We tend to think of rivers as being solid ribbons of water, running silvery and unbroken for endless miles. That's almost never the case.
Particularly at the confluences where major tributaries meet our largest and longest waterways, the water and the land are split, rejoin and split again into a series of alternative waterways punctuated by islands. Thus it is that south-west London, where the River Wey joins up with the Thames, there are a number of islands which are self-contained homes.
Admiral Nelson owned one of these, gifted to him by a grateful nation after the Battle of the Nile (he called it Pharoah's Island). And if you fancy following in the wake of the great hero, a nearby private island is now up for sale. Trinity Island, just outside Weybridge, is a delightful spot that's on the market through Jackson-Stops at £1.25 million.
The island is small, but generous as house plots in this part of the world go: it occupies just under three quarters of an acre, accessed by its own footbridge, and with a couple of parking spots before you cross over the water. It's also quite wonderfully pretty, ringed by large, mature trees to create what has the feel of a very special enclave away from the Metropolis. It's hard to believe that this is all within a couple of dozen miles of one of Nelson's other London landmarks, Trafalgar Square.
The house that's currently on the site is a charming, wooden two-bedroom home with a design that's kept simple and sympathetic — there's almost a treehouse feel to it. The bulk of the space is taken up by an open-plan living space, but there are two bedrooms and a terrace.
If you feel the need for something grander or larger (and it's just 723 sq ft, plus a small outhouse, as things stand), planning permission is in place to rebuild, but of course buyers will have to satisfy themselves about how the agreed plans tally with their own vision.
That said, this is a property where the appeal isn't in the house itself, but rather the setting. Deer and wildfowl roam, the garden rolls away in all directions and the sound of the water running along the Wey is the soundtrack.
Trinity Island is for sale at £1.25m — see more pictures and details.
The first house built on the island given to Lord Nelson after the Battle of the Nile, with a heated swimming pool and a 90ft mooring
Sphinx, one house of a small community built on Pharoah's Island, is set on half an acre of land and
Credit: Alamy
The story behind The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is almost as fascinating as the book itself
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society has opened up the island’s charms to a new audience, finds Holly
-
Bank holidays, big churches and which country has the most timezones? Country Life's Quiz of the Day, August 22, 2025Head into the bank holiday weekend bursting with knowledge after Friday's Quiz of the Day.
-
‘Some people find it a bit daunting being faced with a big beast and a couple of utensils’: Mitch Tonks on the perfect seafood platterMitch Tonks creates the ultimate fisherman’s feast using crab, langoustines and of course, oysters.
-
Location, community and charm: the enduring desirability of London's mews housesFrom birds, to horses, to beautiful family homes, the mews of London are some of the nation's most sought-after homes. But why?
-
The distinctive and historic home that might just be 'one of Dorset’s most picturesque'Grade II*-listed Manor House, set in just under eight acres, dates from the 16th century.
-
A 17th century farmhouse in Surrey with one of Britain's oldest squash courtsFords Farm is on the market for the first time in over half a century.
-
The 15 best-value commuter towns for people working in London, according to new research from one of Britain's top estate agentsSavills have released their list of the best-value commuter towns in Britain. But do the sums add up? Toby Keel takes a look.
-
What everyone is talking about this week: Where are the new Cotswolds?The appearance of American Vice President J. D. Vance in the Cotswolds is a sure sign that they're saturated, but where else can you escape to that has the same charm?
-
19 outstanding country homes, from £450,000 to £20 million, as seen in Country LifeA spectacular country house in Yorkshire and an enormously impressive Channel Islands retreat are among the stand-out homes on the market this week.
-
Three homes down by the Thames, perfect for those who love messing about on boatsThis summer’s scorching temperatures will no doubt have endorsed the perennial appeal of Thames-side houses with frontage and private access to the river. Penny Churchill and Toby Keel pick out some prime examples.
-
A pavilion, pool and pleasure gardens at this Devon country house 'with not another building in sight'Ebberly House is a majestic country house in Devon built by one of John Soane's pupils — and as it comes to the market, it's a place Penny Churchill knows well.
