This gorgeous old rectory in Norfolk is free from the encumbrance of listed building status — not that you'd want to change a thing once you see it.
Georgian and handsome as they come, The Old Rectory at Witton — a little village on the Broads six miles east of Norwich — is real rarity. Not for its architectural grace, its sumptuous interiors, or grand rooms, but for the fact that it’s a beautiful period house with a £2 million price tag which has not been given listed building status.
We’re really not quite sure how it has managed to sneak under the radar, but those who wish to be able to update their home in the manner of their choosing will be thrilled to hear of a house of this quality where you’ll be given relative free rein.
That said, it’d be something of a crime to go too far overboard, for this really is an exceptionally lovely home just as it is, and one which has clearly benefitted from a healthy dose of sympathetic TLC in recent years – not to mention a new slate roof.
Take the kitchen, for example: recently re-done but in a traditional style, with an enormous cream-coloured Aga for that classic country house look. The cooking space leads on to a breakfast/dining area which has French doors leading out to a rear terrace.
The study-cum-library is another standout room, with its huge sash windows, original fireplace, plentiful shelving and leather armchairs. And then there’s the dining room, with its bold, red paint, almost baroque decoration and floor-to-ceiling windows.
There are six bedrooms and four bathrooms, and the principal suite has two dressing rooms and an en-suite bathroom done mostly in marble.
The house has grounds of nearly 10 acres that include an orchard, summerhouse, heated swimming pool and pond; lawns and paddocks are separated by a ha-ha, dominated by a magnificent copper beech.
Listed or not, it’s a country home which is just about picture-perfect in every way. Now, please excuse us as we dream about sliding down that magnificently curving bannister.
The Old Rectory in Witton is for sale via Strutt & Parker at £2m – see more pictures and details.
Best country houses for sale this week
From a truly magnificent Shropshire stately home to a string of delightful thatched cottages, enjoy our pick of the finest
