A magnificent country home in Hampshire that dates back to the Jacobean period is now on the market for £5 million
With 10 bedrooms, centuries of fascinating history and a beautiful position within the South Downs National Park, South Hay House makes for a truly special property. James Fisher takes a look.


Positioned on a south-facing slope within the South Downs, South Hay House, near the villages of Binsted and Kingsley, is a characterful property that was once the home of the writer H. V. Morton, the Daily Express reporter famed for scooping The Times at the opening of the tomb of Tutankhamun.
The sprawling property is currently on the market via Hamptons with a guide price of £5 million.
Fresh from covering the opening of Tutankhamun’s tomb with Howard Carter, Morton converted the large stone-built barn and turned it into a library, linking it to the main house.
Today, the vaulted room, with its extensive shelving and lattice bay windows offers the perfect space for relaxing or entertaining.
Further interior highlights include 10 bedrooms, a wealth of period features and a south-facing vinery that opens out into the garden.
Outside, the property stands in just over eight acres of gardens and grounds; immediately to the south are the formal and kitchen gardens, as well as two paddocks, while a further paddock sits to the west.
The property can be found in the small rural hamlet of South Hay, about a mile from Binsted, where you’ll find a local primary school, the ‘Binsted Inn’ pub and a recreation ground with tennis and croquet clubs.
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
You’ll also find a village shop, post office, local pub and pre-school in the village of Kingsley, also located about a mile away. Bentley is approximately four miles from the hamlet and runs a mainline train to London Waterloo.
Slightly further afield you’ll find the historic market towns of Alton and Farnham, with a good range of shops, restaurants and weekly food markets.
South Hay House is currently on the market via Hamptons with a guide price of £5 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

James Fisher is the Deputy Digital Editor of Country Life. He writes about property, travel, motoring and things that upset him. He lives in London.
-
You’ve got to have a lot of balls: Wimbledon by numbers
How many strawberries are consumed, how many petunias purchased and just how much racket string is required at the world’s oldest tennis championships? Lotte Brundle serves up the numbers.
By Lotte Brundle Published
-
Chatsworth's winning £4 million Lottery ticket means it can restore beloved water feature
The Chatsworth House Trust will use the money from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to restore their Cascade — beloved by Alan Titchmarsh.
By Lotte Brundle Published
-
Embrace off-grid living on this Scottish island for sale, but you'll have to share it with the local seal population
A dot on the map of the west coast of Scotland has come up for sale.
By Toby Keel Published
-
18 beautiful homes, from charming cottages to a Highland mansion with unbeatable views, as seen in Country Life
Our look at some of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life in the past week includes Georgian manor houses, charming commutable homes and the grandest home in Newcastle.
By Toby Keel Published
-
The gorgeous Somerset home of the designer behind one of Glastonbury's chicest spots
The Manor in Hinton Blewitt is a glorious Georgian home that ticks every box.
By Toby Keel Published
-
826 years of history, painstaking restoration and 'a garden like no other' at this former National Trust house which has come to the market in Kent
A blooming property in Kent showcases the original garden of England. Penny Churchill takes a look.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
A wisteria-clad delight with lawns running down to the Thames at the prettiest riverside home for sale in London today
Deodar Road, near Putney High Street, offers unrivalled views of the Thames and is characterful in excess.
By James Fisher Published
-
Five of the most majestic properties for sale in Britain today, from a 1,700-acre estate to a private island, as seen in Country Life
Our look at the best homes to come to the market via Country Life this week includes some genuinely breathtaking places.
By Toby Keel Published
-
Save me: A castle on the Isle of Wight designed by James Wyatt is up for sale
Norris Castle Estate also comes with 225 acres of gardens and grounds, and needs a little TLC
By James Fisher Published
-
The 1,800-acre estate of the man who bought Stonehenge has come up for sale at £25 million
The Bapton Manor Estate, in the beautiful Cranborne Chase National Landscape, seeks a new owner. Penny Churchill takes a look.
By Penny Churchill Published