'I wake up and still can’t quite believe that I live here': Sophie Conran on her first house in the country
The designer, cook and gardener Sophie Conran spent years looking for her dream home in the country before finding Salthrop Manor, the ideal place in Wiltshire. She spoke to Julie Harding.
Where is it?
Wiltshire, on the edge of the Marlborough Downs.
A quick description
A late-18th-century Grade II- listed hunting box built from mellow Bath stone with a Georgian bow front, set in 70 acres of fields and ancient woodland.
How did you find it?
We’d been looking for a country bolthole for years and found it in 2013 through a buying agent. The search took us all over the countryside, but I grew up nearby and when we first saw it, it said ‘save me’.
Any challenges?
There were various hurdles put up by the vendor, but I was determined that I was going to get it.
Favourite aspect of the house?
It feels happy, has amazing light and I love the peacefulness. It actually stands not far from the motorway, but it feels very rural.
Sophie Conran's spectacular garden at Salthrop Manor, as featured in Country Life in 2025.
Best memory of living there?
All the lovely parties we’ve hosted.
Biggest mistake?
I underestimated how much money I would need to fix the house. It was last decorated in the 1980s when someone had the idea of creating a restaurant with rooms, so there were exit signs, strip lighting and an acre of bright-red nylon carpet to remove.
Biggest indulgence?
My bedroom. It’s huge, with enough room for two sofas. I wake up and still can’t quite believe that I live here.
Sophie Conran is a designer, cook and gardener. Her eponymous home and lifestyle brand includes a collection of sofas handmade in the UK. On September 11, 2026, Salthrop Manor will host the Rare Plant Fair.
This feature originally appeared in the August 5, 2026, print edition of Country Life. Click here for more information on how to subscribe.
