Across the county border in Wiltshire, the sky’s the limit in sporting terms for the successful buyer of the spectacular, 1,400-acre Ogbourne Down estate, which comes to the market in Country Life at a guide price of £15m through Knight Frank and Webb Paton.
By far the most important farming property to hit the open market this year, the classic estate amid rolling chalk downland is situated in a secluded and peaceful location to the south of the landmark Barbury Castle Iron Age hill fort and the ancient Ridgeway, three miles north of Marlborough in the North Wessex Downs AONB and just 80 miles from the centre of London.
Although at present there is no grand house on the estate, at its heart is the recently built, three-bedroom Ogbourne Down Farmhouse, which has magnificent south-westerly views across the entire farm and, subject to planning, could be extended or replaced by a much larger house should a new owner so wish, selling agent Clive Hopkins suggests.
Also present is New Barn Farmhouse on the edge of Ogbourne St Andrew village, and a pair of semi-detached cottages and a stable court-yard with evident scope for redevelopment, again subject to planning.
The land is farmed in hand under contract with some 1,105 acres in arable production and 212 acres in permanent pasture, including sweeping grass gallops currently used by neighbouring trainer Neil King.
The estate also includes some 52 acres of amenity woodland, ideally located in a strategic box across the estate, and although no formal shoot is currently run, the carefully managed woodland and the glorious contours of the landscape provide the basis for an excellent partridge shoot, adds Mr Hopkins.
The location is also ideal for those looking for an estate with easy access to the city. Junction 15 of the M4 is 10 miles away, from which Heathrow Airport is less than an hour's drive, while Bristol, Bath, Oxford and the South Coast are all within easy reach.
The Ogbourne Down estate is for sale through Knight Frank and Webb Paton — see more details and pictures.
-
You’ve got to have a lot of balls: Wimbledon by numbersHow many strawberries are consumed, how many petunias purchased and just how much racket string is required at the world’s oldest tennis championships? Lotte Brundle serves up the numbers.
-
Chatsworth's winning £4 million Lottery ticket means it can restore beloved water featureThe Chatsworth House Trust will use the money from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to restore their Cascade — beloved by Alan Titchmarsh.
-
Embrace off-grid living on this Scottish island for sale, but you'll have to share it with the local seal populationA dot on the map of the west coast of Scotland has come up for sale.
-
18 beautiful homes, from charming cottages to a Highland mansion with unbeatable views, as seen in Country LifeOur look at some of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life in the past week includes Georgian manor houses, charming commutable homes and the grandest home in Newcastle.
-
The gorgeous Somerset home of the designer behind one of Glastonbury's chicest spotsThe Manor in Hinton Blewitt is a glorious Georgian home that ticks every box.
-
826 years of history, painstaking restoration and 'a garden like no other' at this former National Trust house which has come to the market in KentA blooming property in Kent showcases the original garden of England. Penny Churchill takes a look.
-
A wisteria-clad delight with lawns running down to the Thames at the prettiest riverside home for sale in London todayDeodar Road, near Putney High Street, offers unrivalled views of the Thames and is characterful in excess.
-
Five of the most majestic properties for sale in Britain today, from a 1,700-acre estate to a private island, as seen in Country LifeOur look at the best homes to come to the market via Country Life this week includes some genuinely breathtaking places.
-
Save me: A castle on the Isle of Wight designed by James Wyatt is up for saleNorris Castle Estate also comes with 225 acres of gardens and grounds, and needs a little TLC
-
The 1,800-acre estate of the man who bought Stonehenge has come up for sale at £25 millionThe Bapton Manor Estate, in the beautiful Cranborne Chase National Landscape, seeks a new owner. Penny Churchill takes a look.
