We’re not 100% convinced by the sometime stretching of the term West Country into the Cotswolds, but for the purposes of including charming Loveday’s House in our round-up, why not?
The Lovedays were a Quaker family of clothiers and farmers in Painswick and local builder John Bryan created this handsome home for them in about 1740, which is on the market today at a guide price of £1.25 million via Hamptons.
Of the five bedrooms, one adjoins a roof terrace with exceptional views over the Painswick Valley and the master could easily be siphoned off as a separate flat with its little kitchenette, shower room and extra bedroom/office above.
Carved-stone fireplaces, shuttered sash windows and Georgian cornicing abound and the four reception rooms include a library with a Clearview stove in the hearth, flanked by 18th-century niches.
As well as updating and maintaining the house, the current owner has completely redesigned the gardens, which now form rooms that flow into each other, with lawns, ponds, dry-stone walls, raised beds, woodland, terrace and loggia.
Loveday's House is currently on the market for £1.25 million via Hamptons — see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for further details.
Painswick: What you need to know
Location: Painswick is approximately 6 miles south of Gloucester, 11 miles from Cheltenham and 4 miles north of Stroud — with mainline rail services linking Stroud and London Paddington.
Atmosphere: Known as one of the most famous villages in the Cotswolds (lovingly dubbed 'the Queen of the Cotswolds') Painswick has a thriving and welcoming community with good amenities including a general store, two pubs, several cafes/restaurants and a wonderful old church which is famous due to a folk-law surrounding its 99 Yew trees.
Things to do: The Painswick Rococo Garden and Painswick Golf Course are both located within the area. Further afield, the regency spa town of Cheltenham is located to the north and offers excellent shopping facilities, is home to annual literature, science and music festivals and the National Hunt Racecourse. Nearby Stroud has an award-winning weekly farmers market plus a large Waitrose and other supermarkets. The surrounding countryside is popular with walkers and cyclists as the town sits along the Cotswold Way National Trail.
Schools: The Croft Primary School, Sheepscombe Primary School and Cranham Church of England Primary School are all rated 'good' in Ofsted reviews. North Bridge House School is a well-regarded secondary school, as is Stroud High School, Marling School and Cheltenham Ladies College.
See more property for sale in the area.
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
-
A spectacular tower for sale that's a blend of Victorian folly, architectural marvel and 21st century family homeHadlow Tower has space, and a back story of love, jealousy and intrigue.
-
Some Like (to quiz when) It Hot: Country Life Quiz of the Day heatwave special, July 11, 2025If you're struggling to keep cool — and who isn't? — our Quiz of the Day will at least take your mind off the soaring temperatures.
-
A spectacular tower for sale that's a blend of Victorian folly, architectural marvel and 21st century family home
Hadlow Tower has space, and a back story of love, jealousy and intrigue.
-
A spectacular, light-filled home on the Isle of Wight where you can see the water from practically every windowPenny Churchill takes a look at the grand and impressive Fishbourne Quay House.
-
The former stables — and recording studio for the Pet Shop Boys — transformed with a magical blend of city and country aesthetic, now seeking a new ownerIn the heart of Clerkenwell, what was once a Victorian industrial unit is now a beautiful home.
-
The Good Life 2025? A development promising 'Britain's greenest homes' blends zero carbon, organic allotments and a touch of luxury in the Kent countrysideHartdene Barns, sitting on a disused dairy farm in Kent, is a vision of what sustainable living one day mean for all of us.
-
Breathtaking views and gardens that run down to the water's edge at this delightful home in CornwallThe Garden House in Polruan sums up the appeal of waterside living. Penny Churchill steps inside.
-
A 500-acre estate that spent 11 centuries in the same family, for sale for only the second time in its historyIn the beautiful hills of north Wales the Garthewin estate has come up for sale, including a great country house once restored by the architect who created Portmeirion. Penny Churchill takes a closer look.
-
'The city has always held an important creative space within our design studio': A luxury townhouse in Tokyo, courtesy of Aston MartinA new four-storey property in the Omotesandō district is the first single home private residence by the British ultra-luxury performance brand.
-
The Mediterranean Magic of MaltaWith historic charm, picture-perfect beaches and a welcoming approach to newcomers, Malta represents an appealing option for Mediterranean property hunters. Holly Kirkwood reports.
