Four perfect, pocket-sized character properties from just £275,000
They may be little, but they’re perfectly formed, says Carla Passino.


Suffolk, £395,000
The panorama across the Suffolk countryside is nothing short of spectacular at Merrijig, in the village of Preston St Mary – particularly at sunrise. This 18th-century cottage was originally built to care for the village poor and has now become a wonderful three-bedroom home full of period character.
The open-plan sitting/dining room has brick floors, a fireplace with a wood burner and long views of the gardens.
The grounds extend for about a quarter of an acre and are framed by ornamental pear, copper-beech, silver-birch and willow trees and, in season, snowdrops and wild primroses.
On the market via Carter Jonas – see more details.
Gloucestershire, offers over £300,000
As the name implies, The Old Chapel, in North Cerney, near Cirencester, is a former Victorian chapel that has been beautifully converted into a bright three-bedroom home.
The door opens onto the vaulted, open-plan living area, which leads to the contemporary kitchen at the back and, via a spiral staircase, to the mezzanine bedroom. Two more bedrooms are situated on the lower-ground floor.
For sale through Strutt & Parker – see more pictures and details.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Devon, £275,000
Grade II-listed, part-thatched Sage Cottage stands in the pretty village of Stoke Gabriel, in an AONB.
Dating from the 17th century, it has lovely gardens and is thought to be one of the oldest houses in the village. Behind a wisteria-clad façade is a welcoming sitting room with feature fireplace, a kitchen/breakfast room and, upstairs, three bedrooms.
For sale through Marchand Petit – see more pictures and details.
Cambridgeshire, £550,000
Recently re-thatched, this Grade II-listed cottage in Great Gransden, near Cambridge, dates from the 16th century and has preserved its period feel.
The entrance hall, sitting and dining rooms have heavily beamed ceilings and exposed brickwork, as do the first-floor bedrooms, one of which is vaulted. The charming kitchen has flagstone floors and granite surfaces.
There is a rose garden at the front and a walled garden at the back, which is dotted with trees and has a decked area.
For sale through Cheffins – see more pictures and details.
10 picture-perfect thatched cottages which are immaculate inside and out
Buying a thatched cottage needn't mean walking into a nightmare of work to do – these delightful places are all
Credit: H Tiddy
12 stunning character properties for sale at under £400,000
Thatched homes in Cornwall and West Sussex are among the many highlights of these gorgeous character cottages for sale.
The picturesque Cotswolds farmhouse that once belonged to Cath Kidston
Trillgate Farm is an enchanting period country house.
Credit: Woolley and Wallis
A perfect thatched cottage with a fairytale garden, pool and room for horses
A dreamy little cottage has come up for sale within the New Forest National Park.
Credit: Jackson-Stops & Staff
A picture-perfect cottage in the Cotswolds for the price of a flat in the suburbs
Time to get out of London? A perfect example English country cottage is on the market in the heart of
Carla must be the only Italian that finds the English weather more congenial than her native country’s sunshine. An antique herself, she became Country Life’s Arts & Antiques editor in 2023 having previously covered, as a freelance journalist, heritage, conservation, history and property stories, for which she won a couple of awards. Her musical taste has never evolved past Puccini and she spends most of her time immersed in any century before the 20th.
-
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.
By James Fisher Published
-
The legacy od Dad's Army
Kate Green takes a look at Dad’s Army, the iconic BBC sitcom written by David Croft and Jimmy Perry.
By Kate Green Published
-
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.
By James Fisher Published
-
Soft tones and a sense of place: A Mayfair duplex that breaks the modern mould
A new designer-led residence at 60 Curzon in Mayfair reminds us that everything new doesn't necessarily have to look it.
By James Fisher Published
-
'The very best North Yorkshire has to offer': The £25 million Kirkham Estate
With 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.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
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 home
At 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.
By Annabel Dixon Published
-
A historic Yorkshire hall, meticulously restored to its former 18th-century magnificence
Womersley Park is a masterpiece and one of Yorkshire's great historic houses. And it could be yours.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
Rowing past dreams: An idyllic riverside home with a boathouse, croquet pitch and Olympic pedigree
The Manor in Long Wittenham is a perfect Thames-side getaway. Comes with a free boat.
By James Fisher Published
-
A bucolic Sussex home that's 'like stepping into a fairytale', yet just 30 minutes from central London
Felmere House is a playground for nature and only 30 minutes from London.
By James Fisher Last updated
-
Magnificent mansions across the Home Counties, from £3 million to £14 million, as seen in Country Life
A waterside dream home and a house and estate with over 1,100 years of history make our round-up this week.
By Toby Keel Last updated