A fairytale castle in Wiltshire which could be straight out of Sleeping Beauty
This blissful castle in Wiltshire came off the market, but is now up for sale once more — and still looks for all the world as if there ought to be a princess sleeping for a hundred years in the highest room of the turret.

Of the many, many properties which crossed our desks at Country Life last year, this was perhaps the most immediately entrancing. Is it the graceful proportions? The beautifully-preserved stonework? The perfect castellations?
It's a bit of all three, of course, but we came to the conclusion that what's really bowled us over about Grade I-listed Devizes Castle is this main image capturing the castle's setting in beautiful grounds. It reminds us of nothing so much as the prince in the Sleeping Beauty fighting his way though the foliage to reach a mysterious place whose inhabitants are caught deep in an enchanted sleep.
It's not just us, either: it's been described as 'the most beautiful castle in Christendom', and when it initially came on to the market last December it attracted an enormous amount of interest.
The owners were, however, forced to take it off the market due for personal reasons — but now, nine months later, it's up for sale once more. Initially the asking price was £2.5 million via Savills, but this time round it's higher at £3.25m to avoid the stress of the bidding war which had already begun to heat up at the end of last year. It's not hard to see why buyers were getting excited: as well as it's incredible beauty, it has a very easy location, not far from the M4, with easy access to Bristol, London and beyond.
What a home this is. Set within two and a half acres of grounds, Devizes Castle is a spectacular home that's just as full of period charm inside as it is outside. There are stone mullioned windows, detailed stone archways, cavernous fireplaces, oak floorboards, and spiral staircases.
Several of the rooms – including the drawing room and study – have ornate ceilings with gilded bosses, while the 'fernery' accessed via the drawing room has a beautiful encaustic tiled floor and a wooden ceiling.
The living spaces are set across the ground and first floors, and include a huge kitchen/breakfast room, grand entrance hall with wooden staircase, a library and a long gallery.
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
There are eight bedrooms in total, five of which are on the second floor, with one more on the first floor and the other two on the third floor – including one in the turret.
There has been a castle on the site since the days of William The Conqueror (the first mention of it is in 1080) and many kings have stayed here over the years, with it being a popular royal residence until its destruction in 1645 during the Civil War.
A new castle – the current castle as it stands – was eventually built on the site in 1830 by prolific Regency architect Henry Edmund Goodridge, and it remains a real landmark overlooking this medieval market town.
Devizes Castle is on the market via Savills at £3,250,000 – see more details and pictures.
Spectacular Scottish castles and estates for sale
A look at the finest castles, country houses and estates for sale in Scotland today.
A modern kitchen to fit perfectly into a 16th century home
Emma Sims Hilditch has injected contemporary touches into the kitchen of this 16th-century manor house while preserving its character.
Credit: Master cooper - photographed by Richard Cannon
'I didn't even know what a cooper was': Hanging with master cooper
Alastair Simms is one of Britain’s few remaining traditional coopers. John Goodall caught up with him to talk about barrels,
Toby Keel is Country Life's Digital Director, and has been running the website and social media channels since 2016. A former sports journalist, he writes about property, cars, lifestyle, travel, nature.
-
18 beautiful homes, from charming cottages to a Highland mansion with unbeatable views, as seen in Country Life
Our look at some of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life in the past week includes Georgian manor houses, charming commutable homes and the grandest home in Newcastle.
By Toby Keel Published
-
‘Going around that track, in that Ferrari, was ecstasy of the most legal kind’: How to embrace your inner race car driver
Goodwood’s ProDriver Experience is a chance for you to pull on a race suit and live out your childhood fantasies — no matter how tall you are.
By James Fisher Published
-
18 beautiful homes, from charming cottages to a Highland mansion with unbeatable views, as seen in Country Life
Our look at some of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life in the past week includes Georgian manor houses, charming commutable homes and the grandest home in Newcastle.
By Toby Keel Published
-
The gorgeous Somerset home of the designer behind one of Glastonbury's chicest spots
The Manor in Hinton Blewitt is a glorious Georgian home that ticks every box.
By Toby Keel Published
-
826 years of history, painstaking restoration and 'a garden like no other' at this former National Trust house which has come to the market in Kent
A blooming property in Kent showcases the original garden of England. Penny Churchill takes a look.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
A wisteria-clad delight with lawns running down to the Thames at the prettiest riverside home for sale in London today
Deodar Road, near Putney High Street, offers unrivalled views of the Thames and is characterful in excess.
By James Fisher Published
-
Five of the most majestic properties for sale in Britain today, from a 1,700-acre estate to a private island, as seen in Country Life
Our look at the best homes to come to the market via Country Life this week includes some genuinely breathtaking places.
By Toby Keel Published
-
Save me: A castle on the Isle of Wight designed by James Wyatt is up for sale
Norris Castle Estate also comes with 225 acres of gardens and grounds, and needs a little TLC
By James Fisher Published
-
The 1,800-acre estate of the man who bought Stonehenge has come up for sale at £25 million
The Bapton Manor Estate, in the beautiful Cranborne Chase National Landscape, seeks a new owner. Penny Churchill takes a look.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
A meticulously restored Scottish estate for sale, dripping with history, character and wildlife
The Craigengillan Estate in Ayrshire sits in 2,850 acres above the valley of the River Doon.
By Penny Churchill Published