The end of summer always comes with a bittersweet sting; a crisp chill has suddenly filled the air, the mornings are noticeably darker — and as someone unhelpfully pointed out recently, we’ve had our last 7pm sunset until next year. The days of splashing about in outdoor swimming pools are also behind us, as bronze leaves scatter around them and temperatures threaten to numb extremities.
Nevertheless, there is plenty to enjoy with the changing seasons: a mega crop of blackberries, for starters, September sunsets and, for the likes of The Old Rectory, in the village of Westoning in Bedfordshire, a fantastic indoor pool which makes year-round swimming a top priority.
The seven-bedroom property is currently on the market via Michael Graham with a guide price of £2 million. Noted for its architectural and historical importance, the handsome, 16th century family home offers an abundance of interesting and period features, with intricate marble fireplaces, sash windows and decorate cornices.
Reception rooms are plentiful and comfortably sized, with tall ceilings and lots of natural light. The farmhouse-style kitchen is centred around a forest green Aga and features a stable door opening out to the garden beyond. Adjoining the kitchen are the dining room and utility room, while across the spacious hallway you’ll find a drawing room, sitting room (with a Queen Anne marble fireplace) and a large family room/study.
All seven bedrooms are located on the first floor, accessed via the sweeping Georgian staircase. The master is fitted as an ensuite and there are two further shared bath/shower rooms. Attic space on the second floor provides excellent storage options should you run out of space in the two workshops, garage and wood store, all of which are located outside and adjacent to the property.
The indoor pool is situated in a large ‘leisure complex', where you will also find a sauna, bathroom and utility.
The Old Rectory stands in 1.75 acres of lush verdant gardens, formed of a tennis court, rose garden; a large pond, cornfield meadow, formal lawns, herbaceous borders and mature trees.
The village of Westoning is home to a butcher, a village shop, two great pubs and a lower school. Flitwick and Harlington stations are both located two miles away and run a Thameslink service into London St. Pancras and the city.
Harlington Lower School, Westoning Lower School and Flitwick Lower School are all within a two mile radius. For secondary, there is Harlington Upper School.
The Old Rectory is currently on the market via Michael Graham with a guide price of £2 million — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
-
Baby elephants, 60s classics and David Beckham's last meal on planet earth in the Country Life Quiz of the Day, October 24, 2025Test your general knowledge this fine Thursday.
-
In the footsteps of the Beckhams: Five beautiful homes in Manchester, Miami, Madrid, London and the CotswoldsIn honour of this week's guest editor of Country Life, we take a look at some of the finest homes for sale in places that Sir David Beckham and his family have called home in the last 25 years.
-
The wisteria clad cottage where Noël Coward and Ivor Novello held court at the height of their fameThe 17th-century Follejon Cottage just outside Windsor was a perfect escape from the city for Noël Coward and his circle of friends. As it goes on the market, Penny Churchill takes a look.
-
A Cotswolds property that's the strangest mix of old and new we've ever seen... and yet somehow, it all worksThe Gasworks is a house quite unlike anything you've seen before — or at least anything you've seen all in one place. Toby Keel takes a closer look.
-
A country house near Windsor that could be straight from the pages of a Jilly Cooper novelPenny Churchill looks at the beautiful polo-lover's sanctuary that is Barkham Square Park.
-
The factory that once fuelled the Victorians' insatiable appetite for pianos has become a set of gorgeous, characterful apartmentsChappell & Co were a huge name in 19th century music, even working with Beethoven. Today, one of their old factories in Camden has become a series of beautiful apartments.
-
What £1 million buys you across Britain, from a Cornish cottage to a miniature castle in the HighlandsSprawling country houses, a mini-estate in Scotland and homes where the sea almost laps up at your feet are among the property options open to those with a seven-figure budget. Here's our pick of the best £1 million houses for sale across the land.
-
The Hampshire home of a Victoria Cross-winning British WWI ace fighter pilot is for sale, with lake, chapel and some of the best fishing rights in EnglandPenny Churchill looks at Longparish House, a north Hampshire haven on the River Test.
-
Five superb country homes, from under £1 million to £20 million, as seen in Country LifeOur look at some the best homes to come up for sale via Country Life in the past week includes a Wiltshire dream home and a vast Kent mansion that's an easy commute to the City.
-
Rock stars and the country house: Liam Gallagher's life in the Cotswolds is in the finest tradition of music A-listers, from The Beatles to BeyoncéWhat is it about the British countryside that draws A-listers from every walk of life? With Liam Gallagher's Cotswold former home on the market, Toby Keel takes a look.
