Prime Minister Boris Johnson has put his country house in Thame up for rent, a house which comes complete with swimming pool and tennis court.
It may not be quite as grand as Chequers, but Boris Johnson’s country cottage is available to rent for those wishing to follow in the Prime Ministerial footsteps — or simply enjoy rural Oxfordshire.
Strutt & Parker are seeking £4,250 pcm for Grade II-listed The Old Farm House, which is set at the end of a single-track lane in North Weston, a few minutes’ drive from Thame, in Oxfordshire.
The property spans 2,659sq ft across two floors, with a vast sitting room, kitchen and breakfast room, dining room and family room on the ground floor and four double bedroom upstairs, plus a magnificent, separate garden room. The rooms are unfurnished but have plenty of delightful details, such as fine fireplaces and exposed beams.
The bareness of the house’s presentation is clearly not by accident, and to be honest it gives nothing whatsoever away about the, er, er, er, er, right honourable leader.
The only hint of personality is probably in the choice of true-blue tiles for the bathroom — though we can’t pretend we didn’t feel somewhat uncomfortable when confronted with with the room where Boris must have been through his ablutions countless times…
The Old Farm House’s manicured grounds, which are maintained by the PM, include a swimming pool and tennis court.
That said, the garden clearly does need a bit of tidying as you can see above, but the main lawns and borders seem in decent order.
Best of all, the Old Farm House enjoys spectacular views over open countryside. The property is available to rent for a minimum term of 12 months and pets will be considered.
The Old Farm House is available to let at £4,250 pcm via Strutt & Parker — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.
Thame: What you need to know
- Location: Thame is situated 13 miles from Oxford and 11 from Aylesbury. It also has easy access to London by car (51 miles) or train (via Haddenham & Thame Parkway station)
- Atmosphere: A delightful market town, Thame has a long history — the Abbey was founded in the 12th century, although it was mostly demolished after the Dissolution of the Monasteries, with parts incorporated into Thame House. The town, which was the backdrop to Midsomer Murders, has preserved many historic buildings, including the Tithe Barn, the Church of St Mary and the Bird Cage Inn. The town has had a market since the 13th-century—indeed, now it has several, including a weekly market and a monthly farmers’ market.
- Things to do: the town has three historical trails, a theatre,a cinema, arts and literature and music festivals, a museum and live music and comedy events at the local pubs, plus plenty of artists’ studios (there’s even an annual Art Crawl).
- Schools: There are plenty of options in the area, including Saint Joseph’s Primary School, Tetsworth Primary School, and Lord William’s, plus the extremely well regarded Oxford schools, such as Dragon School, Summer Fields, Magdalen College, Cothill House and St. Edward’s in Summertown.Find more properties in the area.
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Catch up on the best country houses for sale this week that have come to the market via Country Life.
