A picture-perfect Elizabethan home in a Surrey village that has aged simply beautifully
The charmingly-named By The Way is a lovely house full of character and in a great location — but is there a compromise to be made? James Fisher takes a look.

Many things age well, such as red wines, cheeses or Madonna, but few things so well as By The Way in the village of Witley, which can trace its roots back to the 16th century. It’s up for sale via Hamptons International at £835,000.
Externally, the property is still bursting with Elizabethan character, being of brick-and-timber construction, with sloped roof and mullioned windows.
Inside, period features remain, mixed in with a light touch of modernisation, including an extension to create a ground-floor bedroom suite with its own external door.
That external door will see a lot of action, as the gardens and grounds are a playground of separate areas, such as the ‘secret garden’ that is enclosed by mature beech hedges, the main lawn and a sunken garden with a well-stocked fishpond and waterfall.
There are three bedrooms as things stand, and the agents note that the master bedroom’s dressing room ‘could easily be returned to a separate 4th bedroom if needed’. The catch is that you’d need to walk through one room to get to the other, but that’s not necessarily a deal breaker for parents with small children.
The second upstairs bedroom, it has to be said, is fairly tiny: it’s currently used as a home office, and considering that it’s an L-shaped room that’s not much more than 9’x8’ that seems the best use for it.
That said, this is a pricey part of the world, between Haslemere and Godalming, and character properties are incredibly sought-after in similar villages nearby. It's especially so here given Witley’s station, easy access to the A3, wide open spaces (the National Trust-managed common is a lovely spot) and good schools. This is the age-old conundrum of trying to balance location, character, space and price.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
For sale via Hamptons International at £835,000 — see more pictures and 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
-
Name that mouse! And nine more to test you in our Quiz of the Day
Adorable rodents, a surprisingly affordable Surrey mansion and a classic Van Gogh find their place in Wednesday's quiz.
By Toby Keel Published
-
'The whiff of a McDonald’s Happy Meal has them pouring in': London, where the foxes are streets ahead
The urban fox is as much a part of the city as the red bus or St Paul's. Will this elusive animal outlast us all?
By Patrick Galbraith Published
-
How the high street can change for the better
The high street might not be dying, but it's definitely changing and in some places, it's changing for the better. So, what can the centre of town in the 21st century look like?
By Lucy Denton Published
-
A 17th century country house estate for sale in Yorkshire that's not too big and not too small
Take a look inside one of the finest private houses in the north of England that's perfectly manageable as a family house.
By Annunciata Elwes Published
-
Two-thirds of us buy a house and immediately set about refurbishing it
We spend more buying our houses than on anything else in our lives — yet the first thing we do on moving in is set about changing the place. Annabel Dixon takes a look at what we do and why.
By Annabel Dixon Published
-
Dawn Chorus: Audrey Hepburn’s Swiss villa hits the market for £17 million and research reveals that looking at art can, quite literally, help you live longer
Everything you need to know today: The Swiss home that Audrey Hepburn lived in for 30 years prior to her death is for sale, those who regularly engage with art have a 31% lower risk of dying early and an iconic Palm Beach hotel teams up with interior designer Ashley Hicks.
By Rosie Paterson Published
-
Five beautiful homes for sale around Britain, as seen in Country Life
By Toby Keel Published
-
On Devon's Saunton Sands, the future is Ferndown
This modern masterpiece, for sale with Savills, boasts 12,000sq ft of luxury contemporary living with beach views.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
A fairytale castle peeking above the treetops of Cumbria is for sale at just £2 million
Augill Castle has a wonderful backstory and a lifestyle business attached. .Annunciata Elwes tells more.
By Annunciata Elwes Published
-
A Paragraph 80 house hidden in the rich woodlands of Wadebridge
By its very definition, Trehytte will be a five-bedroom home of 'exceptional quality' built to the 'highest architectural standards'. It could be yours.
By Penny Churchill Published