Cambridge-based auctioneer Cheffins announces the sale by auction, on Wednesday, March 14, of Orchard House at Grantchester, near Cambridge, where the poet Rupert Brooke lodged during his Grantchester Group years in 1909–11 (and often took tea in the orchard).
The house carries a guide price of £950,000, with the vendor reserving to sell privately before the sale date itself.
The house, now in need of some TLC, is just 2.5 miles from the city centre in a village which is among the most popular in Cambridge.
It stands next to the famous Orchard Tea Garden in the heart of this quintessential English village, surrounded by the tranquil Grantchester Meadows leading down to the River Cam, where, according to Brooke, Byron used to swim.
The 2,200sq ft, four-bedroom house is being sold by the executor of the late Robin Callan, the originator of the Callan method for TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language).
‘Orchard House is one of the most iconic buildings in the village, with light and bright rooms and huge amounts of entertaining space and significant historical interest.
'We expect interest from private buyers, investors or even institutions on the day,’ comments Cheffins director Richard Freshwater.
Orchard House is up for auction via Cheffins - see more pictures and details.
Guide to Warwickshire’s sporting history, legendary author and Spaghetti Junction.
Birthplace of William Shakespeare, Warwickshire also saw Webb Ellis pick up a ball and run.
The best places to live for commuters: Cambridgeshire
Country Life selects the best places to live in Cambridgeshire based on quality of life and an easy commute into
Credit: Liam Wales/COUNTRY LIFE Picture Library
More tea, vicar? The persistent appeal of the parsonage
Dearly beloved, the parsonage’s appeal never falters, finds Eleanor Doughty.
-
The greatest moment in the life of Jessie Owens: Country Life Quiz of the Day, June 13, 2025Breathtaking athleticism and Shakespeare's birthday are among the questions in the final quiz of the week.
-
Merlins: Britain's smallest bird of prey is a 'swerving, zigzagging, 240mph weighted missile' that's gutsy enough to chase off a golden eagleSize doesn’t matter when it comes to the fighting spirit of the tiny merlin, a fierce parent and favoured hunting accessory of Mary, Queen of Scots.
-
Soft tones and a sense of place: A Mayfair duplex that breaks the modern mouldA new designer-led residence at 60 Curzon in Mayfair reminds us that everything new doesn't necessarily have to look it.
-
'The very best North Yorkshire has to offer': The £25 million Kirkham EstateWith 1,103 acres and on the market for the first time in a century, we've got a new frontrunner for the sale of the year.
-
The reality of 20 years of house price rises in Britain, from the places that have had a charmed life to the spots where it's a struggle to move back homeAt first glance the ups and downs of the property market seem to even out over time — but dig in to the numbers and you'll see wild regional variations which paint a very difference picture. Annabel Dixon analyses new research which tells the story.
-
A historic Yorkshire hall, meticulously restored to its former 18th-century magnificenceWomersley Park is a masterpiece and one of Yorkshire's great historic houses. And it could be yours.
-
Rowing past dreams: An idyllic riverside home with a boathouse, croquet pitch and Olympic pedigreeThe Manor in Long Wittenham is a perfect Thames-side getaway. Comes with a free boat.
-
A bucolic Sussex home that's 'like stepping into a fairytale', yet just 30 minutes from central LondonFelmere House is a playground for nature and only 30 minutes from London.
-
Magnificent mansions across the Home Counties, from £3 million to £14 million, as seen in Country LifeA waterside dream home and a house and estate with over 1,100 years of history make our round-up this week.
-
Vibrant colours and exquisite taste make this three-bedroom London townhouse singOn Kennington's West Square, this Grade II-listed home is a monument to the discerning eye.
