Some people dream of moving out of the city, quitting their role in the rat race and setting up shop in a quiet corner of the countryside. Sounds idyllic, right? But without the right opportunity, it's a hard dream to accomplish.
No longer. An impressive, eight-bedroom house in the heart of the Ingram Valley – just outside the village of Powburn, close to Alnwick in Northumberland – The Old Rectory is not only the ideal family home, but it also comes with a well-established portfolio of five-star holiday lets. On the market through Finest Properties, the entire property is for sale at a guide price of £3.95 million.
The Cheviot Holiday Cottages comprise of a four-bedroom Georgian annexe (which could easily be converted back into a part of the main house) and eight properties, including a converted 18th-century coach house and a dovecote. The Retreat is particularly spectacular, a former stable block which is now a luxurious two-person country getaway, complete with a private swimspa and two jacuzzis inside the cottage itself. Plenty to keep a new host busy and a new business profitable.
Of course, if you have a rather large family you could ignore the commercial aspects of The Old Rectory and transform it into a purely residential property, but it does seem a shame to transform something already laid out so perfectly.
The Old Rectory itself is a wonderful home. The interiors may be in need of a little updating (a very little, compared to some of the houses we've seen) but the kitchen and flooring are both beautiful and the intricately-carved staircase is a delightful centrepiece to such a light, open home.
The grounds don't let The Old Rectory down; fit for roaming are woodland, a paddock, stables and immaculate lawns.
Finest Properties calls The Old Rectory a 'successful lifestyle and business opportunity'. For all parts of your life (or at least the majority of them) to be centred around one location, the location would have to be pretty spectacular.
Luckily, The Old Rectory is just that, and we wish the best of luck to whoever takes it into the next chapter of its life.
Credit: Simon Brown
The dovecote which became a delightful country home
A long career at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler was the perfect preparation for Emma Burns’s greatest design challenge yet:
Credit: PR
The cart shed and dovecote which together became a charming family home
In spite of rigid planning restrictions, architect Simon Marson has managed to convert two unused outbuildings into a picturesque country
-
‘Its loss became a cautionary tale, and a rallying cry for architectural conservation’: The rise and fall and renewed interest in Ireland’s remarkable country housesLesley Bond traces a brief history of Ireland’s country houses and questions whether you can ever separate the house from the history it represents.
-
Alan Titchmarsh: 'I am so weary of seeing Lutyens-style benches and chairs absolutely everywhere'A strategically placed chair doubles as a focal point and a spot to rest — but we need to move on from Lutyens-style ones says our regular garden columnist.
-
A micro estate for sale in west Wales shows that the best things come in small packages. In this case, three of themBrithdir is a remarkable collection of properties centred around a lake and just five miles from the sea.
-
This blissful converted mill has sweeping views, a breathtaking library and gardens by a Chelsea gold medallistPenny Churchill takes a look at Stanbridge Mill, one of the finest properties for sale today in the west country.
-
Portmore has it all: A 3,459-acre Scottish estate for sale, with a signature Baronial sandstone mansion at its heartFor sale for the first time in 40 years, Portmore Estate is everything you could ever want in Scotland.
-
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?
