A magnificent lakeside home near Princess Anne's Cotswolds estate

This beautiful 19th century house lies on Gatcombe Water, just around the corner from HRH Princess Anne's Gloucestershire home.

The Princess Royal splits her time between an apartment in St James’s Palace and Gatcombe Park, near Minichampton in the heart of the Cotswolds.

And just along the road from her estate is this beautiful six-bedroom house, for sale at £2.75 million with Humberts, via OnTheMarket.com.

The position alone is breathtaking: perched over this glorious spot, the home was originally just a keeper’s cottage and boathouse built in around 1830.

‘Keeper’s’ is still the name now, but the property is a world away from what was originally on the site. It was enlarged in the late 19th century and then again in the 1980s, and today has a vast 10,000sq ft of living space over three floors – almost all of which has glorious views across the wood-encircle water.

The heart of the house is the ground floor double-aspect living/family room, a light and airy space that gets the full benefit of the lovely views across the water, while above there is a galleried landing leading to the dining room and kitchen/breakfast room.

The original cottage still remains, and now provides a self-contained two-bedroom accommodation. The boat house is also still present; these days, it’s used as a reception room.

The gardens beyond are set on multiple levels, and there is also planning permission for a swimming pool and pool house.

In the surrounding area Minichampton Common is close at hand, boasting 600 acres of countryside owned by the National Trust. There are also several good schools in the area, while Stroud is the nearest town. And as for the neighbours? Well, let’s just say you can hope for a right royal welcome…