A glorious thatched five-bedroom family home in one of Oxfordshire's most sought-after villages

(Image credit: Savills)

published 11 September 2024

They say you should dress not for the job you have, but for the job you want. Naturally, you should express some restraint and not, for example, turn up to your job doing spreadsheets for the local bank while wearing an astronaut's helmet. Nor indeed should you turn up to your job as an astronaut wearing a lounge suit; you’ll quickly run out of air and your head might explode. Or is it implode? Either way, it probably wouldn't be good.

The property in full. Definitely too big for a hobbit.

I digress. In a similar vein to the previous paragraph, I think we should endeavour to live in houses that express desired moods. A house like, for example, Merrythought, which is for sale with Savills for £1.425 million. Despite sounding a bit like a home for a hobbit, it is much bigger than that, I can assure you.

The elegant garden room with its folding doors.

There is much about Merrythought that will make you, well, merry. An enchanting, detached, unlisted property in the sought-after Oxfordshire village of Great Haseley. Originally built in the 1700s, the property was extended in 2004 and rethatched in 2016.

The spacious kitchen and breakfast room.

In all, 3,000sq ft of contemporary and period accommodation that offers five bedrooms over two floors. Plus south facing gardens. Very merry indeed.

The south-facing gardens really are spectacular. The roof was also re-thatched in 2016.

Set under thatch, the property boasts plenty of period features such as exposed beams, original stone walls and fireplaces. On the ground floor, you’ll find the open plan dining/drawing room, as well as a large kitchen, study, and snug.

The first-floor hallway from which the bedrooms are accessed.

The aforementioned extension contains a utility room, garden room with folding doors and a further en-suite bedroom above it. Four further bedrooms, including the principal bedroom suite, are on the first floor of the original property.

The principal bedroom suite with its mildly voyeuristic bathroom.

The garden is compact and pretty, with landscaped rear lawned areas complemented by well stocked borders, and a garden gate leading to a path over which Merrythought has right of way.

The garden-room extension and extra bedroom is sympathetic to the original house. Did we also mention there's a well? There's a well.

The village of Great Haseley is impressive for the number of amenities it offers, which include an original stone windmill (just for looking at), a church, La Table d’Alix restaurant, village hall and a tennis and cricket club.

Merrythought is for sale with Savills for £1.425 million. For more information and pictures, click here.

Credit: Lillicrap Chilcott/Jefferys

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James Fisher is the Digital Commissioning Editor of Country Life. He writes about motoring, travel and things that upset him. He lives in London. He wants to publish good stories, so you should email him.

Country houses for sale

A four bedroom house on the River Fowey that rose from the ruins of the English Civil War