Buyers of The Old Rectory at Woolstone, on the Cotswold escarpment, will enjoy a very special view. This elegant Victorian house, which is now for sale with Knight Frank at an asking price of £2.85 million, stands on high ground overlooking Cheltenham racecourse, with the Malvern Hills and the Black Mountains in the distance.
Built in a grand manner in 1896 to replace a more modest house that was destroyed by fire, the former rectory was previously run as a successful wedding and holiday business before the present owners bought it some 14 years ago and reinstated it as a comfortable family home.
Today, the house offers more than 10,000sq ft of well-proportioned living space on three floors, including entrance and reception halls, four main reception rooms, a study and a kitchen/breakfast/family room that’s especially striking, with flagstone floors a central island with four-oven Aga and a vaulted ceiling. There are double doors at either end, one leading to a courtyard garden bounded by dry-stone walls and mature trees, the other leading to a courtyard with a fountain.
An oak staircase leads to the first floor’s six bedrooms, which include a magnificent master suite with marble fireplace, long countryside views and roll-top bath in the bathroom. Two more bedrooms are situated on the top floor.
Extensive cellars, accessed from the hall, provide ample storage space.
The lovely gardens have an ornamental pond and a wooden latticed folly. The Old Rectory also comes with a two-bedroom cottage, a useful outbuilding and a large garage.
The Old Rectory is for sale at £2.85 million via Knight Frank — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.
Woolstone: What you need to know
- Location: Woolstone is situated seven miles north of Cheltenham and six miles west of Winchcombe
- Atmosphere: Set in the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this is a peaceful village, centred on its church. It’s also within walking distance from the neighbouring village of Gotherington, which has a pub, primary school, village stores and cricket club
- Things to do: There’s peaceful countryside to enjoy locally and Cheltenham almost on the doorstep for food, literature, jazz and science festivals — as well as shopping, entertainment and National Hunt racing.
- Schools: Cheltenham has an excellent selection of independent and state schools, including Cheltenham Ladies College, Cheltenham College and Dean Close. Find more properties in the area.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
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