An elegant family home in East Anglia's commuter sweet spot
Scotland Place near Stoke-by-Nayland is the commuter's dream: five bedrooms and an acre of beautiful gardens, and only an hour from London.


A few miles south-west of Hadleigh, close to the Suffolk/Essex border, the Ipswich office of Jackson-Stops is handling the sale, at a guide price of £2.25m, of Grade II-listed Scotland Place, near Stoke-by-Nayland.
Colchester is eight miles away, which makes it, say agents, ‘much sought after by buyers who find Chelmsford too pricey, whereas for London workers who need to commute more than two or three days a week, Ipswich can be seen to be too far out. Being bang in the middle, Colchester and its environs offer the best of both worlds’.
Described in its listing as ‘a timber-framed and plastered house of 16th/17th-century origin’, Scotland Place was ‘considerably altered in the 18th century’ when a brick cross wing was added to the rear, followed by a later addition to the west.
The house was further renovated in the 20th century. It stands in 1¼ acres of mature gardens and grounds bordered to the west by the River Box, with views towards the neighbouring lake and water meadows.
The everyday entrance to the house is a heavy back door, which leads into a large kitchen/breakfast room, fully fitted with modern appliances, an oil-fired Aga and a central island with granite work surfaces. Off the kitchen are located the dining room with its open fireplace and the double-height drawing room, with a brick fireplace and decorative panelling.
The ground-floor line-up is completed by a study with built-in bookshelves, a staircase and inner halls, a sitting room with a wood-burning stove and a utility room, with a door to the terrace and the playroom beyond.
Upstairs are principal- and guest-bedroom suites, three further bedrooms and a family bathroom, with an open-tread staircase leading to extensive attic space, which could be converted to further accommodation, subject to planning.
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.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
A seven-bedroom home near Wimbledon that will make all your modernist fantasies come true
Designed by Maxwell Fry, Miramonte is a delightful 1930s building situated in one of London's most enviable locations. It also
Credit: Hamptons
A 400-year-old house that’s as romantic a country cottage as you could hope to find
How many kinds of sweet flowers grow in an English country garden? Well, head to these magical gardens in Kent
Credit: Inigo
A 300-year-old Jacobean mansion that comes with woodland, orchard and its own mini-village
Frome is where the heart is, so they say. It's easy to see why you might fall in love with
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
-
'The watch is Head Boy of men’s accessorising': Ginnie Chadwyck-Healey and Tom Chamberlin's Summer Season style secrets
When it comes to dressing for the Season, accessories will transform an outfit. Ginnie Chadwyck-Healey and Tom Chamberlin, both stylish summer-party veterans, offer some sage advice.
By Country Life Published
-
Lewis Hamilton, Claude Monet and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Country Life Quiz of the Day, April 29, 2025
Tuesday's Quiz of the Day looks back at Lewis Hamilton's first win and ponders on the meaning of greige.
By Toby Keel Published
-
About time: The fastest and slowest moving housing markets revealed
New research by Zoopla has shown where it's easy to sell and where it will take quite a while to find a buyer.
By Annabel Dixon Last updated
-
A wisteria clad hall built by one of the founders of the Bank of England
Come for the history of Old Hall. Stay for the interesting interiors.
By Annabel Dixon Published
-
A gorgeous Scottish cottage with contemporary interiors on the bonny banks of the River Tay
Carnliath on the edge of Strathtay is a delightful family home set in sensational scenery.
By James Fisher Published
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country Life
We take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
By Toby Keel Published
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producers
Stormzy, Rihanna and the Rolling Stones are just a part of the story at Osea Island, a dot on the map in the seas off Essex.
By Lotte Brundle Published
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in Kent
North Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
By James Fisher Published
-
A rare opportunity to own a family home on Vanbrugh Terrace, one of London's finest streets
This six-bedroom Victorian home sits right on the start line of the London Marathon, with easy access to Blackheath and Greenwich Park.
By James Fisher Published
-
A tale of everyday life as lived on Britain's most expensive street
Winnington Road in Hampstead has an average house price of £11.9 million. But what's it really like? Lotte Brundle went to find out.
By Lotte Brundle Last updated