Five utterly spectacular homes for sale, as seen in Country Life

Buckinghamshire — £2,300,000

From the gloriously classic external country house appearance, you'd never guess at the sophisticated interiors within — and we mean that in a good way.

This seven-bedroom country house has all the timber, tiles and gardens you'd dream of, plus a gym, garage/workshop, barn and stable — and the sinuously curving staircase is a real show-stopper.

For sale with Michael Graham. See more pictures and details for this property.

Wiltshire — £6,000,000

From the sprawling look of this handsome country house, you'd assume that it was a school, an abbey or other similar institution — but it really is just a huge, and staggeringly grand country home. Wonderful stuff.

As well as the grounds, further buildings, pool, tennis courts and so on, perhaps our favourite thing about this place is just how nicely the rooms are laid out and decorated, with each one doing a wonderful job of drawing your eye to the views across the Cranborne Chase AONB.

For sale with Strutt & Parker. See more pictures and details for this property.

Devon — £8,000,000

Not many houses give distances to the nearest villages by boat, but in the case of this spectacular South Hams home, you'll forgive them for pointing out that Salcombe is just 1.25 miles away by boat, down South Pool Creek and then across the estuary.

Not that you'd want to make that trip much if you had a house this beautiful: it's a 10-bedroom waterside masterpiece in a picture-perfect, secluded location.

For sale with Knight Frank. See more pictures and details for this property.

Oxfordshire — £3,950,000

More a mini-estate than a country home, this five-bedroom house comes with over 40 acres, a four-bed cottage, outdoor pool, farm buildings, woodland and paddock.

It's also a straightforward commute to London, either from nearby Pangbourne Station, or else via the M4.

For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details for this property.

Nottinghamshire — £1,950,000

Magnificent Regency architecture on display in this house in the Park Estate in Nottinghm, in the form of an Italianate mansion of almost 6,000sq ft.

The open-plan kitchen/dining room is at the heart of the house, while the living spaces feature high ceilings, huge windows and original features.

For sale with Fine & Country. See more pictures and details for this property.