A picture-perfect Elizabethan country house once owned by the impresario who created Bucks Fizz
This year, we can expect some serious movement in the market, says Penny Churchill, who expects delightful country houses such as Comforts Place to be snapped up quickly.


The overall feeling at the upper end of the residential property market is largely one of relief at the outcome of last month’s General Election, with leading estate agents expecting to see a ‘Boris bounce’ in London reflected in the market for country houses in areas often shunned by nervous buyers in recent years.
As Edward Rook of Knight Frank explains: ‘Last year, even buyers desperate to move to the country were slow to commit to buying a house that either meant a major lifestyle change, involved a difficult commute or was expensive to maintain. This resulted in some really good country houses remaining unsold in 2019 — a situation that we expect to see reversed in 2020.’
He cites the example of charming, Grade II- listed Comforts Place, near Lingfield, Surrey, a property that was owned at one time by music producer Andy Hill and his wife, Nichola Martin, creators of pop group Bucks Fizz.
It came to the market in September last year, at a guide price of £3.15 million through Knight Frank’s Sevenoaks office. The house, the name of which is thought to derive from an old Surrey family that lived in the area from 1204 to 1294, originally formed part of a medieval aisled hall that was extended in the early to mid 15th century.
The core of the present house is formed by an Elizabethan manor house of 1597, although its earlier origins can be seen in features such as the crown-post and medieval joists within the surviving earlier cross-wings.
During their 17-year tenure, the current owners have substantially enhanced the house, gardens and grounds. Year by year, they have increased the accommodation, upgraded, renovated and modernised the house and barn, and added extensive equestrian facilities.
The main house offers more than 8,000sq ft of accommodation, including three reception rooms, a study, garden room, kitchen/breakfast room, five bedrooms and four bathrooms, with a further four bedrooms and two bathrooms in a separate guest wing.
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
The barn, with its two-bedroom annexe and entertaining room, provides a further 1,776sq ft of living space.
Comforts Place is built of brick and part tile-hung under a Horsham-stone-slate and tiled roof and stands in 16½ acres of gardens, grounds and paddocks, in a wonderfully private location some two miles north-west of Lingfield. It benefits from an excellent rail service from Oxted, 4½ miles away, that takes just under 40 minutes to London Victoria and 30 minutes to London Bridge.
‘Clearly, commuting is not a problem and, although the upkeep of the house, barn, buildings and sporting facilities, which include stabling for six horses, a manège, fencing and paddocks, plus a tennis court and swimming pool, represent an obvious long-term commitment, that no longer seems quite so daunting,’ Mr Rook adds.
Comforts Place is for sale at a guide price of £3.15 million through Knight Frank’s Sevenoaks office — see more pictures and details.
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
Ten splendidly isolated houses for sale across Britain, from valleys in the Lake District to farmhouses in Kent
If you fancy getting away from it all — REALLY getting away from it all – our selection of houses in the
Britain's 100 best Railway Stations: Simon Jenkins on the gateways to our railways
-
A Hampshire Manor for sale that dates back to the days of Alfred the Great, with the most beautiful staircase we've seen in years
The ten bedroom property features an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, spa complex and stables, and it was restored by the same architect who worked on Downing Street.
By Lotte Brundle Published
-
'Champagne is not simply a place, it’s a symbol of excellence': How a quiet rural region shrugged off war, famine and pestilence to become the home of the ultimate luxury tipple
Ten years ago today the French region was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but what did it take for Champagne to be listed and what’s changed for the area since then?
By Lotte Brundle Published
-
A Hampshire Manor for sale that dates back to the days of Alfred the Great, with the most beautiful staircase we've seen in years
The ten bedroom property features an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, spa complex and stables, and it was restored by the same architect who worked on Downing Street.
By Lotte Brundle Published
-
The new property hotspots where you can have it all: Beautiful houses, great schools and idyllic lifestyle
Across the country people are selling up and heading to the towns where there's no compromise on dream homes, outstanding schooling and the good life, according to analysis from two of Britain's top estate agents. Anna White explains.
By Anna White Published
-
Where Venice once ruled: The roving Venetians left handsome imprints across the Greek world, from its religion to its rambling villas
Matthew Dennison explores the lingering traces of Venice's vanished empire — and the best places to buy where it once stood.
By Matthew Dennison Last updated
-
A delightful 16th century home with some of Kent's most beautiful gardens has come on to the market
The Grange puts the 'garden' into the Garden of England.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
A pristine Scottish island for sale at the price of a garage in Fulham
A dot on the map of the west coast of Scotland has come on to the market, where you'll be surrounded by sea, living off grid and be neighbours with the local seal colony.
By Toby Keel Published
-
18 beautiful homes, from charming cottages to a Highland mansion with unbeatable views, as seen in Country Life
Our look at some of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life in the past week includes Georgian manor houses, charming commutable homes and the grandest home in Newcastle.
By Toby Keel Published
-
The gorgeous Somerset home of the designer behind one of Glastonbury's chicest spots
The Manor in Hinton Blewitt is a glorious Georgian home that ticks every box.
By Toby Keel Published
-
A 600-year-old National Trust property that you can call home
This blooming property in Kent showcases the original garden of England. Penny Churchill takes a look.
By Penny Churchill Published