Selling a house in these uncertain times isn't always easy – and finding somebody to fall in love with your home is all too often just the start of the process.
Anyone who has been stung by the process of selling a house, or who is anxiously waiting for a purchaser to exchange or complete, will empathise with Charles and Roslyn Townley. The couple have seen the sale of their historic Town Head House and its 105-acre estate on the shores of Lake Windermere collapse at the 11th hour for the second time in eight years.
‘A long period of exclusivity on an agreed sale ended suddenly two weeks ago, when the Middle East-based buyer announced that he was pulling out of the deal, having already invested considerable sums in surveys, planning and consulting advice, not to mention the legal fees,’ notes a disappointed Julian Lambton of Carter Jonas in Kendal.
That buyer’s loss will be someone else’s gain, however. This beautiful home in Newby Bridge – towards the southern end of the lake – is now back on the open market once more at a price of £3.75 million via Carter Jonas and Savills, and it’s a magnificent place with a 12,000sq ft main house at its heart.
The earliest parts of this nine-bedroom house date back to the 15th century, though most of the Grade II-listed house as it stands now is Georgian.
There are also extensive outbuildings including a charming lakeside boathouse, perfect for getting out on the water in one of the most beautiful spots in Britain.
Getting to and from the house is also straightforward: it’s a 25-minute drive from the M6 motorway, and about the same from Oxenholme Station. The lawns in front of the house are also suitable for landing a helicopter.
The property also has 34 acres of gardens, stables, paddocks and parkland, and is for sale at a guide price of £3.75 million.
Buyers will also have the option for paying for a larger lot at £4.5 million, which will include a further two cottages, outbuildings and more land.
Town Head House is for sale via Carter Jonas and Savills – see more details and pictures.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
Britain’s top property hotspots for 2018, and what you could get if you moved there
The market as a whole is expected to stagnate or even fall in the next 12 months, but it won't
-
The ‘utterly unique’ skincare brand that’s used in the ‘world’s best hotel’ spaThe Seed to Skin brand was the byproduct of one woman’s length fertility journey — it’s so good that today it’s used in a hotel voted the ‘world’s best’.
-
Britain's longest suspension bridge? Country Life Quiz of the Day, May 12, 2025Friday's Quiz of the Day celebrates a northern landmark.
-
Five Cotswold dream homes on the market from £3m to £18m, as seen in Country LifeThis week we have a Cotswolds-themed rundown of some of the finest homes to come to the market in this beautiful part of England.
-
A modern masterpiece for sale in Cornwall that's just one mile from the beachHay House combines location, elegance and modern family living to create a special home for the 21st century.
-
A rollercoaster, Bauhaus department store and Brutalist football stand top the latest Buildings at Risk ListThe latest Buildings at Risk List from the Twentieth Century Society has been announced. Sunwin House department store and Blackpool’s Grand National Rollercoaster both feature.
-
Lutyens's last masterpiece comes up for sale in Oxfordshire, with 27 bedrooms and a cricket pitchMiddleton Park in Middleton Stoney is a vast country home that must surely be among the nation's best
-
A 10-bedroom manor house in the heart of the Cotswolds with all the trimmingsWaterton House sits on the edge of Ampney Crucis, and is as elegant as can be.
-
A seven bedroom Buckinghamshire rectory that might be a little hauntedGrade II-listed the Old Rectory is a home of astounding charm and beauty, and comes with a friendly visitor.
-
Over the Hills and Far Away: Robert Plant's Welsh hideaway is up for saleOther notable residents of The Argoed in the Wye Valley include George Bernard Shaw and Beatrice Webb.
-
Period charm and contemporary tastes collide in an eight-bedroom listed home in DurhamMorton House is a rare example of a home where you can have the best of both worlds.
