Country Life's top 10 property articles of 2025, from the homes of JFK and Alan Titchmarsh to the castle for sale for the first time in 700 years
We look back at the most popular property articles of 2025 on the Country Life website.
Alan Titchmarsh is selling his Hampshire home (and the garden that comes with it)
Alan Titchmarsh's Hampshire house.
In September, the gardener, broadcaster, writer and national treasure Alan Titchmarsh put his home on the market — and as a long-standing writer for Country Life, he was kind enough to give us the exclusive story. It became our most viewed property story of the year.
By Penny Churchill — read the full story.
A country house that was the set for one of the best-loved sitcoms of the 1980s is for sale
Listen very carefully, I shall type this only once: the 1980s sitcom Allo Allo was filmed at a huge house in Suffolk, which came up for sale in the autumn. It had a fascinating tale to tell that went way beyond the Café Réné.
By Toby Keel — read the full story.
A 500-acre estate that spent 11 centuries in the same family, for sale for only the second time in its history
Estates which have stayed in the same hands for centuries are always fascinating — and this one had the added interest of having been designed by by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, creator of Portmeirion.
By Penny Churchill — read the full story.
Tim Burton is selling the house he shared with Helena Bonham-Carter
Tim Burton owned this Oxfordshire home for nearly 20 years before selling it in 2025.
An iconic Hollywood director, and equally iconic British actor, and a home on the banks of the River Thames that came with three private islands: this house sale back in July really was quite the story.
By Rosie Paterson — read the full story.
The homes of two 1980s TV icons are both up for sale at the same time
The homes of the late entertainers Bob Monkhouse and Terry Wogan came up for sale within a few miles, and within a few weeks of each other.
Back in the 1980s, you couldn't turn a television on for more than 20 minutes without either Bob Monkhouse or Terry Wogan appearing on the screen — or so it felt. Both are no longer with us, and taking a look at their former homes offered an opportunity to step down memory lane.
By Annabel Dixon — read the full story.
A 14-bedroom 'miniature Downton Abbey' to call your own — and there's not a penny of Mansion Tax to be paid
The Budget in November was one of the most keenly anticipated in years, with leaks, rumours and speculation running rife for months — particularly surrounding the so-called Mansion Tax. Small wonder then that in the wake of Rachel Reeves's decisions, buyers began looking at areas where buying a country house below the £2 million threshold is still possible. This sprawling mansion in Wales was an ideal example: grand, beautiful but down on its luck, it's an intriguing prospect for a new owner.
By Toby Keel — read the full story.
Magna Carta Island for sale on the Thames, complete with the stone tablet on which Magna Carta itself is said to have been sealed
Magna Carta House was built on one of the spots where Magna Carta itself is thought to have been sealed.
A living piece of history on the Thames came up for sale in November, blending myth, legend and estate agents.
By Toby Keel — read the full story.
The elegant 19th century townhouse where JFK and Jackie Kennedy dreamed of the presidency, and made their wish came true
'It is a home that has hosted statesmen and young families alike, where measured elegance frames modern living and where every arrival walks through a doorway shared by figures who shaped American history.' Beautiful words from the agent selling this fine home.
In October, this beautiful five-bedroom house in Washington DC's Georgetown came up for sale. Nothing too remarkable, except that it was home to perhaps the most celebrated couple of the 20th century: John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jackie Kennedy. We took a look at the place, with archive photography of the home where JFK woke up on the day that he won the 1960 Presidential Election.
By Toby Keel — read the full story.
One of Yorkshire's great houses, burnt to the ground three generations ago, is back on its feet and on the market for the sixth time in a millennium
In September Penny Churchill looked at Riseborough Hall, a great house, rich with fascinating history and beautifully apportioned, which burnt to the ground but rose again.
By Penny Churchill — read the full story.
A £21 million castle that's come up for sale for the first time in 700 years
Ripley Castle in North Yorkshire has been the family home of the Ingilbys since the early 1300s. At the very beginning of this year, they decided to sell up, affording a look at their magnificent castle and the estate that surrounds it. It's actually still on the market today, and in November Lucy Denton took a look at the key question about the sale: how do you price a house that hasn't been sold for 700 years?
By Annabel Dixon — read the full story.
