Located in the village of Bowerchalke, near Salisbury, enchanting Ebble Thatch was once home to Sir William Golding, author of Lord of the Flies (note the Blue Plaque), who lived here in 1940 and between 1958 and 1985.
It was here that he met his fellow villager, the scientist James Lovelock CH, CBE, FRS. Golding sold the house in 1985 on deciding to move to a Georgian mansion in Cornwall.
With an extensive ground floor and five bedrooms, it’s in need of some modernisation. It also boasts two bathrooms, five reception rooms including a conservatory, a cosy snug and a separate annexe within the cottage's grounds.
The one-bedroom annexe cottage at the end of the garden is more up to date, with underfloor heating and a garden room.
Surrounding both are charming gardens, with extensive lawns, flowerbeds and hedgerows, all flanked by a babbling stream, part of the River Ebble. The garden in The Paper Men was inspired by Golding’s garden at Ebble Thatch. Rick Tucker appears at the end of the novel at the bottom of this garden.
Located on a quiet country lane, Ebble Thatch is surrounded by the beautiful countryside of the Cranbourne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, just nine miles from the cathedral city of Salisbury.
Is it too late to ask Santa for Christmas Cottage?
It'd be idyllic at any time of year, but the aptly-named Christmas Cottage seems particularly enticing at this time of
Credit: Carter Jonas
Harry Potter's childhood home goes up for sale
This irresistibly pretty house in Suffolk is a Grade I-listed wonder in its own right, even before you consider its
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.
-
An utterly charming island home in Scotland with gardens so beautiful they made the cover of Country LifeAn Cala on the Isle of Seil has a fascinating history that is only enhanced by its amazing setting.
-
The legacy od Dad's ArmyKate Green takes a look at Dad’s Army, the iconic BBC sitcom written by David Croft and Jimmy Perry.
-
An utterly charming island home in Scotland with gardens so beautiful they made the cover of Country Life
An Cala on the Isle of Seil has a fascinating history that is only enhanced by its amazing setting.
-
Soft tones and a sense of place: A Mayfair duplex that breaks the modern mouldA new designer-led residence at 60 Curzon in Mayfair reminds us that everything new doesn't necessarily have to look it.
-
'The very best North Yorkshire has to offer': The £25 million Kirkham EstateWith 1,103 acres and on the market for the first time in a century, we've got a new frontrunner for the sale of the year.
-
The reality of 20 years of house price rises in Britain, from the places that have had a charmed life to the spots where it's a struggle to move back homeAt first glance the ups and downs of the property market seem to even out over time — but dig in to the numbers and you'll see wild regional variations which paint a very difference picture. Annabel Dixon analyses new research which tells the story.
-
A historic Yorkshire hall, meticulously restored to its former 18th-century magnificenceWomersley Park is a masterpiece and one of Yorkshire's great historic houses. And it could be yours.
-
Rowing past dreams: An idyllic riverside home with a boathouse, croquet pitch and Olympic pedigreeThe Manor in Long Wittenham is a perfect Thames-side getaway. Comes with a free boat.
-
A bucolic Sussex home that's 'like stepping into a fairytale', yet just 30 minutes from central LondonFelmere House is a playground for nature and only 30 minutes from London.
-
Magnificent mansions across the Home Counties, from £3 million to £14 million, as seen in Country LifeA waterside dream home and a house and estate with over 1,100 years of history make our round-up this week.
