An Old Rectory for sale that 'encapsulates the Georgian dream'
Our property correspondent Penny Churchill comes across a lot of properties, yet she's still clearly entranced by this beautiful family home in Frampton.


If ever a house and garden encapsulated the Georgian rectory dream, it’s Grade II-listed The Old Rectory at Frampton, six miles north of Dorchester, for which Knight Frank quote a guide price of £1.25m.
Built in 1726, in the classic, square-cut Georgian style, the gracious former rectory stands next to the church in a quintessential Dorset village setting.
Unusually, it’s been little altered since it was built – apart from a discreet Victorian extension at its northern end – until a decade ago, when the present owners bought it and had the entire property restored and refurbished throughout.
Inside there is some 3,500sq ft of accommodation, including three reception rooms, five bedrooms and four bathrooms.
The vendors have been careful to retain the charm of the many original features, with tall bay windows, wooden floors and fireplaces in the reception rooms.
The drawing room – pictured at the top of this page – exemplifies many of these charms, with elegant cornicing and sash windows which can be covered by original working shutters.
The setting is idyllic. The house is set in just over an acre of formal and wild gardens on three sides, with a kitchen garden at the rear.
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Beyond the main home there is stabling and garaging in the coachhouse that comes as part of the property, and which is Grade II-listed in its own right.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
Credit: Humberts
Five beautiful Cotswolds homes for the price of suburban semis
You're spoilt for choice if you're upping sticks and swapping city life for the Cotswolds.
A rolling Dorset estate with a picturesque 'Arts-and-Crafts' farmhouse at its heart
Blackdown House Farm at Briantspuddle was part of the once-great Bladon estate.
Credit: Savills
A perfectly-preserved home on an ancient stretch of land in one of the prettiest spots in Wiltshire
Church House is a beautiful home in rolling countryside not far from Salisbury that has come to the market in
-
The dream home that never was for one of Britain's greatest film stars, back on the market for the first time in half a century
Anna White takes a look at the beautiful Wallers Mead, in the Buckinghamshire village full of links to Hollywood movies from James Bond to Star Wars.
By Anna White Published
-
Country Life Quiz of the Day, September 16, 2025 gets Brutal(ist)
Divisive architecture is among the themes of today's quiz questions.
By Country Life Published
-
The dream home that never was for one of Britain's greatest film stars, back on the market for the first time in half a century
Anna White takes a look at the beautiful Wallers Mead, in the Buckinghamshire village full of links to Hollywood movies from James Bond to Star Wars.
By Anna White Published
-
A 500-year-old cottage in West Sussex that's as beautiful as you could ever hope to see, with a pool ringed by flowers, stables and a croquet lawn
James Fisher was in need of some balm for the soul when he came across Woodshill House.
By James Fisher Published
-
A Clarkson's Farm of one's own: Five properties with just enough farmland for you and your family, from under £1 million
Moving to the country is one thing; moving to the country and being able to grow and rear all your own food is another level entirely, and all these properties offer exactly that.
By Arabella Youens Published
-
Six superb homes, from chocolate box cottages to grand Tudor mansions, as seen in Country Life
Our regular round-up includes charming home counties houses and superb grand country house in Ireland.
By Toby Keel Published
-
A billionaire's thatched cottage is for sale in Surrey, once owned by the oil magnate J. Paul Getty
Chestnut Cottage is a joyous little home — albeit one with the most unusual bedrooms to acreage to price balances we've ever seen. Toby Keel takes a look inside.
By Toby Keel Published
-
Medieval Italian? 19th century French? 16th century German? You're spoilt for choice if you're looking to buy a gorgeous continental castle
From hills of Italy to a Bavarian palace, Toby Keel takes a look at three of the finest castles for sale across Europe today.
By Toby Keel Published
-
How to buy a house at auction
Buying at auction can mean you secure your dream property for a bargain price, but preparation is the key
By Annabel Dixon Last updated
-
The homes of two 1980s TV icons are both up for sale at the same time
The houses where Bob Monkhouse and Sir Terry Wogan spent decades of their lives are currently on the market. Annabel Dixon takes a look.
By Annabel Dixon Published