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
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
-
The dream home that never was for one of Britain's greatest film stars, back on the market for the first time in half a centuryAnna White takes a look at the beautiful Wallers Mead, in the Buckinghamshire village full of links to Hollywood movies from James Bond to Star Wars.
-
Country Life Quiz of the Day, September 16, 2025 gets Brutal(ist)Divisive architecture is among the themes of today's quiz questions.
-
The dream home that never was for one of Britain's greatest film stars, back on the market for the first time in half a century
Anna White takes a look at the beautiful Wallers Mead, in the Buckinghamshire village full of links to Hollywood movies from James Bond to Star Wars.
-
A 500-year-old cottage in West Sussex that's as beautiful as you could ever hope to see, with a pool ringed by flowers, stables and a croquet lawnJames Fisher was in need of some balm for the soul when he came across Woodshill House.
-
A Clarkson's Farm of one's own: Five properties with just enough farmland for you and your family, from under £1 millionMoving to the country is one thing; moving to the country and being able to grow and rear all your own food is another level entirely, and all these properties offer exactly that.
-
Six superb homes, from chocolate box cottages to grand Tudor mansions, as seen in Country LifeOur regular round-up includes charming home counties houses and superb grand country house in Ireland.
-
A billionaire's thatched cottage is for sale in Surrey, once owned by the oil magnate J. Paul GettyChestnut Cottage is a joyous little home — albeit one with the most unusual bedrooms to acreage to price balances we've ever seen. Toby Keel takes a look inside.
-
Medieval Italian? 19th century French? 16th century German? You're spoilt for choice if you're looking to buy a gorgeous continental castleFrom hills of Italy to a Bavarian palace, Toby Keel takes a look at three of the finest castles for sale across Europe today.
-
How to buy a house at auctionBuying at auction can mean you secure your dream property for a bargain price, but preparation is the key
-
The homes of two 1980s TV icons are both up for sale at the same timeThe houses where Bob Monkhouse and Sir Terry Wogan spent decades of their lives are currently on the market. Annabel Dixon takes a look.
