Dr Christopher Wren was rector of the Wiltshire village of East Knoyle for 20 years and it was during that time that his son, the future astronomer, geometrician, physicist, mathematician and architect, was born on October 20, 1632. And up for sale today is East Knoyle's Old Rectory — but while it pre-dates the great polymath, it's not the place where Sir Christopher Wren was born.
It seems unbelievable in an age where far lesser places of note merit a turnstile and a giftshop, but (according to local lore) Wren’s actual birthplace was knocked down during a project to widen the road. A plaque stands in the village today, marking the spot where it once stood.
We'll never know, then, what Wren's childhood home looked like, but given his future career trajectory there's every reason to assume that it was just as charming as the current Old Rectory, being sold by Strutt & Parker at £2.5m.
This Grade II-listed property dates back in part to the Tudor period (there is a Tudor arched doorway with transom light); an extension was added in the 1930s by Canon Cross when he moved out of the original rectory.
The size and the level of craftsmanship detailed within suggests The Old Rectory was always intended to be a house of importance. Sold out of Church ownership in 1976, when a parish reorganisation merged those of nearby Hindon, Chicklade and Pertwood, it was bought at that time by the current owners.
They have created what Annabel Blackett of Strutt & Parker’s country department describes as the perfect family home. ‘It’s well suited for modern family life: the internal layout has ample space for entertaining, with a generous dining and drawing room, a quiet library and five good-sized bedrooms.’
A large eat-in kitchen, with units designed by Smallbone of Devizes, sits in the centre.
East Knoyle lies within the Cranborne Chase AONB, about six miles north of Shaftesbury and six miles west of Tisbury. The village has an active community, with various clubs and societies, as well as a church, pub and post office shop (Wren’s Shop) run by village volunteers.
The area has a number of very popular pubs, cafés and delis within easy reach, including the Beckford Arms, on the nearby Fonthill estate, the Grosvenor Arms in Hindon, Pythouse Kitchen Garden, which is set in an 18th-century walled garden in Tisbury, and Compton McRae in nearby Semley. Pythouse is also home to the local tennis club.
The Old Rectory is surrounded by an enclosed formal garden of just over an acre that is mainly laid to lawn and woodland, with, to the east, a one-acre paddock — ideal for horses or a smallholding. Also in the garden is a large potting shed and a bothy.
Access to London is via the mainline station at Tisbury, from where trains to Waterloo take one hour 48 minutes.
The Old Rectory in East Knoyle is for sale via Strutt & Parker at £2.5 million — see more details and pictures.
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
-
Graham Norton's elegant East London home hits the market, and it's just as wonderful as you would expectThe four-bedroom home in Wapping should be studied for how well it uses two separate spaces to create a home of immense character and utility.
-
Sign of the times: In the age of the selfie, what’s happening to the humble autograph?When Ringo Starr announced that he was no longer going to sign anything, he kickstarted a celebrity movement that coincided with the advent of the camera phone and selfie. Rob Crossan asks whether, in today’s world, the selfie holds more clout than an autograph?
-
Graham Norton's elegant East London home hits the market, and it's just as wonderful as you would expect
The four-bedroom home in Wapping should be studied for how well it uses two separate spaces to create a home of immense character and utility.
-
About time: The fastest and slowest moving housing markets revealedNew research by Zoopla has shown where it's easy to sell and where it will take quite a while to find a buyer.
-
A wisteria clad hall built by one of the founders of the Bank of EnglandCome for the history of Old Hall. Stay for the interesting interiors.
-
A gorgeous Scottish cottage with contemporary interiors on the bonny banks of the River TayCarnliath on the edge of Strathtay is a delightful family home set in sensational scenery.
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country LifeWe take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producersStormzy, 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.
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in KentNorth Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
-
A rare opportunity to own a family home on Vanbrugh Terrace, one of London's finest streetsThis six-bedroom Victorian home sits right on the start line of the London Marathon, with easy access to Blackheath and Greenwich Park.
