A beautifully-restored Queen Anne House with some very modern surprises lurking within
There are few things more heartening than seeing a beautiful country house that's been beautifully restored and cared for. Penny Churchill takes a look at Colton Lodge, whose owners are moving on after more than a decade transforming this once-crumbling home.


The revival of Grade II-listed, Georgian Colton Lodge at Colton, seven miles south of York, has been something of a labour of love for the owners, who have worked in tandem with a local architect and the local conservation officer to turn around a house that was in danger of disappearing for good. Today, it’s on the market via Jackson-Stops at £2.5m.
Having bought the Queen Anne-style house — originally built as a hunting lodge for the Morritt family of Rokeby Park — as ‘a virtual wreck’ back in 2006, the couple embarked on a painstaking, four-year restoration programme that included rebuilding the roof, fitting new windows, installing new wiring, adding a state-of-the-art heating system and creating two futuristic extensions, one at either end of the building.
The result is a very individual country house that contrasts inherent Georgian charm with boldly modern interior design, such as the use of full-height walls of glass in the kitchen and the gardens rooms to ‘bring the outside in’.
Colton Lodge stands in some 14 acres of elegant landscaped gardens surrounded by traditional estate-fenced paddocks and an all-weather outdoor school, which, together with the stable block and picturesque tack room (a former dovecote), reflect the family’s passion for equestrianism.
The lodge itself offers 9,000sq ft of living space, including an impressive reception hall, three main reception rooms, a striking kitchen/dining area and three luxurious bedroom suites on the first floor, with seven further bedrooms, a bathroom and kitchen on the second floor.
Sadly, the time has come for the family to downsize and handsome Colton Lodge, which is handily located for both York and Leeds and only 8.5 miles from the A1(M), waits for another lively Yorkshire family to take up the reins.
Colton Lodge is on the market via Jackson-Stops at £2.5m — see more pictures and details.
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: Bilton Hall (Savills)
A house set in its own stretch of parkland, just a few miles from York and Harrogate
A small country estate with an impressive but eminently manageable house at its heart has come up for sale just
Credit: Jackson-Stops
A picture-perfect cottage for sale in a delightful village near the coast in the North York Moors
Character homes in village locations within national parks are hard to come by – but when they do, they're hard to
The classic country house with a modern surprise lurking within
Elegant Missenden House, at Little Missenden, Buckinghamshire, mixes classic with contemporary.
-
The deaths of Romeo and Juliet: Country Life Quiz of the Day, June 12, 2025
A Rolling Stone and a familiar-sounding place find their way into Wednesday's Quiz of the Day.
By Country Life Published
-
How to make Eton mess strawberry blondies
Our kitchen garden cook Melanie Johnson shares a mouthwatering recipe bringing together two of the greatest foodstuffs on the planet: strawberries and meringue.
By Melanie Johnson Published
-
The reality of 20 years of house price rises in Britain, from the places that have had a charmed life to the spots where it's a struggle to move back home
At first glance the ups and downs of the property market seem to even out over time — but dig in to the numbers and you'll see wild regional variations which paint a very difference picture. Annabel Dixon analyses new research which tells the story.
By Annabel Dixon Published
-
A historic Yorkshire hall, meticulously restored to its former 18th-century magnificence
Womersley Park is a masterpiece and one of Yorkshire's great historic houses. And it could be yours.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
Rowing past dreams: An idyllic riverside home with a boathouse, croquet pitch and Olympic pedigree
The Manor in Long Wittenham is a perfect Thames-side getaway. Comes with a free boat.
By James Fisher Published
-
A bucolic Sussex home that's 'like stepping into a fairytale', yet just 30 minutes from central London
Felmere House is a playground for nature and only 30 minutes from London.
By James Fisher Last updated
-
Magnificent mansions across the Home Counties, from £3 million to £14 million, as seen in Country Life
A waterside dream home and a house and estate with over 1,100 years of history make our round-up this week.
By Toby Keel Last updated
-
Vibrant colours and exquisite taste make this three-bedroom London townhouse sing
On Kennington's West Square, this Grade II-listed home is a monument to the discerning eye.
By James Fisher Published
-
Lawns, glorious lawns at this Grade II-listed home in Hampshire where a sustainable future meets a storied past
There are 'old rectorys', and then there's The Old Rectory.
By James Fisher Published
-
'A monument to Edwardian excess' that was built by the millionaire industrialist who founded Pinewood Studios
Bents House is a classic Peak District mansion which shows that good taste and deep pockets can coexist very happily.
By James Fisher Published