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
-
Merlins: Britain's smallest bird of prey is a 'swerving, zigzagging, 240mph weighted missile' that's gutsy enough to chase off a golden eagleSize doesn’t matter when it comes to the fighting spirit of the tiny merlin, a fierce parent and favoured hunting accessory of Mary, Queen of Scots.
-
The greatest moment in the life of Jessie Owens: Country Life Quiz of the Day, June 13, 2025Breathtaking athleticism and Shakespeare's birthday are among the questions in the final quiz of the week.
-
Soft tones and a sense of place: A Mayfair duplex that breaks the modern mouldA new designer-led residence at 60 Curzon in Mayfair reminds us that everything new doesn't necessarily have to look it.
-
'The very best North Yorkshire has to offer': The £25 million Kirkham EstateWith 1,103 acres and on the market for the first time in a century, we've got a new frontrunner for the sale of the year.
-
The reality of 20 years of house price rises in Britain, from the places that have had a charmed life to the spots where it's a struggle to move back homeAt first glance the ups and downs of the property market seem to even out over time — but dig in to the numbers and you'll see wild regional variations which paint a very difference picture. Annabel Dixon analyses new research which tells the story.
-
A historic Yorkshire hall, meticulously restored to its former 18th-century magnificenceWomersley Park is a masterpiece and one of Yorkshire's great historic houses. And it could be yours.
-
Rowing past dreams: An idyllic riverside home with a boathouse, croquet pitch and Olympic pedigreeThe Manor in Long Wittenham is a perfect Thames-side getaway. Comes with a free boat.
-
A bucolic Sussex home that's 'like stepping into a fairytale', yet just 30 minutes from central LondonFelmere House is a playground for nature and only 30 minutes from London.
-
Magnificent mansions across the Home Counties, from £3 million to £14 million, as seen in Country LifeA waterside dream home and a house and estate with over 1,100 years of history make our round-up this week.
-
Vibrant colours and exquisite taste make this three-bedroom London townhouse singOn Kennington's West Square, this Grade II-listed home is a monument to the discerning eye.
