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Country houses for sale

In Fulham, where this four-bedroom cottage with an acre of gardens redefines the meaning of country living in the big city

James Fisher

At Rose Cottage on Crabtree Lane, a former farmhouse has been swallowed up by the city, but somehow kept its rustic charm thanks to its careful owners.

Readers of Country Life the Magazine might know that, in the past, I may have said some unkind things about the London Borough of Fulham. This comes from a mis-spent youth south of the river where, far too often, I would make the journey to SW6 to see friends and bemoan the lack of public transport and the expensive pubs. I also dislike Chelsea Football Club.

The rear of Rose Cottage, viewed from the large garden.

However, upon casting my gaze upon the delicately named Rose Cottage on Crabtree Lane, I might have to eat some humble pie. For sale with Radstock Property for £3.75 million, this might be, might be, the nicest house I’ve ever seen for sale in London. 

The phrase rus-in-urbe is tossed around with reckless abandon, much like a rugby ball on Parsons Green, but at Rose Cottage, we might have finally found a property worthy of the title. With a garden of an acre, this late-17th-century property will really make you feel like you’ve escaped to the countryside, all while being a few minutes’ walk away from The River Café. That’s about as good as it gets.

The sensational conservatory.

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The property used to be the farmhouse for the Crabtree orchards, but in recent years has been the home of architects who have updated and renovated the property with care to create a charming family home. The main property boasts four bedrooms over its two floors, while a more modern detached annexe to the rear of the property offers two further bedrooms. There is also a detached art studio of some 182sq ft to the front of the property.

The dining room and kitchen, with the conservatory beyond.

Entered via Crabtree Lane, a walk through a mature front garden leads to the front door. On the ground floor you will find a sitting room with an open fire, a kitchen, a delightful conservatory and the fourth bedroom (or study). 

The two-bedroom annexe, viewed from the pergola dining area.

The annexe, as mentioned, offers two further bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, a playroom, an office, a kitchenette and a sauna.

Separating the two buildings is the 77ft long garden, which offers an oasis of calm. Features include a pergola covered dining area, a built-in barbecue area and a vast expanse of lawn, surrounded on the edges with mature borders and specimen trees. 

One of the bedrooms. Note the soft colours and exposed beams.

If all that green space wasn’t enough (and, in central London, it should be), Rose Cottage provides easy access to Bishops Park and the Thames Path, with plenty of excellent local shops and cafés (River or otherwise) nearby. Hammersmith tube station is also well within walking distance.

Rose Cottage is for sale with Radstock Property. For more information, call 020—3876 0280