An exceptional Queen Anne-style house in the heart of the Blackmore Vale
Chetnole House at Chetnole has delightful grounds running down to the River Wiggle.


The scenic Blackmore Vale in west Dorset has changed little since Thomas Hardy immortalised it in his Wessex novels more than a century ago.
The same timeless quality is part of the enduring charm of Grade II*-listed Chetnole House in the pleasant village of Chetnole, eight miles south-west of Sherborne, and on the market with Jackson-Stops & Staff for offers over £2.5 million.
It's a classic Queen Anne-style village house set in some eight acres of delightful gardens and paddocks running down to the River Wriggle, within the village’s heavily protected Conservation Area.
Philip Ribon of Jackson-Stops & Staff in Sherborne is selling the house (also known as The Court), and he has a direct connection to the place: thus was his grandfather’s family home for 50 years before being sold to the current owners, who have cleverly brought it up to modern standards and are now looking to downsize.
Built, according to its listing, in the mid 18th century and extended at either end in the early 1800s, the house boasts 6,520sq ft of living space, including an elegant entrance hall, four reception rooms, a family kitchen/breakfast room, master and guest suites, three further bedrooms and three beautifully converted attic bedrooms.
A purchaser will have the option of converting the exquisite, detached red-brick coach house that incorporates the original stalls, a large open-fronted garage and a two-bedroom cottage.
The house is for sale via Jackson-Stops & Staff – see more details and pictures.
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
The WW2 naval base set to become an incredible clifftop home near Edinburgh
Gin Head, near North Berwick, was instrumental in our success of the D-Day landings.
A delighful Italiante mansion on the beach at the price of an Essex commuter house
A gorgeous country house for sale with a Cluedo-style secret door
This beautiful place in Northamptonshire has some wonderfully exotic features – most notably behind an initially ordinary-looking bookcase in the
-
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?
By Will Hosie Published
-
Audi RS3: The devil in a green dress
Audi's iconic hot hatch has had a 2025 facelift. It might be the best one they've ever made.
By James Fisher Published
-
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?
By Will Hosie Published
-
19 outstanding country homes, from £450,000 to £20 million, as seen in Country Life
A spectacular country house in Yorkshire and an enormously impressive Channel Islands retreat are among the stand-out homes on the market this week.
By Toby Keel Published
-
Three homes down by the Thames, perfect for those who love messing about on boats
This summer’s scorching temperatures will no doubt have endorsed the perennial appeal of Thames-side houses with frontage and private access to the river. Penny Churchill and Toby Keel pick out some prime examples.
By Toby Keel Published
-
A pavilion, pool and pleasure gardens at this Devon country house 'with not another building in sight'
Ebberly House is a majestic country house in Devon built by one of John Soane's pupils — and as it comes to the market, it's a place Penny Churchill knows well.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
Take over the world or throw a great big party on this private fort for sale in Pembroke
Thorne Island, dubbed the British Alcatraz, has been a £2 million labour of love. Now it could be yours.
By James Fisher Published
-
The perfect summer house? A country home, beach house and rural escape rolled into one in a prime spot in Sussex
If there's a finer house than Grangewood House in which to enjoy the summer, we'd love to see it. Penny Churchill takes a look.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
A six-bedroom modern masterpiece mere minutes from Europe's best golf course
Villa Stern catches the eye with its distinctive design, and is imbued with luxury inside and out.
By James Fisher Published
-
Everything the light touches… The London penthouse for sale that will make you feel like a king
The Observatory in London’s Fulham boasts 360-degree views of the capital.
By Rosie Paterson Published