A Victorian reservoir transformed into a sprawling underground home that's part Roman villa and part Hobbit house
A lot of houses get touted by agents as being 'unique'... but The Old Reservoir in Wharfdale really does live up to its billing.

If, come the revolution, you're looking for a home where the spotter planes commandeered by the angry mob won't notice you, we've got the ideal property today. It's called The Old Reservoir, a delightfully on-the-nose name for a house which is an old reservoir that's been converted in truly luxurious fashion. Carter Jonas are the agents, and the asking price is £1.25 million.
Going through the Hobbit-like entrance of this place, you'd never guess what lies within: it's a spacious, and remarkably light three-bedroom home.
The graceful arches and exposed stonework give the place the feel of a Roman villa — particularly in the glass-covered central courtyard.
Yet it's also decidedly modern. The house has recently been refurbished with bespoke interiors and underfloor heating powered by an air-source heat pump.
Outside you get plenty of space, with are landscaped gardens and a young wood included within the plot.
The house lies one mile outside the village of Burley in Wharfedale, on the edge of the Yorkshire moors, with a village station that can take you to Leeds or Bradford, from where London is three hours on the train. And if you need to go further afield, Leeds-Bradford Airport is less than half an hour in the car.
You can see more pictures and details here.
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What else you could buy nearby
Huge gardens, lots of period character and a rural location for £1.075 million at this house in Leathley, which has a touch of Brontë-esque charm without feeling spooky.
A few miles away from The Old Reservoir, Harrogate is full of beautiful period property. But it isn't full of beautiful period property that has a roof terrace and a location right across from The Stray, the huge park near the centre of this venerable old town. That does push the price up, unfortunately, meaning that this three-bedroom apartment is for sale at £1 million.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
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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.
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