A converted Cotswolds barn with pool, party barn and its own lake — just 45 minutes from central London
Goose Farm, in a charming Oxfordshire village, offers the best of all worlds.
The romantic lure of a classic Cotswolds cottage is hard to beat — but it does come with compromises. Gorgeous as they may be, these golden stone homes often feature low ceilings, very modestly-sized rooms (by which we mean pokey), tiny windows that admit little light, and a lack of modern comforts. That's part of the charm, for many of us, but it's not the right fit for everyone.
Opting for a converted barn instead offers all the space and light you could ever need, while retaining the charming settings and that all-important coloured stone. One such barn currently on the market ticks all these boxes, and is also an easy commute to London: Goose Farm, in the village of Fritwell.
For sale via Knight Frank at £3.25 million, Goose Farm was converted in 2006, and has since been updated by the current owners — hence the pristine condition you'll find it in today.
At the heart of the 13-acre property is the main house, with five bedrooms and over 4,000sq ft of space. It's arranged in a U-shape with a courtyard terrace and formal garden at the centre.
Upon entering, a huge family room/games room is off to the right, while straight ahead you come to a kitchen, with bifold doors opening onto the terrace, and then a large, double-aspect drawing room that's big enough to swallow a large dining table, a grand piano and a lounge area arranged around the wonderful fireplace at one end.
The bedrooms are all on the other side of the layout, ideal for those times when half of your household want to get some sleep, while the other half are determined to stay up late to watch the football.
Beyond the main house, Goose Farm has several more spaces to offer. One of the other buildings has been turned into a party barn, right next to the wonderful outdoor pool, and equipped with its own kitchen and bathroom.
Above that 48ft party space — which could be turned to pretty much any use — you'll find a home office and a studio.
There's also The Gosling, a small, two-bedroom place within the grounds that's ideal as staff accommodation, multi-generational living, or perhaps for use as a holiday rental.
Beyond that, dotted throughout the open landscape and the lake, are more outbuildings and barns, brining the total space on offer to just under 9,000 sq ft. That's quite a find for a home that's on the edge of a village big enough to have a primary school, shop and pub.
Goose Farm has one further string to its bow: situated between Bicester and Oxford, it also has easy access to the M40 down to London, while trains from Bicester to London Marylebone take three-quarters of an hour. This is a Cotswolds home that is genuinely commutable.
Goose Farm is for sale through Knight Frank — see more details.
