Maybe it's the fact that we recently finished watching the BBC adaptation of Howard's End, and maybe it's the gloomy time of year – whatever the reason, there's something about seeing a tumbledown country house such as The Old Rectory in the hamlet of Michaelstow which makes us wonder whether now is the time to up sticks and move to the West Country.
The £1.5 million price tag of this beautiful home might be a bit of a roadblock, of course, but for those fortunate enough to be searching in this bracket this is a place which looks every inch the classic bucolic dream.
It's a five-bedroom home in four and a half beautiful acres of Cornish countryside, including formal gardens, woodland and a paddock, all with a terrific location on the edge of this picturesque north Cornwall village.
Downstairs, the floorplan reads rather like a classic Cluedo board: library, drawing room, study, kitchen, pantry – and while we don't remember 'utility room' being featured on the board game, it's probably a welcome sight in any case, particularly at the 23' x 14' dining-kitchen will no doubt be the heart of life in this house.
The gardens have a similarly perfect checklist of features: there are plentiful old trees, one of which has a swing hanging from its bow; there are lawns and a pond, walled garden and a swimming pool, and even a paddock for those who keep horses.
Beyond that there are also several outbuildings – arranged around a courtyard – which include a games room, garage and a 'gardener's WC'. Because who wants to have to tramp back to the house when you're caught short while tending the vegetable patch and fruit garden?
The games room in particular could potentially be converted into accommodation – there is such lovely outdoor space here, we'd imagine it would be a hugely popular place on Air B'n'B or similar.
Michaelstow itself is a tiny settlement, but is not far off the main A39 which runs up and down this part of the Cornwall coast. That location gives easy access to the usual hotspots including Padstow Rock, Tintagel and Boscastle, all of which are with 10 or 15 miles. Closer still is Wadebridge, which has all the major town amenities you'd need including supermarkets and a cinema.
The secret beaches of the West Country where you can escape the crowds
If you're heading to the West Country this summer, here's our pick of the best beaches where you can enjoy
10 of Scotland’s most magical white sand beaches
What better day to celebrate some of Scotland's most stunning locations than St Andrew's Day? Here's our pick of 10
-
Uniquely unique? The Yorkshire grain silos transformed into a home that's a symphony in glass, steel and curvesAmid the beautiful countryside of North Yorkshire, on the edge of the Castle Howard Estate, The Silos is a property for which the word 'house' simply doesn't cut it. And that's not the only way in which it's made us throw out the dictionary.
-
Polluting water executives now face up to two years in prison, but will the new laws make much of a difference?The Government has announced that water company executives caught covering up illegal sewage spills could now be imprisoned for two years, under new laws — but many still have their doubts.
-
Uniquely unique? The Yorkshire grain silos transformed into a home that's a symphony in glass, steel and curves
Amid the beautiful countryside of North Yorkshire, on the edge of the Castle Howard Estate, The Silos is a property for which the word 'house' simply doesn't cut it. And that's not the only way in which it's made us throw out the dictionary.
-
Graham Norton's elegant East London home hits the market, and it's just as wonderful as you would expectThe four-bedroom home in Wapping should be studied for how well it uses two separate spaces to create a home of immense character and utility.
-
About time: The fastest and slowest moving housing markets revealedNew research by Zoopla has shown where it's easy to sell and where it will take quite a while to find a buyer.
-
A wisteria clad hall built by one of the founders of the Bank of EnglandCome for the history of Old Hall. Stay for the interesting interiors.
-
A gorgeous Scottish cottage with contemporary interiors on the bonny banks of the River TayCarnliath on the edge of Strathtay is a delightful family home set in sensational scenery.
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country LifeWe take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producersStormzy, Rihanna and the Rolling Stones are just a part of the story at Osea Island, a dot on the map in the seas off Essex.
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in KentNorth Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
