with their own bathroom.

Outside, there’s a garden house which Harriet and her family used to call the rabbit hutch. It was, she says, Sinden's man cave which was full of his theatrical memorabilia.

It’s still put to good use and 'provides exceptional additional space, featuring a fully equipped games room, workspace, and flexible accommodation for guests', according to Harding Green.

The garden itself is quite the oasis, featuring a hot tub and far-reaching views of the surrounding countryside.

'He put a lot of effort into the garden for my grandmother because she had great aspirations of matching Sissinghurst Castle Garden,' says Harriet. 'They actually planted the yew hedge. He admired his work of cutting the edges very straight.'

Natasha Moore, of Harding Green, says: 'What makes Rat’s Castle so remarkable is not simply its beauty, but the sense of history and creative spirit woven into its fabric.

'Once the home of the celebrated actor Sir Donald Sinden, and distinguished by its coveted blue plaque, it has welcomed generations of family, friends, and fascinating guests, yet it remains wonderfully warm, welcoming, and unpretentious.

'Its wisteria-clad façade, elegant interiors, and breathtaking views across the Isle of Oxney are the epitome of idyllic English country life, while the generous accommodation, enchanting gardens, and versatile garden house make it exceptionally liveable.'

Rat’s Castle is for sale at £1,000,000 via Harding Green - see more details.

The summer might have been hot and sunny, but there was a definite gloom in the property market analyses that emanated from Britain's top estate agents over the last few months.

'The summer slowdown deepens' wrote Knight Frank's Liam Bailey at the end of July, while the research team at Savills lamented that 'levels of supply remain high and sales are slow', pointing to Zoopla figures that show three-fifths of houses put on the market in 2026 so far remain unsold.

Ongoing wars, rising mortgage rates, an uncertain economy and political change all feed in to this wider picture, but Strutt & Parker's Matthew Henderson explained the impasse succinctly. The prime property market, he wrote in his summer review, 'continues to suffer from either buyers or sellers differing market views,' explaining that sellers remain convinced that prices should be rising, while buyers are just as certain that a 'correction in values' is imminent. 'This has led to slow moving markets across the country where it takes an ever-increasing time to agree a price and complete a transaction.'

Every so often, though, a house comes up for sale which throws all those reports on their heads — and the Red House in Godalming, for sale through Knight Frank at £1.35 million, is the perfect example.

Julie Harding covered the launch in the print edition of Country Life last Wednesday, but by the time the September 2 issue hit the newsstands, the Red House was sold (the issue in question, incidentally, is absolutely superb and full of timely things about the Norman influence on Britain).

A cursory look at the listing — designed by by Sir Edwin Lutyens, 12 bedrooms, almost 7,000 sq ft of space plus a leafy, secluded plot in a sought-after part of the Home Counties — might make you think 'well, of course it did', but as you'll see from the pictures here, this is a house that hit the market with some caveats to do with its condition. There is work to be done.

The Victorian Society describes the Red House as an ‘early and seminal house’ by Lutyens, which has both a Grade II*-listing and a reputation as being one of the most inventive domestic works of one of Britain's finest architects.

It was built in 1897–99 for the Revd Henry James Evans, a retired housemaster and honorary chaplain of nearby Charterhouse School (the house looks over the school's site).

Constructed in red brick with dramatic chimney stacks, it stands on a steeply sloping hillside with a garden of just under an acre, the design of which was influenced by Gertrude Jekyll.

Having been in the hands of the current owners since 1975, and (according to Tim Harriss of Knight Frank), was reroofed, replumbed and rewired in 1991/1992 with a grant from English Heritage.

There are beautiful original fireplaces, joinery and windows, and a wonderful Arts-and-Crafts grace and beauty to the architecture and interiors. That said, you'll also see stained and peeling walls and ceilings, and plenty of higgledy-piggledy bits here and there that feel like they might need attention. This is not a house for somebody expecting slick perfection. But it is a house for somebody who loves period charm.

Outside, there's also a lot to love. The gardens, set into the hill and amid mature trees, are not listed as designed by the great Gertrude Jekyll, whose house at Munstead Wood is just outside Godalming, but they are certainly influenced by her, with their series of terraces, pathways and charming planting to create a succession of 'garden rooms'.

All that considered, and added to the fact that at this price in this postcode you'd normally be shopping for a four-bedroom new build home, it's hardly surprising that the Red House sold so quickly. We wish the new owners well, and can't wait to see what they do with the place.

See The Red House in Godalming at Knight Frank's website.

Hampshire — £18,000,000

Undoubtedly one of the grandest estates for sale in the Home Counties at the moment, this is a grand country house in 151 acres that comes with everything from tennis court and walled garden to its own bluebell wood.

For sale via Savills — see more details and pictures.

Kent — £5,250,000

Just half a mile from the middle of Tunbridge Wells, this elegant mansion of more than 8,600 sq ft is immaculately refurbished, and offers a complete blank canvas for its new owners.

For sale via Knight Frank — see more details and pictures.

Buckinghamshire — £1,700,000

An Art Deco home set amid 21 acres of countryside, with wonderful equestrian facilities.

For sale via Michael Graham — see more details and pictures.

Hampshire — £5,750,000

A modern country house — completed only last year — on a breathtaking hilltop within the South Downs.

This is modern living in an ancient landscape, and while it's not traditional, it is beguiling.

For sale via Strutt & Parker — see more details and pictures.

Wiltshire — £2,500,000

A rare combination of thatched charm and hugely spacious family home, this remarkable seven-bedroom property has delightful gardens, stables and a pool.

For sale via Strutt & Parker — see more details and pictures.

A few days ago I took a look at Ripley Grange, a 20th century home that is a perfect reproduction of a grand Tudor country house. Today, it's the real thing: the exquisite, Grade II*-listed Old Cloth Hall in Cranbrook, Kent, which is for sale through Will Peppitt of Savills for 'offers over £2.5 million'.

As its name suggests, the magnificent timber-frame building, clad in red brick, was originally built in the 15th century as a cloth hall, reflecting the Wealden town’s once-thriving broadcloth industry. So prosperous was it, in fact, that Elizabeth I is believed to have stayed here during her tour of Kent.

Following the decline of the wool trade, the building was converted to a house in the 16th century, with a later 17th-century wing added, as well as some 18th-century cladding, before it was restored and extended in the early 20th century.

Old Cloth Hall as it stands today is an enchanting country house set in more than five acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and paddocks.

The house has been lovingly maintained by its dedicated owners, Julian and Jane Newyss, who moved there six years ago after selling their family home of 35 years in the Cotswolds. They now plan to retire to a smaller house in Devon.

They leave behind a country house of rare distinction, which offers more than 6,000 square feet of characterful living space on three floors, with a wealth of fine architectural features, including leaded-light windows, exposed beams, grand fireplaces, parquet flooring, oak panelling and, unusually for a house of its age, remarkably high ceilings.

Old Cloth Hall's accommodation includes an entrance hall, three principal reception rooms, a garden room/snug, study, kitchen/breakfast room, utility and cellar.

There's also a temperature-controlled wine room, a gym/studio, a pump room and laundry room. Above, you'll find three bedroom suites, two further bedrooms and two bath/shower rooms.

Amenities include a one-bedroom annexe, an attached triple garage, and sporty types will be delighted to hear that there is a swimming pool and pool house, a stable block with three stables, a barn, tack room, and all-weather arena.

As well as its royal connection, Old Cloth Hall has had several high-profile owners, including Bernard Rubin of the famed ‘Bentley Boys’ motor-racing team, the first Australian to win the Le Mans 24-hour race in 1928 — a feat he achieved despite his car being badly damaged in a crash. Rubin bought Old Cloth Hall in 1935, following its appearance in Country Life.

It was also home to Enzo Plazzotta, the Italian-born sculptor who spent his working life in London and is best remembered for his studies of movement in bronze, many of which adorn London’s streets.

Old Cloth Hall is for sale through Savills — see more details and picture.

Founding Father Thomas Jefferson’s childhood home in Virginia is on the market with Frank Hardy and Sotheby’s International Realty. The five-bedroom home — which comes with 557 acres, including agricultural land and equestrian facilities — will set you back $17 million (about £12 million).

As well as serious historical significance, the estate comes with formal gardens, a series of outbuildings and an original, one-room schoolhouse — perhaps for the private tutoring of future presidents, if you have ambitious offspring.

This is where America’s third president, who was also an architect, was educated, and where he first encountered a classically domed ceiling. Jefferson (1743-1826), who went on to become the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, lived here from 1745 to 1752, during which time his father managed the estate.

The unique H-frame house was constructed by William Randolph III (1712-45) — whose first cousin was Jane Randolph Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson’s mother — in two stages. A lot of its original architecture remains, including full-height walnut wall panelling and period windows.

Available for sale for the first time in almost a century, Tuckahoe’s new owners will need to make peace with the darker side of its history — it operated mainly as a tobacco plantation and relied heavily on enslaved labour.

One of the most complete early 18th-century plantation layouts in North America, largely unchanged for generations, and a crucial window into an exploitative and complicated part of America’s history, Tuckahoe, which sits alongside the James River, is a designated National History Landmark.

Tuckahoe is for sale at $17 million through Frank Hardy Sotheby's International Realty — see more details and pictures.

As we unloaded the final box, there was an enormous ‘and... breathe’ moment. For the first time in months, I felt as though I could catch my breath. All the noise of London had disappeared — the stress, the panic, the constant feeling that I needed to be somewhere. Suddenly, I had time. I had nowhere to be; I could simply be.

From that very first day, I knew this was going to be the best decision we had ever made. It wasn't just going to change our lives — it was going to shape our children's lives too.

I had completely underestimated how much surrounding yourself with nature could improve your wellbeing. It has an extraordinary ability to heal, calm and ground you, while somehow giving you more energy.

I thought I would still long to be back in London — for lunches, dinners and drinks — but even a year later, I have no desire to go back. I still nip in and out when I need to, but I always want to come home.

There is something magical about that in-between stage of moving. Everything feels new and full of possibility. It's a little like the beginning of a relationship, when everything is exciting and you can't wait to discover what's next.

We arrived during the most idyllic summer. One memory, in particular, will stay with me forever: the girls collecting blackberries with their dolls tucked into prams beside them, while our son raced around on his bike, pursued by our two furry companions. It was one of those ordinary moments that somehow captures everything. This was what life was all about — or at least what I wanted it to be about.

As you might have gathered by now, patience is not one of my strengths. I'm very much a ‘I wanted it done yesterday’ sort of girl. But this house forced me to slow down. It was too special to rush, and it deserved better than that.

I had several conversations with myself about enjoying the journey rather than racing towards the finish line. There's also something incredibly valuable about living in a house before making too many decisions. You begin to understand how the rooms work, how the light changes throughout the day and how your family naturally uses the space. I was determined to embrace the fact that Rome wasn't built in a day and to enjoy creating our home properly.

Of course, parts of it were overwhelming. I still remember walking into a kitchen full of boxes and wondering where to begin. Thankfully, a few deep breaths, plenty of laughter and the knowledge that almost everything could be moved later made it feel much less daunting. We'd spent a lot of time planning the kitchen before we moved, deciding exactly what would go into every cupboard and drawer, so, in the end, it was surprisingly straightforward.

One of my first priorities was getting rid of every last moving box and bag. I wanted to see piles of books instead of stacks of storage crates. There was still furniture to buy, layouts to experiment with and countless decisions to make, but we had time.

We unpacked steadily while making the most of the summer and enjoying the children. Three weeks after moving in, we went away for a week's holiday. At the time, I wasn't sure whether it was the right decision, but it turned out to be exactly what we needed. Stepping away gave us fresh eyes, and we returned feeling recharged and inspired. Packing for that holiday, however, was another story!

I'd managed to organise most of the bedroom curtains before we moved, which made a huge difference. Luckily, my husband and I make a great team. Ned naturally gravitates towards structure, layout and architecture, while I focus on colour, interiors and the finishing touches.

Writing this a year later, I'm happy to say we've finally found our people — our gang. I think that takes time. Everyone has busy lives, and friendships can't be forced. In fact, rushing them can sometimes have the opposite effect. People often say it takes about a year to find your tribe after moving somewhere new, and I think they're probably right. Perhaps it even becomes harder as we get older. Maybe we're more discerning - or perhaps we're simply more protective of our time.

I also think the house helped us settle. Because we'd all been involved in its renovation, we already felt connected to it before we'd even moved in. The children immediately felt at home. Our situation was perhaps a little unusual too, as Ned had grown up nearby. He'd swum in the same river, bought penny sweets from the village shop and explored the same countryside as a child. It meant the area felt familiar without preventing us from creating our own memories.

Am I glad we moved? I honestly couldn't be happier. We took a leap and it paid off. We're all calmer, happier and more present. I feel as though our children can simply be children again — climbing trees, building dens and running around carefree. Within days of being somewhere new, life begins to feel normal. Humans are remarkably good at embracing change.

The moment I treasure most is opening the front door first thing in the morning, green tea in hand, and breathing in the fresh country air. I stand for a few quiet moments, listening to the birdsong as the countryside slowly wakes. It's my little ritual, usually enjoyed alone, although I'm sometimes joined by one of the children, or one of our four-legged friends. It sets the tone for the day ahead.

The house is almost finished, although, is a house ever really finished? The rooms no longer feel as though they're under construction, and our attention has turned to the garden. Somehow, that feels even more important. It's where we'll really put down roots.

We're planning to build a shell grotto — not an extravagant one, just something made from shells collected on family holidays over the years. Creating it together feels like the perfect way to finish our home. Those are the things that matter most: the memories woven into the walls and the garden, not the price tag attached to them.

Looking back, life now feels a little like being on a permanent holiday. The Sunday night feeling has disappeared. We've experienced every season, and each has brought its own joy. Winter simply gave us another excuse to light the fire, slow down and embrace cosy evenings at home. We've found our favourite walks, our local market, the best pub and the places that have become part of our everyday life.

Most importantly, I've found home.

Looking back, moving to the countryside wasn't simply about changing our address. It changed the rhythm of our lives. It gave us space to breathe, time to enjoy our children and the opportunity to build the life we'd always imagined. We laugh more, spend more time together and appreciate the simple things that once passed us by.

Without question, moving here was the best decision we ever made.

Read part one here, and part two here.

Novelist H. G. Wells (1866-1946), widely considered the father of science fiction, wrote about war, loss and grief in Mr Brightling Sees It Through and devised the rules of miniature battle gaming from an unlikely spot in the Essex countryside.

The author who penned over 100 novels in his lifetime, including The War of the Worlds and The Invisible Man, spent the third chapter of his career writing about politics, history and social reform.

This coincided with his move from Hampstead, London, to a rented Georgian house called Easton Glebe on the Easton Lodge Estate where he observed English country folk in wartime, partied with the literary and arts glitterati and embarked upon a well-documented affair.

In a strange twist, the Grade II-listed entertaining barn on Wells's land and the remaining wing of the original lodge — no longer part of the same estate — have come up for sale at the same time, under different ownership and a century after Wells closed the book on his life in Little Easton.

The village of Little Easton is seven miles east of the market town of Bishop's Stortford and Stansted airport and was once dominated by the Easton Lodge Estate. In the 16th century, Elizabeth I granted politician Henry Maynard 10,000 acres of the estate on which he built an Elizabethan mansion to become Easton Lodge.

The house and grounds developed in line with the times until 1847 when a fire all but destroyed the Elizabethan part of the building. The Jacobean west wing remained and the rest was rebuilt in Victorian Gothic style.

Frances 'Daisy' Maynard inherited the estate as a child and went on to marry the 5th Earl of Warwick. As the Countess of Warwick she was well-known for her nine-year liaison with Edward, Prince of Wales (Edward VII) and her weekend-long parties. In fact, she added a stop on the trainline at Canfield for her guests.

Maynard was very involved in her community and campaigned to improve employment skills for women and social reform and would go on to stand as a parliamentary candidate for the Labour Party in the General Election of 1923. Her weekend set included George Bernard Shaw, Gustav Holst, A. A. Milne, Charlie Chaplin and Wells.

However, her lavish lifestyle meant she racked up a lot of debt, building a water tower and a stable yard which are still in situ today. Her most famous investment was the commissioning of architect and garden designer Harold Peto to landscape the grounds — which were snapped for Country Life in 1907.

In 1918, a second fire hit Easton Lodge. The story goes that one of Maynard's pet monkeys was convalescing in a blanket by the hearth when the material caught fire and the little primate ran around in a panic trailing the flames around the house. The monkey survived and so did the west wing, now a detached house called Warwick House which Savills is now selling for £2 million in 6.2 acres of the Peto gardens. The property is recognisable by its ornate Dutch gables and although the estate fell into disrepair after Maynard's death in 1938 the gardens have been recently restored.

On the other side of the village, no longer part of the estate following Maynard's sale of land, is a home linked to Wells. He lived at Easton Glebe (still a family home today) and Wells Court was his entertaining barn with a pool. During his time here Wells started an affair with the journalist, novelist and travel writer Rebecca West who lived on a farm in Hertfordshire where she raised their child in secrecy. Adam West went on to become a writer himself and wrote an autobiography of his father.

The Grade II-listed Wells Court, a three-bedroom home, sits in 4.75 acres with equestrian facilities: six stables, paddocks, tack and feed rooms, outbuildings and a car port and is being sold by owners John and Sally Wilson who no longer need so much space.

The history of the Easton Lodge Estate, the Countess of Warwick and Wells himself were a draw to the property when they too made the move from central London in 1998. 'It was certainly talking point and in the early days literary tourists would turn up to see where Wells lived,' says John. At times it must have been like living in a different age, surrounded by so many historical characters that spent time on the estate.

Or as Wells would have put it: 'We all have our time machines, don't we. Those that take us back are memories... and those that carry us forwards are dreams.'

Wells Court is for sale for £1.5 million through Beresfords — see more details and pictures.

Warwick House is for sale for £2 million through Savills — see more details and pictures.

Country-house agent Tim Phillips quotes a guide price of £10.5 million for Grade II*-listed Ripley Grange at Theydon Bois, Essex, which stands in more than 40 acres of formal gardens, woodland, open pasture and established parkland on high ground abutting Epping Forest, with views over its own gardens and the surrounding countryside towards the distant London skyline.

The house enjoys total privacy within its own grounds, yet central London, the City and Canary Wharf remain readily accessible, with Theydon Bois Central Line Underground Station only a mile away.

Ripley Grange was built in the Tudor style between 1928 and 1930 for Charles Frederick Clark, whose fortune was derived from the manufacture of carbon paper and type-writer ribbons at his Caribonium factory in Leyton, south-west Essex.

First listed in March 2020, Historic England’s decision was largely based on the building’s importance as ‘an interpretation of a Tudor house inspired by some of the most significant and impressive buildings of the Tudor period, every element of which demonstrates craftsmanship of the highest order’.

Clark left no stone unturned in his search for the perfect site on which to build the house, which he regarded as the crowning success of his life. After touring Essex and Hertfordshire for two years, he bought 40 acres of farmland at Loughton between Epping Forest and the River Roding, a picturesque and hilly location that, following the arrival of the railway in 1856, saw the construction of a large number of good late-19th- and early-20th-century houses for discerning commuters.

Wallis, Gilbert and Partners, the designers of Clark’s Art Deco factory, later demolished, were commissioned to design the house of its owner’s dreams. Their brief was to create a perfect reproduction of a grand Tudor mansion, drawing upon the Tudor and Jacobean buildings Clark most admired, with individual rooms influenced by Hampton Court Palace in Surrey, Penshurst Place in Kent, Lavenham Guildhall in Suffolk and Plas Mawr in Conwy, Wales.

Work started in 1928 and took 15 months to complete, although Clark continued to make substantial alterations throughout the 1930s, resulting in today’s spectacular country house, which offers almost 15,000sq ft of accommodation on three floors.

Highlights include the oak-panelled Great Hall and the drawing room overlooking the formal gardens; the morning room inspired by Lavenham Guildhall and Plas Mawr.

Another standout is the library with its linenfold panelling and modelled plaster ceiling, while there is a smaller private study that retains its original joinery.

There's a fine kitchen, which has been modernised and adapted for contemporary family life.

Nine bedrooms and five bathrooms are laid out across the first and second floors.

Ripley Grange is for sale at £10.5 million through Tim Phillips — see more details and pictures.

Momentum is beginning to build for the autumn sales season and the buzz is being amplified by the arrival to the market of a number of distinguished residences that are steeped in history and have fascinating back stories.

Top of that list is Chaddleworth House in west Berkshire, with its Norman connections and racing pedigree, which is for sale for the first time in more than six decades with an asking price of £7 million via James Walker of Knight Frank and Ed Sugden of Savills.

That purchase price buys a Grade II-listed house, set in 31 acres of parkland on the edge of the picturesque small village of Chaddle-worth on the southern slopes of the Berkshire Downs, seven miles south of Wantage and 11 miles north-west of Newbury, within the North Wessex Downs National Landscape.

Chaddleworth is now on the market following the death in July 2026 of its long-term owner, Lady Eliza Mays-Smith, née Guinness, one of heiresses of the great brewing dynasty. Lady Eliza was a lifelong supporter of horse racing, Lady Eliza is probably best remembered for her association with nearby Lambourn, where, for many years, she and her first husband, the late David Nugent, ran the racing town’s famous downland gallops, now owned by Jockey Club Estates.

Approached from the village lane along a sweeping drive that passes by the ancient village church of St Andrew and leads to the south front, Chaddleworth House enjoys wonderful views across a ha-ha to its own parkland with panoramic vistas over the surrounding countryside and the Wroughton Woolley Park estate.

The house sits happily within its gardens, which are well stocked and include a wonderful walled garden, a tennis court and a swimming pool.

Built on a symmetrical, Georgian, four-square plan of grey brick under a slate hipped roof, the main house offers some 11,000sq ft of timeless family accommodation on three floors.

This includes, on the ground floor, a cheerful reception hall, a central stair hall with an elegant cantilever staircase, four principal reception rooms, a large kitchen and various domestic offices.

The principal bedroom suite, three further suites, five further bedrooms and a shower room are on the first floor; and three further bedrooms, a bathroom and attic are on the second.

Additional accommodation is provided in the four-bedroom garage annexe and the 18th-century former coach house and stable block.

Chaddleworth House stands on land granted by William the Conqueror to Robert D’Oyley, a Norman nobleman and landowner from Ouilly, near Lisieux, who took part in the Norman Conquest and eventually held no fewer than 36 Domesday manors across six counties.

According to David Nash Ford’s Royal Berkshire History, for much of the Middle Ages the manor of Chaddleworth was held by Amesbury Priory in Wiltshire, which was granted the lands in 1284 by Henry II’s consort, Queen Eleanor, as a token of support for Eleanor of Brittany, who was one of the nuns.

After the Dissolution, the manor eventually passed to William Nelson, a successful government lawyer, whose family was to own it for more than 250 years.

The present Chaddleworth House was built between 1809 and 1811 by George Kerr Nelson, whose son sold the manor estate to the Wroughton family of nearby Woolley Park, another racing dynasty, many of whom were lord lieutenants of the county.

Chaddleworth House is for sale via Knight Frank and Savills.

Cornwall — £3,200,000

The dream for any keen sailor is a house where you can walk to the end of the garden and get straight on to the water. And that's the exact experience you'd have if you moved to The Garden House, on the edge of Polruan-by-Fowey.

This handsome, stone-built property has much to shout about: a commanding position, spectacular views, period features and an acre of mature gardens.

Its standout feature, though, is that direct access to the popular sailing waters of the Fowey Estuary.

Stone steps lead down from the garden to a sandy beach — an idyllic launch pad for adventures on the estuary and beyond. It’s hardly surprising that the owners have held onto the Garden House for three decades.

For sale via Strutt & Parker — see more details and pictures

Gloucestershire — £2,500,000

You don’t have to head to the coast to set sail. Instead, why not make a beeline for the Cotswold Lakes, a collection of more than 180 lakes just south of the Cotswolds National Landscape, where there’s plenty of scope for sailing and other watersports.

The aptly-named Boathouse is one of six properties on The Peninsula, an enclave on the shores of the 114-acre Landings Lake. The New England-style property comes with its own private jetty, which means you can be out on the water in a jiffy.

If you want to get stuck into the local sailing scene, South Cerney Sailing Club is just around the corner. There’s a lot on offer on dry land too, with a brasserie, gym, tennis courts, and various trails nearby.

Life at the Boathouse seems to be about as close to plain sailing as it can get.

For sale via By Design — see more details and pictures

Cumbria — £2,750,000

When it comes to sailing hotspots, the south coast tends to steal the limelight. But here is a compelling case for casting the net wider.

This Arts and Crafts house is tucked away on a private lane just 200 metres from Lake Windermere, where there are watersports galore. According to the selling agent, Finest, Watermead occupies ‘one of the area’s most tightly-held addresses’ — and it’s easy to see why.

It’s a tremendous spot, framed by the mountains of the beautiful Lake District National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After a day spent on the water, where better to kick back and relax than on that two-tier deck with a vista of England's largest lake?

For sale via Finest — see more details and pictures

Dorset — £9,500,000

If you want to make a splash, this newly-built house on the waterfront at Christchurch Harbour takes some beating.

Known as The Slipway, it has everything a keen sailor could want to get onto the water fast: a slipway, jetty and pontoon. The property comes with a ‘significant’ chunk of the foreshore too — ideal for mooring multiple boats up to 50ft, according to selling agent, Knight Frank.

The house itself is very smart indeed, all clean lines and floor-to-ceiling glazing — you’ll need a good window cleaner on speed dial.

One really lovely feature is the number of bedrooms with balconies, which make the most of the far-reaching views of Mudeford, the Needles at the Isle of Wight, and Studland in the distance.

Being a new build, its energy-efficiency is also something to write home about: it has an EPC rating of A.

For sale via Knight Frank — see more details and pictures

Cornwall — £7,500,000

Another strong contender for the ‘make a splash’ category is this ‘modern masterpiece’ (to quote selling agent, Savills) on the Pendennis Headland.

It boasts an incredible location, with the sheltered waters of the Carrick Roads on one side and the open sea on the other. Behind it sits Falmouth, where there’s plenty of watersports on tap. And did I mention the steps that lead down to the secluded beach?

Inside, the spec is, as you might imagine, impressive. To pick out a few highlights: floor-to-ceiling glazing (and you would, with a view like that), a double-height reception and dining area, a dual-aspect main bedroom with a balcony, bathroom and dressing room, and a leisure, wellness and cinema space.

For sale via Savills — see more details and pictures

Northamptonshire — £2.85 million

A magical medieval house dating back to the 15th century, largely rebuilt in the 19th century, and wonderfully restored and designed for the 21st century.

For sale via Michael Graham — see more details and pictures.

Cheshire — £4.75 million

A hugely spacious, recently-built home in an unspoilt rural setting in Cheshire.

Six bedrooms, almost 10,000 sq ft of space, landscaped gardens, and a separarate leisure suite that includes indoor pool, gym and sauna.

For sale via Savills — see more details and pictures.

Kent — £4.95 million

Tinley Lodge is set in just over eight acres of land that include a Japanese garden, paddocks and a pond with its own pontoon. The house itself is elegant and clean in design inside, with six bedrooms and over 6,000 sq ft of space — all in a home that's easily commutable to London.

For sale via Knight Frank — see more details and pictures.

Surrey — £2.625 million

In the leafy Surrey Hills near Churt, Gorse Cottage is an eight-bedroom home in a secluded, two-acre pot near Frensham Great Pond.

For sale via Strutt & Parker — see more details and pictures.

Sutherland — £7.5 million

One of the great Scottish estates is for sale. Morvich takes in almost 5,000 acres of the Highlands, and has a wonderful, Grade B-listed, seven-bedroom principal house at the centre.

For sale via Galbraith — see more details and pictures.

Sussex — £1.65 million

This Grade II-listed Georgian rectory in Seaford has a wonderfully private plot, elegant balcony and a 13th century brewhouse cottage in the grounds.

For sale via Bees Homes via OnTheMarket — see more details and pictures.

Falmouth-based agent Jonathan Cunliffe, a keen sailor, is understandably excited by the imminent launch onto the market — at a guide price of £5 million — of the enchanting Little Flushing, in the village of Flushing.

This is the sort of Cornish house people dream of: a thatched, period cottage amid beautiful gardens, and right on the water. It's not hard to see why Cunliffe describes it the spot as 'one of Cornwall's most remarkable waterside settings', and Little Flushing itself as 'one of the county's most iconic waterfront homes'.

It sits behind its own private harbour, with a slipway, dock and listed stone quay. From the house and gardens you look south-west across the water to Falmouth, the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club and the town’s elegant Greenbank terrace.

The plot of just under an acre is wonderfully secluded, backed by mature trees, yet at the same time it's still close to the heart of a thriving waterside village that has everything from quirky narrow lanes and colourful cottages to a village shop, primary school and a recreational space mostly used for local events.

Inside, Little Flushing is just as beguiling. This five-bedroom, three-bathroom house has been beautifully done in an elegant, timeless style, and is set up to make the most of the sea views.

Downstairs, the reception hall — heated in colder months by a wood-fired range — opens on to a series of reception rooms, plus the country kitchen with its Aga and adjoining scullery.

Above, a split-level landing leads to four bedrooms, all of which have sea views — and the master bedroom even has a balcony.

There's a fifth bedroom on the ground floor, and the house also includes a boathouse, garage and workshop within the grounds.

Little Flushing was acquired by the late George ‘Jumbo’ Ellison more than 30 years ago, the unlisted house is being sold on behalf of his family, following the death of his widow, Rosie, in March of 2026.

Ellison came from a line of successful entrepreneurs, among them his grandfather who founded an electrical switchgear company in Paris that went on to become a market leader worldwide. Ellison himself stayed closer to home, where he owned a nearby boatyard, Falmouth Boat Construction, in the 1970s and 1980s.

Little Flushing is for sale through Jonathan Cunliffe — see more details.

As the traditional season of going on holiday draws sadly to a close, all we're left with are our memories, our dreams, and 800 new photos on our phones which we will definitely, absolutely get around to organising properly next week. Or maybe the week after. October at a push.

Let's forget that post-holiday legwork, though, and instead focusing on the dreams: what would life be like, we imagine, if only we had an Italian villa of our own?

If the villa in question were anything like this villa in Monguzzo, for sale at €1.5 million through Italy Sotheby's International Realty, the answer would be 'very wonderful indeed'.

The three-bedroom villa has plenty of relaxed charm: while not particularly pretty, it's a fine three-bedroom home that was totally refurbished in the 1990s, with three bathrooms, spacious living areas and a hobby room.

It also comes with a two-bedroom guest house within the grounds, plus a Scandinavian-style timber house that the agents suggest is ideal as anything from guest accommodation to an artist's studio.

As fine as the villa is, the main attraction here is the garden, named Il Giardino di Poggio Castello. Just under two acres, and ringed by mature trees to create a cool, elegant, secluded setting, it was created as a true labour of love by the photographer Piero Sierra.

Sierra took the house and garden on in 1991, working on the project with landscape architect Giulio Crespi — and while the villa may be a classic Italian home, the garden is not. Sierra and Crespi created the outdoor space in the tradition of English garden design, with the landscape arranged as a sequence of interconnected garden rooms.

Each part of the garden has its own character, planting scheme and atmosphere. There's a border garden, a woodland garden and pond garden, a garden dedicated to plants that thrive on acidic soil, a gravel garden, architectural garden, cottage garden, rose garden, entrance garden, and a space described as the 'Rustic Cottage Mini-Park'.

To find outdoor space with such variety is nothing short of staggering, and as you can see from the images it's all been thriving in the temperate northern Italian climate, in between Lake Como and Lake Lecco.

Sierra's background as a photographer is also key to understand why the gardens have been created this way: the villa has an ever-changing sequence of views, perspectives and seasonal blooms that transform throughout the year to make sure that no two garden strolls are the same. The owner has spoken in the past about photographing the landscape repeatedly across seasons and from different viewpoints, using the images to refine sightlines and the overall experience of moving through the space.

It's truly something else, and a key selling point. As agent Luigi Aliverti puts it, this is 'a property of rare distinction and virtually impossible to replicate, where the garden is not merely a setting for the residence, but a genuine work of landscape art.'

For sale via Italy Sotheby's International Realty — see more details.

We learnt from a previous move that, if at all possible, time is the greatest luxury. There is nothing more stressful than trying to pack up your kitchen when the removal van is already waiting outside. This time, we were determined to do things differently.

Because we planned to rent out our London house, we didn't need to move everything. In some ways, that made the decisions even harder. We had to leave the house furnished, yet I found enormous pleasure in choosing the pieces that would come with us to Wales: the paintings that held memories, the favourite chair, the objects that very much felt part of our story. Even after all that careful editing, the house still felt remarkably full. I have long accepted that I am a collector, and certainly a maximalist.

In the weeks before we left, I worked methodically through every room. One pile was destined for the charity shop, another for Wales. There was something unexpectedly therapeutic about handling every drawer, every cupboard and every shelf. The move became an opportunity to edit our lives, as much as our possessions.

Having used a removal company before, we decided against hiring one this time. They were wonderfully efficient, but the contents of our home had vanished into huge, hastily packed boxes with little thought to where things would end up. By packing ourselves, we knew exactly what was in each box and could unpack directly into its new home, instead of first sorting through a mountain of mixed belongings.

The luxury of time also meant we could change our minds. Paintings were swapped in and out of the pile destined for Wales. I realised I wanted the new house to have a slightly different feel from London, and knowing that not everything had to come immediately gave me permission to create a fresh chapter, rather than simply recreating the old one.

The children's rooms also received a thorough cull. Every drawer was sorted, every basket emptied, every long-forgotten toy rediscovered. Oddly, it became one of my favourite parts of the move.

We had originally planned a large farewell party before leaving London. The invitations were sent out. Once we had added up the cost, we realised we would far rather spend the money on our new home. We'd already hosted years of wonderful dinners and celebrations there; it felt right to leave with those memories intact rather than forcing one final occasion. Besides, by then our lives revolved around paint charts, deep cleans, packing boxes and tradesmen. We had mentally moved on long before we physically left.

As for my wardrobe... well, I should confess that clothes have always been my weakness. Thankfully, my mother came to the rescue. She owns the clothing company Moloh and has rails in her van for transporting her collections of tailored attire. It proved to be the most extraordinary and perfect moving vehicle. My dresses, coats and jackets travelled exactly as they lived at home, still hanging on their hangers, while shoes, handbags and hats disappeared into enormous clear bags. It was a hugely satisfying process and one in which remarkably little emerged crumpled.

Our move happened over several weeks. My mother would drive to London, spend the night, and we'd load the van together before setting off for Wales early in the morning. The children took turns joining the journey, each trip punctuated by service station treats and a growing excitement that this strange adventure would soon become everyday life. The move itself was an adventure for all of us.

Arriving with each new vanload was always slightly surreal. Here was a house we had spent months renovating from afar, making countless decisions about paint colours, wallpaper and kitchens, yet it still didn't quite feel like ours. We'd place boxes in rooms knowing everything would eventually move again, before turning around and driving back to London.

As expected, the house wasn't quite ready when our London tenants were due to move in. Suddenly, reality hit. We still had decorating to finish, rooms to repaint and a house to put back together before handing over the keys. There were moments of mild panic, but somehow we got there. I owe a great deal to my husband, Ned, whose calm determination carried us through those final frantic days.

The children, dogs and I retreated to my parents' house (in the countryside in Wiltshire) for a week while the final work was completed. It had always been the plan, but none of us appreciated quite what a gift it would become. It gave the children space to settle into a country life, and break away from London, without living among paint tins and dust sheets. Once our house was more ready, it gave Ned and me something even more precious: uninterrupted time to begin making sense of our new home, just us. My parents very kindly looked after our children and our pooches while we began the big unpack.

Where do you begin when unpacking an entirely new life? There were boxes everywhere, deliveries arriving daily and, naturally, rather too many new purchases already waiting patiently to find their new home. The decorator had finished, the wallpaper was up, but carpets still hadn't been laid, meaning everything would eventually have to be moved all over again.

Ordinarily, I like everything finished immediately. This house, however, was teaching me patience. My dressing room hadn't yet been built, so I improvised with temporary clothes rails and reminded myself that this, too, was part of the process. The goal wasn't perfection on day one. It was simply to begin.

Ned and I had the luxury of a few days of just us — where we could really work out the house and enjoy it solo. We also worked out the order of importance for unpacking. It was the kitchen first, and then the kids' rooms. We really wanted them to enjoy this part and not be overwhelmed by not having ‘their stuff’.

Looking back, I'm so grateful we moved slowly. Instead of one frantic day, we had weeks to let go of one home while gradually falling in love with another. In the end, it wasn't really about moving furniture at all. It was about giving ourselves enough time to believe that the move was happening. It meant that we could adjust, as it was gradual, we could see it unfolding and happening.

We were all now living in the countryside. It no longer felt daunting because we'd had time to grow into it. By then, I knew we wouldn't want to turn back.

Read part one here. Part three will be published on Friday, September 4.

Where is it?

East Sussex, near the village of Brightling between Hastings and Tunbridge Wells.

A quick description

It’s a 90-acre farm with a farmhouse whose core dates from 1560 with 19th-century additions, as well as an oast house and a barn.

When did you buy it?

1994.

How did you find it?

We were living in London and went to see a house for sale. My father-in-law was elderly and my husband, Adam [Nicolson, the journalist and author], wanted to move closer to him. Friends had told me about the first house that was quite near, but it wasn’t right. I went for a walk before heading back to London and spotted a handwritten ‘for sale’ sign.

What made you buy it?

It wasn’t so much the house as the surrounding countryside: it reminded me of the Auvergne in France, with its rolling hills and fields.

Was the purchase smooth?

We dithered. It was quite expensive and a stretch financially, but the actual purchase was pretty smooth once we’d made up our minds.

Favourite aspect?

It’s hidden down a little lane and is surrounded by woods, which gives the setting a slight Hansel and Gretel feel. The house itself isn’t very practical. My husband is 6ft 3in and I’m quite tall, too, and it has very low ceilings in parts.

Best memory of living there?

When Rosie, our elder daughter, turned one, we had a birthday party and housewarming in a field under a canvas tent looking out over the views. We still camp and have barbecues there today; it’s one of the most magical things about the house.

Biggest mistake?

Mixing home and work life. With hindsight, I’d like to separate them.

Biggest indulgence?

The first thing we did was replace the cowl and restore the oast house, which is now Adam’s study and a space for guests.

Sarah Raven is creative director of her eponymous gardening brand. The next open days at Perch Hill, East Sussex, are on August 28 and 29. For tickets for these and her one-day course, A Day with Alan Titchmarsh and Sarah Raven ‘Why I Garden’ at Perch Hill Farm (September 22) visit www.sarahraven.com

In leafy east Hertfordshire, Mark Rimell of Strutt & Parker quotes a guide price of £2.495 million for Broadfield Hall in the hamlet of Broadfield, which stands in some 15½ acres of formal gardens, paddocks, parkland and farmland, a mile or so north of the village of Cottered and three miles west of Buntingford.

Once part of a moated manor estate, the hall’s formal grounds include extensive Yorkstone terracing, a walled garden, a 17th-century rose parterre and a boating lake. Established planting includes a wealth of mature trees and a rare tulip tree.

In the late 1500s, Sir John Brockett of Brockett Hall and his wife, Ellen, sold their interest in the manor of Broadfield to Edward Pulter, who settled it on his son, Litton Pulter. He died in 1608 in his father’s lifetime, leaving a son, Arthur, aged four. Arthur went on to hold a prominent position in the county, becoming a magistrate, a captain in the militia and High Sheriff for Hertfordshire.

At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1642, he retired from public life and, with his wife, Lady Hester Pulter — the daughter of James Ley, created 1st Earl of Marlborough in 1626 — set about rebuilding Broadfield Hall. The building was still unfinished when Pulter died in 1689, but was completed a year later by his grandson, James Forrester, who also commissioned the young Nicholas Hawksmoor — at that time a junior draughtsman for Sir Christopher Wren — to design Broadfield Hall’s impressive Grade II*-listed stable block, which was built in about 1691, according to its Historic England listing.

Forrester’s grand house was demolished in the mid 19th century, rebuilt in 1882 and eventually replaced in 1939 by the present unlisted Broadfield Hall, built by William Harston in the Art Deco style.

It retains many period details, including a grand cantilevered staircase with a vaulted ceiling, beautiful fireplaces throughout and original 1930s mahogany joinery.

For much of the 20th century, it was lived in by Prince George of Denmark and his wife, Anne Bowes-Lyon. She was a niece of the late Queen Mother, who was a regular visitor, as was the present King.

The main house provides 6,000sq ft of light-filled living space with additional accommodation available in the converted coach house.

The ground floor boasts three enormous reception rooms, a huge kitchen/breakfast room and a family room/study.

A delightful sun room overlooks the parkland and formal gardens and there’s a gym to relieve City stress.

The first floor offers five bedrooms and three bathrooms, with the principal bedroom suite enjoying the luxury of a dressing room and roof terrace.

For sale via Strutt & Parker — see more details.

A week or so ago, as the sun blazed in Italy, and the temperature displays outside the pharmacies headed into the 40s, I made a deal with myself. Next summer, we'll be holidaying in Scotland.

The only issue I imagined I'd have is deciding exactly where where to go — or so I thought. As it happened, immediately on my return I immediately came across the perfect Scottish home in which to take refuge from Europe's increasingly-brutal summers: Ronachan House.

It's a home that looks perfect for the climate change-era, a place from where I'll be able to enjoy the beauty of Scotland, bask in the perfectly temperate, not-too-hot and not-too-cold weather, and enjoy a sun that warms pleasantly without turning you lobster-red within 15 minutes.

It's even a perfect spot for dreamy sunsets: the house is on the west coast of the Kintyre Peninsula, about 40 miles directly north of the Mull of Kintyre, less than 20 minutes from Tarbert, and about a 35-minute drive from Campbeltown.

All that now separates me from my dream home in Scotland is the small matter of the £2.1 million I'll need to buy Ronachan House in Clachan, through the nice people at Strutt & Parker.

This Category B-listed in Clachan is as fine inside as it is outside. The place has been meticulously restored over the past 20 years, ensuring it offers luxury accommodation across three levels, retaining architectural grandeur together with chic decor.

The 13-bedroom house, dating from the Victorian era, is constructed from warm sandstone and features steeply pitched gables, tall clustered chimneys, finely detailed stonework, symmetrical bay windows and generous sashes from that time.

The agent refers to the three-storey Ronachan House as ‘a celebration of original period detailing’. The main house has seven bedrooms in total, with the principal suit sounding like a true joy, 'comprising a spacious bedroom, separate sitting area overlooking the bay and a beautifully appointed bathroom with roll-top bath and marble-tiled walk-in shower.'

The kitchen forms the heart of the ground floor, centred around a generous island and thoughtfully designed to lend itself to both entertaining and the daily rhythms of family life.

It barely needs pointing out, of course, but we'd be remiss not to add that the views from this 10½-acre property, set in a secluded position on the west coast’s Kintyre Peninsula, are exceptional. You can look out across the sea to the Inner Hebrides islands of Islay, Jura and Gigha.

There are also three dwellings beyond the main house: the Coach House, the Look Out and North Lodge, with three, one and two bedrooms respectively. A grand main house, and plenty of spots for guests? This really is a property that pretty much ticks every box.

There's a small chance (ok, quite a large chance) that I won' t quite get the required funds together in time to buy Ronachan House, so if it's if you who ends up buying it first, please feel free to pop me an invitation via Country Life. And I'll see you there next summer.

Ronachan House is for sale through Strutt & Parker — see more details.

Nick Paluch of Savills is excited. The reason? A house called The Lookout, with what the agent describes as 'the most extensive views in Guernsey.'

‘The Lookout is one of the most exciting properties I have been involved with in recent years,' says Nick. 'Opportunities of this nature simply do not come to the market.' So let's take a look at what's got him so pumped up.

As its name implies, The Lookout — which is for sale at £2.95 million — is based around a striking 66ft high tower. Originally a, 19th-century granite mill, it's set in just over 2¼ acres of grounds near Bordeaux Harbour, on the north-eastern corner of the island.

The views are fantastic, naturally, but just as exciting as the tower and millhouse is the lake — created from an former quarry — that's included, giving rise to all sorts of possibilities for the new owners, and a series of CGI pictures on the listing show images of people happily paddleboarding and so forth.

No doubt you've already spotted the catch, courtesy of those three letters C, G and I. The Lookout hasn't yet become a home of any sort, much less one with a handsome timber deck from which to paddleboard. It's very much a work in progress, rather than a finished-and-finalised contemporary home.

The fact that it hasn't been done yet does also mean that there is, subject to planning approval, flexibility for the new owners. The agent and vendor have very much leaned in to that, supplying a host of examples of what could be don here: there are terraces, bridges, walkways, stairs and jetties that give the whole thing a sort of Swiss Family Robinson vibe. And also something of a Bond villain vibe.

That's not to say that the place is a starting-from-scratch job, for extensive work has taken place already at The Lookout to get the ball rolling, in terms of the site and existing buildings. But this is absolutely a project for a new owner blessed with both vision and deep pockets.

Formerly known as Vale Mill, the Lookout was originally built from wood in 1770, before being rebuilt in 1854 in granite. It operated as a flour mill until the Germans occupied the island in 1940, whereupon they used it as an observation tower (hence, The Lookout). It was purchased by James Ridout’s father in 2008, and James has been restoring the site ever since.

James has also secured planning permission for the renovation and extension, and managed to get the house on Guernsey's Open Market (meaning it can be bought by anybody with UK residency, rather than just Guernsey residents).

The prize at the end of all the work done by the new owner will be a home with about 7,000sq ft of accommodation, together with a triple garage and a floating summerhouse.

If dealing with the headaches of getting that done sounds a bit too much like taking on a second job, James is offering the option of a full-build contract, subject to separate negotiations.

‘It’s taken a lot of hard work and perseverance to get to this point — and it’s not been without its challenges — but we’re now in a position where we feel the mill and surrounding site are ready to be taken to the next stage,’ James says.

The planning permission (secured in 2020) is for a four-bedroom house, featuring a kitchen/dining area, utility room, and breakfast room, as well as a substantial basement extension that would cantilever out over the adjoining quarry. Surely you would need an underground tunnel of some kind to connect the two, in true Bond-villain style? Don’t worry, it’s already been planned. Ernst Stavro Blofeld would be proud.

‘There’s nothing like it on the island. It’s a one-of-a-kind property and the views from the top of the tower are beyond compare,' James adds.

'They’re the best in Guernsey. You can see out to sea for miles around.’

The Lookout is for sale with Savills for £2.95 million. For more information and pictures, click here.

Country Life has joined forces with London Square to present an evening promising rather more sparkle than the average drinks reception.

On Wednesday, September 23, from 6pm until 8pm, readers are invited to 25 Bruton Place — the newly established private venue of London Square and parent company Aldar, whose reputation for delivering some of the capital’s most covetable addresses precedes it — for a showcase of Kiki McDonough’s fine jewellery.

Holder of a Royal Warrant and a long time favourite of The Princess of Wales, Kiki McDonough has built her eponymous house on a simple, joyful premise: that a coloured gemstone, chosen for its character as much as its beauty, need never apologise for delighting the eye.

Guests will hear the story behind the brand’s founding and view a selection of her bespoke and signature pieces at close quarters.

London Square has gained a fine reputation for the sensitive restoration of heritage buildings, giving them renewed purpose for the 21st century.

Among its notable projects are the remodelling of the Grade II-listed Royal Star and Garter Building on Richmond Hill, the renovation of Toynbee Hall in Spitalfields and the conversion of a former pickle factory and a tannery in Bermondsey.

The occasion marks the latest grand project for London Square: the transformation of the former Surrey County Hall, a Grade II*-listed essay in the classical manner, set upon 5.2 handsome acres in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.

Long the seat of local governance, the building’s stately bones now shelter boutique apartments and duplexes of considerable quality, complete with contemporary new builds. Completion is anticipated from late autumn 2026, with prices starting from £450,000. Two show homes now stand open for viewing.

Residents shall want for little: a round-the-clock concierge, a yoga studio, a private screening room, a games parlour and co-working spaces besides.

Glasses will be kept topped up throughout by Gusbourne, which will be providing the sparkling wine for the evening. The estate planted its first vines in Appledore, Kent, in 2004, with a vision to craft the world’s finest sparkling wines. That ambition has shaped a quality-obsessed approach, continually pushing the boundaries of what is possible in English wine, and Gusbourne remains unwavering in what makes it distinctive: producing vintage-only wines from estate-grown, hand-harvested grapes.

Country Life readers wishing to attend the Bruton Place event on September 23 please RSVP@londonsquare.co.uk.

Those interested in arranging a private viewing of County Hall Kingston may contact the London Square Sales Team on 0333–666 0107, write to countyhallkingston@londonsquare.co.uk or consult countyhallkingston.co.uk

They say you can't have your cake and eat it. While that might be true for cakes and other perishable items, it is very much not the case for nice houses in the countryside. Thanks to the wonders of technology and taste, you can have a house that, from the outside, looks like a lovely period home, but on the inside is a contemporary and comfortable family home with all the modern trimmings.

One such example would be the delightful Westfield House.

Edward Douglas-Home of Knight Frank in Edinburgh is seeking ‘offers over £2.5m’ for Category B-listed Westfield House, which is set in 18 acres of elegantly landscaped gardens, woodland and paddocks between Harburn and Calder in fashionable West Lothian, 21 miles from Edinburgh and 30 miles from Glasgow.

The handsome, early-19th- century country house sits centrally amid its grounds and is approached, like all good things must be, via a long tree-lined drive. The property itself offers more than 6,400sq ft of stylish, light-filled accommodation on three floors, including a conservatory, sun room, office, three reception rooms, a vast kitchen/dining room, six bedrooms and four bathrooms.

The interiors have been finished to an exceptionally high standard, featuring a joyful mix of contemporary and period touches throughout. Highlights are the spacious conservatory, which comes with its own attached bar space. When it comes to entertaining spaces, this is right up there.

Another highlight is the principal bedroom suite on the first floor, which features an en-suite bathroom with free-standing copper bath and a steam room, dressing room and nursery room.

Outbuildings include barns, garaging, workshops and excellent equestrian facilities, such as a 40-metre by 20-metre dressage arena with a sand and rubber surface and 12 loose boxes in either barns and purpose built stables.

The gardens contain sweeping lawns, terraces and well-stocked borders, while further afield from the house, woodland, paddocks and a pond edged with low planting, reeds and a timber-decked seating area to enjoy the tranquility of the water.

Situated just south of the town of Livingston, the property is flanked by Edinburgh to the east and Glasgow to the west, occupying one of the more desirable parts of southern Scotland. When it comes to the best of both worlds, location matters as much as style. Thankfully, Westfield House has both.

Westfield House is for sale with Knight Frank for £2.5 million. For more information and pictures, click here.

Argyll and Bute — £6.5 million

Why just get a house when you can get an entire island? That's what's on offer at Eilean Righ, otherwise known as the King's Island. With 261 acres of land all to yourself, and two three-bedroom homes.

The list of amenities is a mile long, and includes a helicopter hangar, boathouse, garage, workshop and a private shooting range. Wildlife is, of course, abundant.

For sale via Knight Frank — see more details and pictures.

Stirlingshire — £2.25 million

Dating from the 1930s, Levern Towers is a distinguished Scots Baronial home set in an expansive rural estate.

Accommodation includes six bedrooms, multiple grand reception rooms and an indoor swimming pool, as well various semi-detached lodge houses. Set in nine acres, which includes gardens, sweeping lawns, tennis court, petanque area and a mini waterfall.

For sale via Savills — see more details and pictures.

Perthshire — £5.25 million

Balvarran is a glorious estate in the heart of Highland Perthshire of some 2000 acres, that can trace its lineage back to 1554.

The estate, which features a wealth of homes and cottages, is centred around Balvarran House, a B-listed mansion of some nine bedrooms, remodelled and extended by Sir Robert Lorimer.

For sale via Strutt & Parker — see more details and pictures.

South Ayrshire— £3 million

If there was a prize for 'Castle that looks most like a castle', beautiful B-Listed Cloncaird would surely win it.

The estate extends to some 143 acres, and the main castle features 15 bedrooms, a grand event space, various outbuildings and nine further cottages.

For sale via Savills — see more details and pictures.

Argyll and Bute — £2.1 million

Set above the shores of Ronachan Bay and with sweeping views over the Inner Hebrides, Ronachan House is perfectly positioned to enjoy the best of Scotland's scenery.

The property has been comprehensively restored and refurbished in recent years, and features 13 bedrooms and various cottages on the 10.5 acres of land. Plenty of room for everyone.

For sale via Strutt & Parker — see more details and pictures.

Inspired by a conversation on sustainable building materials with the designer and presenter Kevin McCloud, Jonathan and Sara Banister built a house made from straw bales and lime plaster on the site of a 1960s bungalow in North Yorkshire. Taking nearly two years to complete, the project was finished in 2018 and features in the revised edition of The Buildings of England: Yorkshire.

Straw-bale construction results in super-insulated, highly sustainable and breathable buildings and this structure features stonework crafted by a York Minster mason and handmade bricks. The four-bedroom house, which is set in 4.5 acres, is now on the market through Savills for £2.75m.

The Lime House, which is set in an H-plan over 2.5 floors (there is a mezzanine), is a home designed for entertaining. The heart of the home is a large kitchen/dining/living room that is attached to the entrance hall, while a barn to the rear of the property is adjoined by a studio, providing further space for fun, games or work.

What is so impressive about the Lime House is how it looks like it’s always been there. Inside, a stone staircase is paired with a vast stone fireplace in the entrance hall, while wooden panelling covers the walls and the ceiling. Throughout, the fixtures and fittings are of a period farmhouse style, and it is quite clear that plenty of reclaimed materials have been used throughout.

But while on the surface the house looks old, it is of course very new. The property embraces modern technology throughout, such as a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system, triple glazing, underfloor heating, a rainwater harvesting system, solar panels, and PIR lighting. It looks like the old vicarage, but without the bills.

Outside, the property benefits from 4.5 acres of gardens and grounds, including a new natural pond fed by rainwater collected from the house that supports a wide variety of wildlife. The gardens close to the house are formal, before blending into the rolling countryside that surrounds the property, and a small courtyard overlooking a ha-ha makes a fine place for al fresco dining and hosting.

The Lime House is for sale with Savills for £2.75 million. For more information and images, click here.

There are horse farms, and then there is Castleton Lyons. Spread across 951 acres of Kentucky’s famously fertile Bluegrass country, this extraordinary estate has been breeding horses for more than two centuries — and is now being offered for sale for the first time in 25 years, for $57.5 million with Sotheby's.

Its story begins in 1793, when the farm was established as a breeding operation. Since then, it has passed through the hands of some of Kentucky’s great horsemen and become something of an institution in the equestrian world.

The Castleman family’s Greek Revival mansion, built in 1840, remains the historic centrepiece — and its interiors wouldn’t look out of place in a grand English countryside manor house. There are ornate mouldings, Victorian-style wall panelling and a sweeping staircase with carved wooden bannister.

The horses, however, are very much the stars. Over the years Castleton has bred and stood thoroughbred, standardbred and saddlebred champions — establishing a reputation that stretches far beyond the Bluegrass. Think 1896 Kentucky Derby winner Ben Brush, and Speedy Scot. Today, its scale is almost difficult to comprehend. There are 16 barns, ranging from four-stall buildings to a substantial 30-stall facility, with 268 stalls in total. A true self-contained equine operation, there are ten homes scattered across the land, including several managers’ houses. There are ponds and water views, too, along with sweeping scenery and the privacy that comes with nearly 1,000 acres.

In 2001, Castleton was acquired by Thomas Ryan (1936-2007), the Irish billionaire businessman and philanthropist who co-founded Ryanair in 1984, from the Van Lennep Family Trust. (Frederick Van Lennep (1911-1987) was an American advertising executive and harness racing figure who founded Pompano Park.) Ryan changed its name from Castleton Farm to Castleton Lyons after his Irish estate and renovated large parts in order to return it to its original roots as a thoroughbred operation.

The challenge for its next custodian will be less about deciding what to do with Castleton than deciding how best to continue its remarkable story.

Castleton is for sale with Sotheby's — see more details here.

Moving to Wales was always part of the plan. When I married my husband, Ned, there was an understanding that one day we would end up here. His parents' house would eventually become ours and, with it, a future that had already been quietly mapped out.

The trouble was, I don't particularly like being told what to do.

For a good two-thirds of our relationship, I resisted the idea on principle alone. I have a rebellious streak that I blame entirely on my father. The more inevitable Wales seemed, the more determined I became to imagine a different future. Yet life has a wonderful way of softening even the most stubborn of us.

As our children grew older — Lyon now eight years old, Nancy seven and Celeste four — and our four-legged sausage shaped children — Margaret four years old and Marigold one — I found myself looking at London through a different lens. The city that had once felt exciting and full of possibility suddenly seemed less suited to family life. I had grown up in Wiltshire, where childhood meant muddy boots, climbing trees, endless fields, a forever smell of freshly cut grass and the freedom to disappear for hours and return home only when hunger struck. Deep down, the countryside had always made far more sense to me.

I moved to London at 18 to study at the Slade School of Fine Art. I grew up fast, but I loved it. London gave me an education, a career, friendships and a sense of independence. But, after nearly two decades in the capital, I began to feel that perhaps I had done my London time.

My uncle remarked that most of us were living in London for ourselves rather than for our children. It was one of those observations that is impossible to unhear. I found myself asking a question I had somehow avoided for years: why are we still here?

I am fortunate that my work isn’t tied to a particular postcode. I run my own tailoring brand, KIPPER, and can happily do what my children call my ‘wiggling’ — the influencing side of my business — from anywhere with a decent internet connection. Unlike many families, we weren't anchored to the city by work. London was becoming harder to justify.

Life felt increasingly noisy, crowded and relentless. The children were surrounded by advertising, constant stimulation and dirty parks, all peppered with crime. There was always somewhere to be, something to do, something to buy. I found myself longing for a slower rhythm of life and, more importantly, a childhood that felt more like a childhood: carefree and creative. To my surprise, the place I had spent years resisting suddenly became the place I wanted to be.

Ned, characteristically, never pushed me. Looking back, I think he understood that I needed to arrive at this decision myself, otherwise my horns would be permanently out! Once I did, everything shifted. We spent the next two years preparing for the move, which in hindsight was one of the greatest gifts we could have given ourselves. By the time moving day actually arrived, there were no doubts, no dramatic last-minute tantrums and, thankfully, no chorus of ‘Do we have to leave London?’

Our situation was slightly unusual because we already knew where we were going to live. We weren't endlessly scrolling property websites or debating counties over dinner.

A wise family chum once told me that it takes at least a year to settle somewhere new. Armed with that advice we were off to Wales, and not pit-stopping anywhere on the way. We had an extraordinary amount of help from my parents-in-law with the renovations to make the move happen. It was agreed that we would move into a house in the village, before the ‘big house’ move. And then, in time, a swap would happen. Like many people leaving London, I had friends who dreamed of making the same leap. The challenge was never deciding to leave; it was deciding where to go.That, I now realise, was our great stroke of luck.

Our house sits on the edge of a very sweet village and has everything one could hope for: a post office, a butcher, a tea room, a church and two pubs. We are tucked away just far enough to feel wonderfully private, yet close enough to feel connected.

One of my greatest fears before moving was that I would feel as though I were missing out. London has a remarkable ability to make you believe that all exciting things happen within the M25. What I hoped we would gain was time. Time with family. Time with friends. Time to actually finish a conversation. I remember meeting a girlfriend for coffee in London. She was running late, I had another meeting afterwards and, between the two of us, we managed perhaps 20 minutes together before rushing off in opposite directions. In Wales, friends could come for the weekend. Children could disappear into the garden and climb trees. Margaret and Marigold could live their best lives, wandering freely through the woods. We could cook long lunches and simply enjoy ourselves. There would be no need to keep a constant eye on the clock.

In our new life, I saw chickens, alpacas, more dogs and perhaps even a Shetland pony, alongside a vegetable garden. All of this remains firmly on our wish list. I saw muddy boots and children returning home stained purple from blackberry picking. I imagined river swims in summer and penny sweets from the village shop, which sells milk in glass bottles.

I was also excited by the prospect of creating a country home. Not simply decorating one, but building a life around it. A house with character and enough room to evolve alongside our family, and my forever-growing wardrobe! And I yearned for a front door that could be left open.

Of course, there was the practical side of things. Ned still needed to spend two nights a week in London running Not Another Bill and Bespokely. Yet that compromise felt entirely worthwhile when weighed against the life we hoped to create. I hoped there would be something rather wonderful about having the occasional evening entirely to myself. Give me my LED face mask, my decompression boots, Margaret and Marigold and an early night, and I am extremely content.

A lingering fear was loneliness. Would I miss bumping into old pals? Spontaneous luncheons with my sister? The familiarity of city life? Perhaps. But if I was being honest, I knew country life would suit me far more than I had ever admitted. I love entertaining. I love having a house full of people. But I also love my own company. The idea of quiet weekdays spent working, followed by weekends devoted to family and friends, sounded less like a sacrifice and more like a luxury.

If I’m being honest, my only genuine concern was the availability of a decent matcha. Fortunately, before leaving London, I taught myself how to make the perfect one at home. Thus making me an even more independent woman!

Looking back now, I realise that we had simply outgrown London. Not because there was anything wrong with it, but because we wanted something different. For years, I resisted the idea of moving to Wales. I thought I was fighting against geography, when in reality I was fighting against certainty.

Now, standing at the kitchen sink watching the comings and goings on the canal and with Margaret and Marigold living their best lives (barking at innocent canal walkers) and the children climbing a tree, sticks in hand — I believe a den is on the agenda ‚ it is hard to imagine our lives anywhere else.

London? Where is that?

Part two will be published on Friday, August 28, and part three on Friday, September 4.

There are, occasionally, houses that make you stop and stare. Not the ones often featured in the pages of this magazine; palaces and manors and halls of almost unimaginable provenance, size and history. But rather homes in special settings, decorated with care and places that you can imagine yourself living in. ‘This is the kind of place I would live in,’ you say to yourself. A window into your own future.

I’ve always liked the West Country, and I’ve always liked Gothic revival homes. I’ve always like strong pastels and cast-iron staircases. I’ve always liked the idea of living by the seaside. I don’t know much about Portishead the place but I’m a huge fan of Portishead the band. There is a lot to like about Woodside.

For sale with By Design for offers in excess of £1.5 million, Woodside can be found on Woodlands Road, right on the edge of the Bristol Channel. Built in about 1840 and listed Grade II, the property retains so much of its sensational historical character, but as you can see from the wonderful photos, has been modernised sympathetically throughout.

There’s a lot to like about Woodside. Set over three floors, the property offers five bedrooms and four reception rooms, all of which have been beautifully appointed by the current owners.

The real beauty of the property comes with its quirks. The principal bedroom suite comes with two terraces, one of which can be found in the bedroom and the other in the en-suite bathroom. A balcony can be found attached to the reception room on the second floor, which comes with a spiral staircase that leads down to the garden. There is also an ‘office pod’, which is ideal for the home workers among us.

But enough about the inside, because the outside is equally as elegant. Secluded, but not isolated, Woodside is just that, sandwiched between the Bristol Channel and a sublime leafy setting behind. As the photographs show, the sunsets must be magical.

Portishead itself is on the doorstep (not that you could tell) as are the many amenities on offer from this seaside town. Bristol itself is a 20-minute drive, and the airport is within 10 miles. The Portishead railway is scheduled to reopen by 2028, with direct services to Bristol Temple Meads.

Woodside is for sale with By Design for offers in excess of £1.5 million. For more information and pictures, click here.

The River Ardle valley in Highland Perthshire, once the hunting ground of the kings of Scotland, is a quietly dramatic landscape of heather hills and open moorland giving way to rolling farmland, riverside pastures and banks of native woodland. It provides a colourful seasonal backdrop to historic, 2,018-acre Balvarran estate near Enochdhu in Strathardle, now for sale for ‘offers over £5.25 million’ through the Edinburgh office of Strutt & Parker.

The property has been owned on and off from the late 18th century to the present day by the Stormonth Darling family and has been a much-loved and cared-for family home. However, it is little known even by those familiar with the local lively sporting scene, observes selling agent Robert McCulloch, who describes it as ‘a hidden gem of an estate’.

Balvarran, 12 miles north-east of Pitlochry, was the ancient home of the Barons Reid from 1554, when the Earl of Atholl granted the lands of Inverchroskie to John Reid, the 4th Baron, who built his house there and named it Balvarran, which means ‘township of the baron’.

The 7th Baron built the oldest part of the present house, which was completed in 1641. However, despite paying his dues to the Royalist Earl of Atholl, he was arbitrarily fined under punitive measures instituted by the English Parliament, which saw Balvarran set on fire by the Marquess of Montrose and his troops in 1644.

The last of the Reids to own Balvarran was the 15th Baron, Gen John Reid, during whose lifetime the estate was put into a trust, with James Stormonth of Lednathie one of several trustees. As the sole surviving trustee, Stormonth sold Balvarran in 1776 to a fellow lawyer, but retained an option to buy it back, which he did in 1781, establishing a new trust for the benefit of the Darling family in 1805. Balvarran was later sold again, before returning to Stormonth’s descendants in 1864, following its acquisition by his great-great-nephew, Moir, Lord Stormonth Darling, a former Solicitor General for Scotland.

The expansion and embellishment of the house, which is now listed Category B, followed in 1895 with the addition of a new porch and billiards room, together with kennels and stables designed by eminent Scottish architect Sir Robert Lorimer. Further improvements took place in the 1960s and the late 1980s, with the addition of an additional reception room and an indoor swimming pool.

Built of stone under pitched slate roofs, the house stands more than 1,000ft above sea level, overlooking lush lawns fringed by rhododendrons and azaleas with the main façade facing south-west across Strathardle.

A striking feature of the exterior is its colour, which reflects its original iron-oxide lime render, a rarity among traditional Scottish country houses. The accommodation is laid out over two main floors with attics above and includes a large kitchen/breakfast room, five good reception rooms (one the billiards room), nine bedrooms and six bathrooms, plus an office, gun room, flower room, plant/boiler room and temperature-controlled wine cellar.

Additional dwellings comprise the original coach house and six further houses and cottages. The land holding is some 55 acres of permanent pasture, 189 acres of rough grazing, 98 of woods, 1,651 of hill ground and 25 of roads and buildings. For fieldsports devotees, there is grouse- shooting on the hill ground; this is managed on a light-touch basis and allows for a few days of walked-up shooting for modest, but hard-earned bags. There is no formal shoot, although the woods and game crops offer scope to develop driven game shooting in the future.

A relatively high deer population in this part of Perthshire means that Balvarran provides unusually prolific red-deer stalking and a mile or so of salmon fishing includes several pools on the upper River Ardle — fishing can take place in appropriate spate conditions during the second half of the season.

For more information on this property visit Strutt & Parker's website.

This feature originally appeared in the August 12, 2026, print edition of Country Life. Click here for more information on how to subscribe.

It’s a question we have all asked ourselves. ‘If you could live in a big windmill, by the seaside, would you do it?’ Surely, there can only be one answer, which is: yes. Who wouldn’t want to live in a big windmill by the sea? It is surely the very essence of the English ideal.

Here is a big windmill by the sea that you could live in, if you like. It is in Cley-next-the-Sea, and it is for sale with Strutt & Parker for the very reasonable sum of £2.65 million. There are, as you might expect, lots of nice views from the windmill, and Cley is one of the county’s better seaside villages, as you can discover by reading Patrick Galbraith’s essay on learning about the lives of the people who live there.

You might say that £2.65 million is a bit of cash for a windmill, but the property is so much more than a windmill. Over the entire complex, nine bedrooms (all en-suite) can be found, with six within the iconic mill, and three further rooms in the outbuildings and courtyard.

The property in its current form is used as a guest house and wedding venue, with plenty of local recognition and repeat business, making it a great opportunity to buy a business and hit the ground running. But I would buy the windmill to make it my home, because I have always wanted to live in a windmill and this is a hypothetical situation where I can do what I like.

The property has been carefully restored, renovated and modernised by its current owners to create a chic, comfortable, rustic and luxurious feel, combining the Grade II*-listed tower’s fascinating history with all the modern conveniences that any self-respecting 21st-century windmill owner would want. Can a windmill be considered a turnkey property? If any can, it’s this one.

The situation sees the windmill within 0.6 acres of gardens right next to the River Glaven and looking out across the marshes to the North Sea beyond. All around you is the Norfolk Coast National Landscape, with the lashings of wildlife and scenery within view in every direction from the tower. All definitely worth getting in a spin over.

Cley Windmill is for sale with Strutt & Parker for £2.65 million. For more information and pictures, click here

If I asked you to name something that floats, what would spring to mind? A boat? A paddle board, perhaps? But a house? No, me neither. Yet Formosa is exactly that: a house that floats. In fact, it is believed to be the UK’s first amphibious house.

This innovative home sits on Lock Island in the River Thames in the upmarket Buckinghamshire town of Marlow. On a normal day, Formosa rests firmly on the ground. But during a flood, it rises in its own wet dock and floats.

It’s no wonder this ambitious project caught the eye of Channel 4's Grand Designs. Presenter Kevin McCloud followed Andy and Nicki Bruce’s journey to build their flood-proof home in an episode that hit screens in 2014.

The Bruces had always dreamed of living by the river, but the steep house prices along the Thames made it difficult. So, they bought a riverside plot on Lock Island, knocked down the rundown bungalow that sat on the land, and set about building a new home from scratch.

But this was no mean feat. For starters, the flood-proof design was brand new to the UK. The island itself presented a logistical headache too: it can only be reached via a footbridge. The solution? A 46-year-old NATO pontoon from Holland — complete with an instruction manual in German. This was transformed into a chain ferry to shuttle equipment and materials between the mainland and the island.

It was, at times, a rocky road. In McCloud’s words, the couple were ‘beset with misfortune and logistical adversity like no other project I can remember’. And that’s quite something coming from McCloud, who has fronted the popular TV show since 1999.

But Andy and Nicki got there in the end. You’ve got to admire their ambition and tenacity. The question is, does this gutsy design actually stand up to the test? The answer appears to be a resounding ‘yes’. During flooding in 2019-20, the house ‘rose and fell exactly as intended, a quiet triumph of design over disaster’, according to Baca Architects, which designed Formosa, which is now on the market for £2,500,000 via Hamptons.

Putting the flood-proof design to one side, Formosa has impressive green credentials too. According to Hamptons, these include high levels of insulation, low energy systems, high-performance windows and a biodigester drainage system.

The house is a contemporary beauty in a market town that's brimming with historic buildings. It is all clean lines and vast slabs of glass, including an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling bifold doors. After all, with a riverbank setting like that, why wouldn’t you?

The interiors are understated, with engineered wood floors and neutral-coloured walls and cupboards, allowing the river views to take centre stage, says Hamptons. The three-storey house has a slightly topsy-turvy layout, designed to make the most of the setting.

The ground floor comprises two bedrooms (one with an ensuite) at the front of the house and a large living space, incorporating the kitchen as well as dining and sitting areas, at the back. This light and bright part of the home offers stunning views of the river.

On the lower ground floor, there’s a rather versatile-sounding ‘cinema/games room/bedroom’, a utility room, another bedroom and a bathroom. Meanwhile, the whole of the first floor is dedicated to the main bedroom, complete with a dressing room and a bathroom featuring a sauna and steam room.

Outside, the garden steps down to the river, where there’s a private mooring. And a pergola acts as a ‘virtual’ room. Andy says: ‘We love living on the River Thames in Marlow. Eleven years ago, we were given the opportunity to build something really special, and Formosa is just that. You might recognise it as the “amphibious house” from Grand Designs. It allows us to live right on the river without any risk of flooding. It’s given us the most peaceful spot and beautiful family home, yet it's just a 400-metre stroll into Marlow High Street.’

Charles Wellbelove, an associate director at Hamptons, adds: ‘Built on a specially engineered hull and joists, [Formosa] offers the reassurance of waterside living without the concerns that typically accompany it.

‘Beyond its remarkable design credentials, Formosa enjoys an exceptional setting on a private island community and is just a short walk from the popular town of Marlow. I have sold many beautiful riverside homes over the years but never one that floats!’

Formosa is for sale via Hamptons — see more details here.

The earliest residents of Great Budbridge Manor, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book, can be traced back to the reign of Henry III. William Urry owned the property on the Isle of Wight, which is for sale with Strutt & Parker for £2 million, in 1280, and his son Robert would be convicted of murdering the constable of Carisbrooke Castle.

Things are altogether more serene these days at this eight-bedroom Jacobean manor house with a carved-stone arched entrance dated 1668. The formal reception rooms benefit from views of the garden, including the dual-aspect drawing room and the dining room, which has eye-catching exposed beams and high ceilings.

Great Budbridge Manor, set in the Arreton Valley between the town of Newport and the south-east coast of the island, enjoys 8½ acres and has ponds (including an ancient carp pond).

There is also a partially walled garden in which grow roses and fig trees, a vegetable garden, areas of lawn and meadows that border the Eastern Yar river.

Beyond the main house is a two-storey coach house, a tithe barn and an office building.

In total the properties have eight bedrooms, three bathrooms and five sitting rooms. The Grade II-listed home also has ample oak flooring, exposed beams and impressive fireplaces, as well as an Aga and bread oven.

Great Budbridge Manor is on the market with Strutt & Parker — see more details.

This feature originally appeared in the August 12, 2026, issue of Country Life. Click here for more information on how to subscribe.

If there’s one thing that the Scots do well, better than anyone you might argue, it’s build castles that look like castles. By that, I mean buildings awash with turrets, towers and floors that don’t really line up in a straight line. Not only do they build them well, they build them bountifully.

It is the fantasy of many to get themselves a slice of the action. Should you be one such person with one such fantasy, then look no further. Annabel Blackett of Strutt & Parker seeks ‘offers over £950,000’ for picturesque, 16th-century Category A-listed Allardice Castle, set in three acres of lovely gardens and grounds overlooking the Bervie Water, two miles north-west of Inverbervie on the north-east coast of Scotland.

Historically, many of these castles remain family heirlooms of former clan chiefs or Victorian industrialists, so it is rare that they come on the market. But when they do, it is always worth having a browse online and imagining yourself roaming your very own halls of power.

Allardice Castle is listed grade A, and can trace its roots all the way back to the 16th century, when it was the chief seat of the Barons of Allardice, who first appeared in a charter from 1197. Are they any relation to Big Sam Allardyce? We can’t know for sure, but this is very much the kind of house I can see him living in. I digress.

Dating from 1542, the castle has undergone many changes and alterations over the years, which is to be expected, considering those years run into the hundreds. Most importantly were those made at the end of the 19th century, which turned the castle from a fortified keep and tower house and into a family home.

Beautifully restored by the current owners, who bought it in the 1970s, the castle, built of harled stone under a slate roof, offers 4,553sq ft of comfortable accom- modation on four floors, including spiral staircases, a vaulted entrance hall, three fine reception rooms, a library, home office, six bedrooms and three bathrooms. It goes without saying that each room, each stair, each floorboard and every window is lashed with centuries of history and character. There is no grey furniture here.

Alas, the many lands of Allardice have somewhat shrunk in recent years, and the castle now comes with three acres of gardens and grounds, which lead down to the Berview Water — the castle benefits from riparian fishing rights.

Situated south of Aberdeen, the castle is only a few miles from the coastal town of Inverbervie, which also provides plenty of amenities within easy reach. Heading west will take you into the glories of the Cairngorms in no time, a delight for those who enjoy walking, hiking, or the many other kinds of adventurous activity that can be found in the UK’s largest national park.

Allardice Castle is for sale with Strutt & Parker for offers over £950,000. For more information and pictures, click here.

Buckinghamshire – £3.5 million

Prestigious and Milton Keynes are not two things that usually go together, but The Old Rectory on Shenley Road certainly shows that to be untrue. A finer rectory you will struggle to find.

The home, listed Grade II, features seven bedrooms, seven bathrooms and eight reception rooms, and has been restored and refurbished to an exceptionally high standard. Amenities include an office, cinema and gym, as well as 1.8 acres of gardens and grounds. Heavenly.

For sale via Michael Graham — see more details and pictures.

Wiltshire – £2.25 million

With 118 acres, Fox Mill Farm is just that, centred around a beautiful four-bedroom home in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside.

With 118 acres, Fox Mill Farm is just that, centred around a beautiful four-bedroom home in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside.

For sale via Savills — see more details and pictures.

Norfolk – £2.65 million

Recently mentioned in Patrick Galbraith's beautiful feature about Cley next the Sea, Grade II*-Listed Cley Windmill is one of the most iconic landmarks on the north Norfolk coastline.

It's also got potential to become a stunning family home, restored and currently run as a guest house and wedding venue. With 10 bedrooms and nine reception rooms, it's a considerable property that yearns for a new lease of life.

For sale via Strutt & Parker — see more details and pictures.

Isle of Man – £8 million

Dating from 1813, Kirby Park is a distinguished historical home just outside of Douglas on the Isle of Man. It features all the trimmings: a gatehouse and extended drive, 48 acres of land and a glorious country home at its centre.

The main house features 10 bedrooms and a wealth of grand reception rooms, and a variety of outbuildings include a gate lodge of two bedrooms. The River Dhoo meanders through the estate, with double-bank trout fishing on offer.

For sale via Knight Frank — see more details and pictures.

West Sussex – £3.65 million

We've long been big fans of Arts & Crafts, and Skyfall in Prinsted is a fine coastal example.

The property has been completed to a stunning specification, with five bedrooms, five bathrooms and 5,000sq ft of space, it's not just a seaside retreat, but a glorious family home that mixes heritage and contemporary comfort with ease.

For sale via Strutt & Parker — see more details and pictures.

Property listings are often pretty functional affairs. How many bedrooms does it have? Is it near the station? What is the kitchen like?

Every so often, though, you'll come across a rare outbreak of poetry, and it's all the more delightful for being unexpected. And that's what we have today in the case of Argyronisos, a private island for sale at €35 million (about £30 million) through Engel & Völkers:

'60 acres of rolling hills, ancient olive trees, cypress groves, wildflowers, and small, idyllic private coves surrounded by shimmering azure waters,' reads the blurb supplied by agent George Ioannou. 'Here, the journey begins long before you step ashore; it starts as the mainland recedes and the rhythm of life slows down to match the whispering tide.'

I can feel my blood pressure lowering just re-reading this paragraph. If this is what Greek islands are like, no wonder Odysseus raised heaven and earth to get back to his.

This dot on the map sits in the northern Aegean, between the northern tip of Euboea — also known as Evia, the second-largest island in Greece — and the mainland itself. It's a breathtaking slice of paradise, with woodland and olive groves running across the island down to the craggy cliffs, and an impossibly romantic lighthouse at one end.

There is also a deep water dock and a handful of small beaches dotted about the island, all of which arae unspoilt, natural and rocky rather than open and spacious.

That's the vibe here: this is not a place for those who love great expanses of sand, but instead a calm retreat from the world, a place of seclusion and privacy, a happy little enclave where you can sit back and feel the spinning of the earth beneath your feet.

Argyronisos has been in the same family since 1961, spending much of that time as a family home, but more recently it's been run as a luxurious retreat which has, according to the agents, 'welcomed globally renowned entrepreneurs, artists, and prominent figures who sought out Argyronisos not for ostentatious display, but for the rarest luxury in the modern world: absolute, uninterrupted privacy.'

What happens next here will be for the new owners to decide, but there's plenty of scope for all sorts of uses. The island has 11 separate stone buildings across its space, including a main residence and separate villa which are modest and tasteful both in size and appearance, with the whitewashed walls highlighted by classic Greek blue-framed windows and shutters.

Elsewhere on the island you'll find stone cottages, an olive house and an ancient chapel, as well as a that looks like the sort of yoga studio you'd see in an episode of The White Lotus.

The island is also largely self-sufficient. Solar panel installations provide all the power needs for the island, though there is also a back-up generator

Argyronisos is for sale at €35 million through Engel & Völkers — see more details:

You don’t need to have seen The Parent Trap to appreciate the Mary Poppins-esque beauty of Egerton Terrace — but it helps. The 1998 movie, starring a young Lindsay Lohan as twins Annie and Hallie, selects this as the site of Elizabeth’s home (the twins’ mother, played by Natasha Richardson), and of the family butler Martin’s. It is, fittingly, the sort of street where one imagines some of the houses still do have a butler.

A tributary of Chelsea’s Egerton Crescent, frequently named the most expensive street in the country, Egerton Terrace is, in fact, a cul-de-sac, with handsome stuccoed houses lined up opposite one another until they reach a wall with a green lamppost.

The land on which this all sits was originally occupied by a mansion named Brompton Grange. By 1843, its proprietor — the opera singer John Braham — was facing financial difficulties. The trustees of the Smith’s Charity, which owned the land itself, decided to demolish the building to free up six acres. There, they built crescents, gardens and terraces in the contemporary style.

Egerton Terrace is named after one of the trustees: 19th-century statesman and arts patron, Francis Egerton, 1st Earl of Ellesmere. The road appears to be tree-lined until you notice that these are all contained within front gardens. Several are topiaried by the families who live here, and conceal far greater gardens to the rear of the properties.

No doubt the grandest of all is hidden behind Numbers 39 and 41: the two end-of-terrace homes that have been knocked together to form one, double-fronted house. In London’s current property market, this has to be the standout. It is for sale with Knight Frank for £35 million.

The garden is over 10,000 square feet — one of the largest in Zone One, with scope for further landscaping — and the internal floor area of the house is not far behind, at roughly 7,300 square feet: a paean to its manor house past. The interiors whisper more than they shout, imparting classic shibboleths of wealth. Vast proportions do most of the talking. A gym and a study accompany the seven en-suites.

Large windows frame views of the garden, while a yellow awning shelters the south-facing living room from the glare of the summer sun. Parking abounds, and Knightsbridge and South Kensington stations are both within easy reach.

Right on the doorstep are some of the city’s most celebrated sites: the V&A Museum, Natural History Museum, and Brompton Oratory. Hyde Park is a ten-minute walk away. It doesn’t get much grander than this.

Egerton Terrace is for sale with Knight Frank for £35 million. For more information and images, click here.

It’s been some time since I have written about property for Country Life dot co dot uk. Life moves on, people change, you move up and down and sideways across the corporate ladder. But what has remained, what will always remain, is my enduring desire to go and live in a small house in the middle of nowhere in rural England, where I will write the Next Great American Novel. Of Dormice and Men. It’s a working title, but you get the idea.

In between the meetings and the calendar invites and the whirlpools of circling back, I still browse the websites of esteemed estate agents when the corporate machine allows, looking for this small slice of rural England where I can grow old and go mad.

I am not talking about some kind of traveller’s caravan and I am far too chic for ‘off-grid living’. I need the internet, running water, a heating system and electricity. Probably a driveway too, on the rare occasion I venture out. I need a nice view, and land to walk around in. I just need it to be compact, stylish, and uncomplicated. I need it to be Barton Meadow Lodge, basically.

Barton Meadow Lodge is a one bedroom, one bathroom, one sitting room, one kitchen home with big french windows and 4.9 acres of wildflower meadows and grounds in an unspoilt edge of the Cotswolds. It is for sale for £1 million with the Blue Book Agency.

The unspoilt edge of the Cotswolds is more accurately described as Guiting Power, equidistant between Cheltenham and Stow-on-the-Wold. A historic village, in a historic part of the country, it would be easy to assume that Barton Meadow Lodge has been here forever, but alas despite its rustic, lived-in feel, it is altogether more contemporary.

Not that you could tell of course, with a Plain English kitchen working in concert with intentionally stressed (but actually new) oak flooring. Christopher Howe, that famed London antiques dealer, has handled much of the interiors, giving the entire space a feeling of uncommon beauty and bohemian taste. In short, if you can’t get inspired here, then you will not be inspired anywhere.

Should the interiors not be enough, the gardens and grounds certainly complete the ideal. The gardens, which are principally wildflower meadow, run down to a babbling brook (where else would they lead), and there are plenty of places to sit, stand, lay down and enjoy the trees and grass swaying in the breeze. It is a garden for all seasons.

Barton Meadow feels like the kind of place where an email actually would find you well. Or perhaps a place where an email would never find you at all.

Barton Meadow Lodge is for sale with Blue Book for £1 million. For more information and pictures, click here.