If you’ve arrived at this website, and on this page, you’d probably agree that the idea of living in a big country house with incredible gardens and a spectacular setting is one of life’s great goals.
Ideas, though, are one thing. Realities can be a little different, and it has to be said that while spectacular settings look after themselves, huge houses and incredible gardens take a bit of work. Quite a bit of work indeed.
There is a solution which pops up from time to time, though, which makes the burden of sweeping grounds and private drives a bit more manageable: go for a home that is a chunk of what was originally a bigger country house.
Exactly such a home is on the market at the moment right now in the form of The East Wing at Withinlee, on the market at £1.395m in one of the most sought-after spots in England: the Cheshire village of Prestbury.
While you don’t get the entire house to yourself, The East Wing is plenty big enough for all but the biggest households. It’s a 4,300sq ft, six-bedroom home with far-reaching views over the neighbouring countryside from an elevated position.
Inside, the décor is undeniably dated, but the house is in a good state of repair, with the highlight of the ground floor probably the 23ft drawing room with huge bay window. There’s also a study, dining room and a further sitting, with four bedrooms on the first floor and two more bedrooms on the second floor.
A substantial conservatory extends off a long kitchen/breakfast room that overlooks an area of lawn, from where steps lead past a series of flower beds to an attractive circular parterre split into eight segments.
The setting is just as special as you could hope for. The house stands has about 1½ acres of south-facing landscaped gardens, accessed via long drive whose upkeep is shared with the neighbours. And if you want more space to roam? The National Trust-owned Alderley Edge woodland is nearby, and ideal for walks.
Some buyers, of course, will always prefer their own little corner of the world, away from others. But for those seeking an easier way to enjoy country house life, homes like this have a huge amount to offer.
The East Wing is for sale via Jackson-Stops at £1.395 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
-
For Rita Konig, interior design isn’t only about coherence and comfort — it should be a celebration of stuffGiles Kime charts the transatlantic career of the eclectic journalist-turned-designer.
-
A heartbreakingly pretty old rectory in the idyllic Cotswolds valley that offers charm, beauty, sophistication and a fast train to LondonPenny Churchill takes a look at the Old Rectory in Charlbury, which has become available for the first time in almost 35 years.
-
A heartbreakingly pretty old rectory in the idyllic Cotswolds valley that offers charm, beauty, sophistication and a fast train to London
Penny Churchill takes a look at the Old Rectory in Charlbury, which has become available for the first time in almost 35 years.
-
The abolition of Stamp Duty: Will it happen? Could it happen? What would replace it? And what would be the impact?The Conservative Party promises to abolish Stamp Duty on primary residences if it wins the next election. We canvassed property experts from across the housing industry to see what the impact would be.
-
A home for sale in one of the most celebrated artists' enclaves in London, where David Hockney sketched and Isadora Duncan dancedThis apartment in Pembroke Studios doesn't prompt the lament 'if these walls could talk' so much as 'if these walls could dance, sing and paint.'
-
A gorgeous country estate that comes with a lifestyle business, a 17th-century ice house and some of the best fishing rights in BritainDolhaidd Mansion and its 25 idyllic acres are on the market for the first time since the end of the last century. Penny Churchill takes a look.
-
20 country homes for sale, from Somerset to Scotland, as seen in Country LifeA charming cottage in a village in Surrey at under £600,000 and a seven bedroom mansion north of the border for not much more than that make our round-up of the best homes to come up for sale via Country Life this week.
-
Splendid isolation overlooking one of Britain's tiniest towns, with a Thomas the Tank Engine-style railwayIn the hills away to the east of Welshpool you'll find Mount House, on the outskirts of the town of Llanfair Caereinion. Penny Churchill investigates.
-
Farmhouse kitchens done right at these five beautiful country houses across BritainA country house with a farmhouse kitchen is the archetype of the bucolic dream in Britain. Arabella Youens picks out five on the market right now that have wonderful examples.
-
Ella Fitzgerald's Cote d'Azur suite is now a magnificent apartment in the Art Deco hotel where Churchill, Coco Chanel and Hemingway once lived the high lifeIt's almost 50 years since the iconic Hotel Le Provençal in Cap d'Antibes closed its doors, but it's now been transformed into a wonderful Riviera residence. Anna White looks inside.
