City workers who operate across multiple time zones in the increasingly competitive global financial marketplace are conscious of the need, in times of crisis, to be at their desks at any time of day or night — hence the attraction of train-journey times to London King’s Cross or St Pancras International as short as 20 minutes from Stevenage or 30 minutes from Hitchin.
If that strikes a chord with you, Mark Rimell of Strutt & Parker’s country department has a house which might tick that box: Crunnells Green House. Sitting in the ancient, rural Hertfordshire village of Preston, which stands on a ridge of the Chiltern Hills, four miles from Hitchin and seven miles from Stevenage, this lovely home is fresh to the market with a guide price of £3.25m.
Built in the style of Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1919, the classic Arts-and-Crafts house, which is unlisted, combines typically light and spacious reception rooms, each notable for its high ceilings and large windows, which allow the passage of maximum light.
The drawing room is particularly elegant, with its large open fireplace and original herringbone wood-block floor, which has been restored here and throughout much of the house.
Upstairs, the first-floor bedroom suite has been remodelled by the owners to provide a large bedroom with an ensuite bathroom and dressing room, each of which enjoys views of the Jekyll-esque gardens, which are arranged as a series of rooms and studded with rare exotic trees.
In all, the house offers some 4,000sq ft of accommodation, including four reception rooms, five bedrooms and a family bathroom.
An extensive range of outbuildings could be incorporated into the main house to provide additional living space, subject to planning consent.
Crunnells Green House is for sale at £3.25 million — see more details and pictures.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
-
Sign of the times: In the age of the selfie, what’s happening to the humble autograph?When Ringo Starr announced that he was no longer going to sign anything, he kickstarted a celebrity movement that coincided with the advent of the camera phone and selfie. Rob Crossan asks whether, in today’s world, the selfie holds more clout than an autograph?
-
Puffins, the world's smelliest fruit and Einstein's socks: Country Life Quiz of the Day, April 30, 2025Wednesday's Quiz of the Day wonders if you know what an 'interrobang' is.
-
About time: The fastest and slowest moving housing markets revealedNew research by Zoopla has shown where it's easy to sell and where it will take quite a while to find a buyer.
-
A wisteria clad hall built by one of the founders of the Bank of EnglandCome for the history of Old Hall. Stay for the interesting interiors.
-
A gorgeous Scottish cottage with contemporary interiors on the bonny banks of the River TayCarnliath on the edge of Strathtay is a delightful family home set in sensational scenery.
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country LifeWe take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producersStormzy, Rihanna and the Rolling Stones are just a part of the story at Osea Island, a dot on the map in the seas off Essex.
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in KentNorth Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
-
A rare opportunity to own a family home on Vanbrugh Terrace, one of London's finest streetsThis six-bedroom Victorian home sits right on the start line of the London Marathon, with easy access to Blackheath and Greenwich Park.
-
A tale of everyday life as lived on Britain's most expensive streetWinnington Road in Hampstead has an average house price of £11.9 million. But what's it really like? Lotte Brundle went to find out.
