A no-compromise forever home has come up for sale in the Cotswolds
Buying a house is always a compromise, or so goes the received wisdom. Sometimes, though, you come across a place which seems to have no obvious down-side.
Quenington House, in the Cotswolds village of Quenington — not far from Fairford — is one of those rare places which seems to tick every box.
On sale via Butler Sherborn, it's a house with a prime location in a charming village, yet comes with over three acres of gardens and grounds. It's full of 19th century charm, yet has been kept in splendid condition. It has countryside walks from the doorstep, but also a pub and a shop.
There are large rooms, plenty of light, a cellar and even a separate, self-contained cottage. The main house is set is over four floors, with elegant proportions and period features such as classic Georgian sash windows, original wooden shutters and double doors with tracery glass panels.
One the ground floor of the main house a comfortable reception space leads on to an elegant drawing room, sitting room and dining room.
There's also a large kitchen/breakfast room housed in a part of the house once converted from a barn, with an Aga and a mezzanine floor used as a study.
There is an en-suite master bedroom, two further bedrooms and a family bathroom on the first floor, while the second floor has two more bedrooms, each of which has access to a large attic space.
As lovely as the house is, for our money the gardens are an even greater draw. There is a mix of lawns and fields, spectacular borders, topiary, a walled garden area, summer house and a divided-off lawn which looks very much as if it was once either a tennis court or a bowls green. It's nothing short of idyllic.
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Quenington itself is a small village of around 600 people with the River Colne weaving its way through, while very close by — under a mile — is another village, Coln St Aldwyns.
The charming little market town of Fairford is only a couple of miles away, with a 12th century church that is rightly famous for having some of the finest medieval stained glass in the country.
This is a beautiful area full of wonderful homes — which brings us to what might be the only downside of Quenington House: the price of £2.65 million. Once you're fishing in this particular pool in this part of the world, you'll find larger houses, houses with hundred-plus acre holdings, and houses with hundreds of years of history that boast tennis courts and swimming pools. You'll be spoilt for choice — but good luck deciding.
Quenington House is for sale at £2.65 million — see more details and pictures.
Where to live in the Cotswolds: A guide to choosing the perfect spot
Where in the Cotswolds should you move to? The answer will depend on what is more important to you and
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
Toby Keel is Country Life's Digital Director, and has been running the website and social media channels since 2016. A former sports journalist, he writes about property, cars, lifestyle, travel, nature.
-
The trench coat is a British fashion icon that’s been worn by everyone from brave World War soldiers to Sex and the City’s Samantha JonesThe trench coat did not originate in the trenches, says Amie Elizabeth White, but it was greatly influenced by the World Wars, and was sported by a host of film and TV stars.
By Amie Elizabeth White Published
-
1,000 issues and counting: Editor-in-chief Mark Hedges on the Country Life PodcastMark Hedges has been editor of Country Life for 1,000 issues — and not far short of 20 years.
By James Fisher Published
-
The quaint Alpine village that got taken over by The BeatlesThe Beatles visited the Austrian resort of Obertauern to film their 1965 film Help!. Despite a distinct lack of prowess on the slopes, the Fab Four got by with a little help from some new-found friends, discovers Russell Higham.
By Russell Higham Published
-
The ultimate treehouse escape, where you can have a sauna and hot tub 12 metres above the forest floor, is for sale in DorsetGuy Mallinson's award-winning treehouses in Dorset are a true escape from the world. Anna White takes a look.
By Anna White Published
-
20 breathtaking country homes for sale, as seen in Country LifeWe take a look at some of the finest houses to come to market via Country Life in the past week.
By Toby Keel Published
-
The elegant country home of a motor racing daredevil who drove round the world in a 1936 Bentley and crashed a Range Rover into his own front porchPeasemore House, with its collection of barns, workshops, stables and more, is an ideal home from which to plan an adventure — something that was a passion of its present owners. Penny Churchill explains more.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
The wisteria clad cottage where Noël Coward and Ivor Novello held court at the height of their fameThe 17th-century Follejon Cottage just outside Windsor was a perfect escape from the city for Noël Coward and his circle of friends. As it goes on the market, Penny Churchill takes a look.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
A Cotswolds property that's the strangest mix of old and new we've ever seen... and yet somehow, it all worksThe Gasworks is a house quite unlike anything you've seen before — or at least anything you've seen all in one place. Toby Keel takes a closer look.
By Toby Keel Published
-
A country house near Windsor that could be straight from the pages of a Jilly Cooper novelPenny Churchill looks at the beautiful polo-lover's sanctuary that is Barkham Square Park.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
The factory that once fuelled the Victorians' insatiable appetite for pianos has become a set of gorgeous, characterful apartmentsChappell & Co were a huge name in 19th century music, even working with Beethoven. Today, one of their old factories in Camden has become a series of beautiful apartments.
By Toby Keel Published
