It is the opinion of the Country Life Property Desk (CLPD) that houses with plants growing all over them and with long sweeping drives are Cool and Good. Even better if they come with seven bedrooms and almost 70 acres of land.
To Cheshire then, where Savills have for sale, for the sum of £6.65 million, the glorious Boden Hall, which has all the above, and much more. Approached down a long tree-lined drive, as all good things often are, the property sits in a private parkland setting with a view over a two-acre lake, island and boathouse.
The good news doesn’t stop there. While being an ‘excellent example of the architecture of the period’, per the agents (and indeed, ourselves), it is unlisted and has been extended over the years.
However, this substantial home of more than 10,000sq ft still retains plenty of its original features, including window shutters, architraves and cornicing. As the photos accompanying this article will reveal, the interiors are quite something.
Observe, if you will, the elegant entrance hall, with its beautiful fireplace and intricate plasterwork. Behold the glorious wallpaper of the Bird Room. Dislike that wallpaper? Why not indulge yourself in the green of the dining room. I do not know who lives here, but gosh I would like to sit and talk to them about their taste (it’s excellent).
Outside, things are much the same. Extensive gardens provide a wonderful setting for the house and have been designed to feature a number of rooms, vistas and other points of interest. A rose garden with an exquisite Victorian glasshouse is to the rear, as well as a walled kitchen garden, while the south garden is framed by rhododendron, yew hedging and specimen Portuguese laurel.
In the vast grounds you’ll also find a saltwater swimming pool and poolhouse, a tennis court, squash court, kennels, modern machinery shed and six (6!) cottages, which are currently let on assured shorthold tenancies. Two large fields are also rented to a local farmer on a short-term agreement.
Boden Hall is for sale with Savills for £6.65 million. For more information and pictures, click here
Credit: Janna Dixon photography/Lillicrap Chilcott
A beautiful timber home set in a wildflower meadow that comes with 18 acres of glorious Cornwall countryside
At Menkea Wartha, no expense has been spared to create a country home of exceptional taste and beauty, in 18
14 breathtaking houses, from £600,000 to £17 million, as seen in Country Life
From charming cottages to 1,000-acre estates, here's a look at some of the best homes to come up for sale
Credit: Getty
Everything that's wrong with housing in Britain — and how to put it right
Nicholas Boys Smith speaks to James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast about how we can plan and build houses
An £8 million gem that is 'the sort of country house we all dream of', less than 90 minutes from London
Penny Churchill marvels at the genuinely delightful Chalcot House in Wiltshire.
-
Brideshead Revisited (again): The 10 scene-stealing British country homes from film and televisionWhat do an enigmatic Caped Crusader, a sopping-wet Mr Darcy and Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell have in common? Believe it or not, British country houses.
-
Sophia Money-Coutts: Is it ever okay to throw your dog a birthday party?Sir Lewis Hamilton did it, so why not throw a birthday party for your canine companion, Sophia Money-Coutts asks.
-
A 500-acre estate that spent 11 centuries in the same family, for sale for only the second time in its historyIn the beautiful hills of north Wales the Garthewin estate has come up for sale, including a great country house once restored by the architect who created Portmeirion. Penny Churchill takes a closer look.
-
'The city has always held an important creative space within our design studio': A luxury townhouse in Tokyo, courtesy of Aston MartinA new four-storey property in the Omotesandō district is the first single home private residence by the British ultra-luxury performance brand.
-
The Mediterranean Magic of MaltaWith historic charm, picture-perfect beaches and a welcoming approach to newcomers, Malta represents an appealing option for Mediterranean property hunters. Holly Kirkwood reports.
-
Four country houses with their own tennis courts, as seen in Country LifeIf Wimbledon has put you in the mood for more tennis, Annunciata Elwes is here with a selection of homes with their own tennis courts.
-
The majestic New Forest estate formerly owned by a billionaire adventurer — famous for driving 'the world's fastest kettle' — has come up for saleGreat estates in the unspoilt setting of the New Forest are always a welcome sight on the market, and Newton Park is a wonderful example with a sad story to tell. Anna White tells more.
-
A Hampshire Manor for sale that dates back to the days of Alfred the Great, with the most beautiful staircase we've seen in yearsThe ten bedroom property features an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, spa complex and stables, and it was restored by the same architect who worked on Downing Street.
-
The new property hotspots where you can have it all: Beautiful houses, great schools and idyllic lifestyleAcross the country people are selling up and heading to the towns where there's no compromise on dream homes, outstanding schooling and the good life, according to analysis from two of Britain's top estate agents. Anna White explains.
-
Where Venice once ruled: The roving Venetians left handsome imprints across the Greek world, from its religion to its rambling villasMatthew Dennison explores the lingering traces of Venice's vanished empire — and the best places to buy where it once stood.
