I used to take great joy in the misery of others who spent spring and summer sneezing whenever there was pollen present. But it was a lesson in karma. Some years ago, having not been allergic to nature for almost 28 years, I started sneezing in the presence of grass. Hayfever comes for us all (or, at least, most of us) in the end.
One solution to this issue is to buy antihistamine tablets, which allows me to go to parks, and fields, drink beer and play cricket with reckless abandon. Another, more expensive solution to this issue would be to buy Heron House near Haslemere in Surrey, which is up for sale for the stylistically irritating price of £995,000 with Knight Frank.
This shelter from the allergenic horrors of the outside world is a Passive House, which means it uses a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) system that keeps pollen and other allergens out, and allows fresh filtered air in. It also comes with three bedrooms.
There is perhaps a certain irony that a home that keeps so much of the outside world out is, at the same time, very much made of it. Heron House uses no concrete (to protect tree roots), is clad in FSC/PEFC-certified Siberian larch, and sits in a little woodland oasis on Scotland Lane.
The property was designed by Justin Bere of Bere:Architects in collaboration with Denhof Design, which means it is not only ecologically extremely conscious and efficient, but also achingly contemporary. Gaze upon the stylish and all-natural interiors and rejoice. Revel in the high-speed broadband supplied to every room.
The property sits in a beautiful woodland glade, but is not of the countryside; the Surrey town of Haslemere is moments away, with all the amenities you could want, including a high-speed rail link to central London. And, if that all sounds a bit urban, the glorious South Downs National Park is directly south.
-
Pamela Anderson, jellyfish and Mary Poppins feature in Country Life's Quiz of the Day, August 5, 2025Tuesday's quiz asks how well you remember some very famous song lyrics and plumbs your knowledge of the actress.
-
The finest wines available to humanity, and how to buy them, with Beth PearceBeth Pearce MW, head of buying at Flint Wines, joins the Country Life Podcast
-
This Cornish country home comes with barn, a burial mound, a piggery and a 700-year-old cottageHelland House is a wonderful country home in one of the most sought-after spots in Cornwall, and it's for sale for only the fourth time in the last 300 years.
-
So you want to buy a ruined castle? Here's what you need to knowBuying a property that includes a ruin — whether it be a castle, ancient priory or a crumbling Roman villa — carries undoubted romance, but there are caveats.
-
Jane Austen's uncle's house comes to the market, tucked away in its own conservation areaIn a secluded spot in Sevenoaks, Brittains Farm is up for sale — though it'll need a new owner not afraid of a little hard work.
-
Mesmerise yourself in this iconic listed home on the north Cornwall coastFormerly a Mine Captain's home, there is something absurdly profound about the Count House in Holywell Bay.
-
Sir Noël Coward sold this spectacular Art Deco cottage in the shadow of the White Cliffs of Dover to Ian Fleming — and now it could be yoursThe sale of Mermaid Cottage represents a rare opportunity to acquire a spectacular house in an iconic beach location.
-
A graceful country home in Wiltshire with an award-winning water feature in its picturesque groundsLocated on the edge of Bremhill in Calne, and just a short walk from the local gastropub, this estate is a picture perfect property for sale with Knight Frank.
-
The house 'where Anne Boleyn took Henry VIII as her lover' is up for auction at £295,000In the heart of Windsor, a maisonette is up for sale within the 16th century house in which Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII are said to have met up for their romantic trysts.
-
A grand manor house with a window taken from Lord Nelson's flagship, set in one of Britain's most beautiful — and quirkiest — villagesLavenham Hall in Suffolk is on the market, a grand country house with a genuinely unique feature: one of the windows from Lord Nelson’s HMS Foudroyant.
