The idea of the ‘forever’ house is a tricky one to pin down. You may not have a clue what it will look like, but you’ll know it when you see it. And that’s clearly what happened to the owners of Lottisham Manor, near Glastonbury, when they moved in half a century ago.
This dreamy Grade II*-listed home is on the market for the first time in 50 years, priced at £1.75 million. It’s spectacularly pretty 15th century hall full of medieval character. While the place was added to in the 16th and 17th centuries, its alterations have been minor. Neither the manor nor its surroundings in the hamlet of Lottisham have changed much in the half a millennium since it was built.
Part of the vast monastic estates of Glastonbury Abbey until the Dissolution, the manor stands in more than 14 acres of gardens and pasture in an area scattered with ‘a nice spread of farmhouses and former estate cottages, but, amazingly, no modern in-fill,’ says Andrew Cronan of Strutt & Parker, who are handling the sale.
Chamfered beams, panelled walls and screens and fine, dressed fireplaces abound throughout the house, which offers more than 3,900sq ft of living space, including the central hall, three main reception rooms and a kitchen/breakfast room.
Upstairs there are six bedrooms, a family bathroom and a series of attics, while elsewhere within the grounds is a stone-built coach house that has garaging, workshop and storage space on the ground floor and a one-bedroom flat above.
The meandering gardens are a real feature: superbly kept with beautiful lawns framed by pretty borders. There’s a kitchen garden, water garden and an orchard, plus a tennis court.
Lottisham Manor is also well equipped for equestrian pursuits, with stabling and lush summer grazing for six pampered horses or ponies.
Lottisham Manor is for sale via Strutt & Parker at £1.75m – see more details and pictures.
-
A tranquil cottage in Essex where Grayson Perry used to do his paper roundGreat Bardfield was home to a variety of famous artists, and with properties such as Vine Cottage, it's not difficult to understand why.
-
The joy of English stoneWhen the interior designer Isabella Worsley conceived Country Life's ‘outdoor drawing room’ at this week’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, she worked with English stone specialist Artorius Faber to lend the space a timeless feel
-
A tranquil cottage in Essex where Grayson Perry used to do his paper round
Great Bardfield was home to a variety of famous artists, and with properties such as Vine Cottage, it's not difficult to understand why.
-
A home of horticultural and architectural grandeur for sale near BanburyReception and bedrooms on the inside, garden rooms by Lanning Roper on the outside.
-
22 charming country homes for sale, from £500k to £3m, as seen in Country LifeOur regular look at some of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life includes everything from thatched cottages in the West Country to sprawling estates.
-
An effortlessly contemporary home in Surrey for quiet contemplationGraylings in the Surrey Hills was designed by Baufritz and is a delight of modern design.
-
Curiosity abounds in Kent at Flimwell Grange, where an old brandy vat is now a pool houseThis period delight is full of curious treasures, and offers outstanding views of the Garden of England.
-
London is a happy city, but not the happiest city, according to new researchIt is, however, a very romantic city, according to different research. So that's good.
-
Swim above the competition in London's highest outdoor poolThe new Shard Place development is the latest amenity-filled addition to the Shard Quarter
-
Business at the front, party at the rear: Ravensbury Lodge in Devon, a four-bed conversion on the market with stunning views of the River DartThe house in Warfleet, Dartmouth, is a waterside property with a twist — and its contrasting architectural elements are a delightful surprise.
