The five village property names that always command a premium
What's in a name?


The English-village idyll is very much alive and buyers are willing to pay above the odds for it, but have you ever wondered exactly how much that ‘manor’, ‘rectory’ or ‘cottage’ label is worth? We investigate the difference an evocative name makes, with exclusive research from Jackson-Stops & Staff.
The manor house
Average sale price £1,427,292 | 650% more than UK average | £190 per sq ft
To the manor born or bought, this is one of the most desirable houses in the village. It’s typically the largest, too, and a great place for both a party and some peace and quiet. Bizarrely, despite being the most expensive (and rightly so) of village properties, the manor house consistently offers the best value per square foot.
‘Manor houses enjoy glamour and prestige as the focal point of village life, with spacious living accommodation matched by perfectly manicured grounds,’ says Nick Leeming, chairman of Jackson-Stops & Staff. ‘As a result, they continue to boast a healthy premium on the village-property stage and will do so for years to come.’
The old rectory
Average sale price £1,295,733 | 590% more than UK average | £292 per sq ft
Second to those in ‘the big house’, the vicar was historically the most important person in the village, so it’s only fitting that he and his family enjoyed a property of ample proportions and in a pivotal spot in the heart of things, benefiting from a lush garden, a nearby pub, a shop and perhaps the local school. All of this makes a parsonage pretty close to perfect.
‘Sometimes, all it takes is a name to spark interest,’ says Brian Bishop, Jackson-Stops & Staff director. ‘Properties called The Old Rectory draw interest from the get-go.’
The farmhouse
Average sale price £1,257,918 | 580% more than UK average | £312 per sq ft
With fields and outbuildings to explore and ‘bundles of space’, farms are particularly suited to family life. They’re usually on the edge of a village, where it’s nice and quiet, and their rambling, extensive nature is the crux of their appeal, making them almost six times more expensive than the average UK home.
‘You often find that adults who spent their childhood on a farm will make the move back,’ says Gavin Selbie of the Tunbridge Wells branch.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
‘This is particularly apparent with young couples ready to start a family of their own and wanting to relive these memories with their children.’
The barn conversion
Average sale price £889,925 | 410% more than UK average | £325 per sq ft
Whether buyers are downsizing in later life or moving out of town to start a family, barn conversions are top of the charts on a price-per-square-foot basis, despite being much less expensive than manor houses, parsonages and farms. They tend to be light-filled and spacious and are popular for their blend of traditional and modern style.
‘Barns are a blank canvas that can be transformed into the buyer’s ideal home quite easily,’ says Tim Hayward, director of the Burnham Market branch.
‘It’s very rare that a converted barn is on the market for long. Last April, we marketed four on the Holkham estate and, just four days after the open day, all four sales had been agreed.’
The cottage
Average sale price £607,465 | 280% more than UK average | £320 per sq ft
Whether thatched, wisteria-covered or adorably crooked, the country cottage’s popularity foretells its average square-foot price of £320, second only to the barn conversion and considerably higher than the much grander manor house. However, although 2.8 times above the cost of the average UK home, the country cottage is the least expensive of English village homes and, often, the most desirable.
‘Cottages are an iconic part of British housing stock,’ says Dawn Carritt, director of country houses at Jackson-Stops & Staff. ‘In fact, many of the features that would often be negatives in another property, such as smaller rooms or low head heights and beams, are the most attractive parts of a cottage. They also suit a variety of needs, from making great second homes for families seeking weekend escapes or an attractive option for downsizing retirees.’
What about the rest?
Church conversions, post offices, butchers and old schoolhouses are a little more rare than our top five, but still worth thinking about. Last year, a church conversion marketed by Jackson-Stops & Staff sold for 107% more than the area’s average house price. An old post office also recently attracted a hefty premium, selling at 15% more than the average.
‘Many buyers crave classic English village life and historical properties, whether old rectories and farmhouses, or the more unusual conversions, are always attractive,’ says Liz McLean, director of the Newbury branch. ‘Although some do want a ready-to-move-in-to home, many are looking for a project — a home with character on which to make their mark. In both cases, and across all village property types, demand is much higher than average.’
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.
Credit: Alamy
The 10 most beautiful marinas in Europe, from Scotland to Sardinia
With their beautiful locations and state-of-the-art facilities, these exclusive marinas offer the best for yacht owners and sailing enthusiasts.
Top 10 places to buy property in France
Variety is the spice of life in France, with its cornucopia of landscapes and lifestyles open to property buyers.
Annunciata grew up in the wilds of Lancashire and now lives in Hampshire with a husband, two daughters and an awful pug called Parsley. She’s been floating round the Country Life office for more than a decade, her work winning the Property Magazine of the Year Award in 2022 (Property Press Awards). Before that, she had a two-year stint writing ‘all kinds of fiction’ for The Sunday Times Travel Magazine, worked in internal comms for Country Life’s publisher (which has had many names in recent years but was then called IPC Media), and spent another year researching for a historical biographer, whose then primary focus was Graham Greene and John Henry Newman and whose filing system was a collection of wardrobes and chests of drawers filled with torn scraps of paper. During this time, she regularly gave tours of 17th-century Milton Manor, Oxfordshire, which may or may not have been designed by Inigo Jones, and co-founded a literary, art and music festival, at which Johnny Flynn headlined. When not writing and editing for Country Life, Annunciata is also a director of TIN MAN ART, a contemporary art gallery founded in 2021 by her husband, James Elwes.
-
Vertigo at Victoria Falls, a sunset surrounded by lions and swimming in the Nile: A journey from Cape Town to Cairo
Why do we travel and who inspires us to do so? Chris Wallace went in search of answers on his own epic journey the length of Africa.
By Christopher Wallace Published
-
A gorgeous Scottish cottage with contemporary interiors on the bonny banks of the River Tay
Carnliath on the edge of Strathtay is a delightful family home set in sensational scenery.
By James Fisher Published
-
A gorgeous Scottish cottage with contemporary interiors on the bonny banks of the River Tay
Carnliath on the edge of Strathtay is a delightful family home set in sensational scenery.
By James Fisher Published
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country Life
We take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
By Toby Keel Published
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producers
Stormzy, Rihanna and the Rolling Stones are just a part of the story at Osea Island, a dot on the map in the seas off Essex.
By Lotte Brundle Published
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in Kent
North Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
By James Fisher Published
-
A rare opportunity to own a family home on Vanbrugh Terrace, one of London's finest streets
This six-bedroom Victorian home sits right on the start line of the London Marathon, with easy access to Blackheath and Greenwich Park.
By James Fisher Published
-
A tale of everyday life as lived on Britain's most expensive street
Winnington Road in Hampstead has an average house price of £11.9 million. But what's it really like? Lotte Brundle went to find out.
By Lotte Brundle Last updated
-
Damon Hill's former home in Marbella is the perfect place to slow down
The glorious Andalusian-style villa is found within the Lomas de Marbella Club and just a short walk from the beach.
By James Fisher Published
-
A 327-acre estate in the heart of 'England’s Côte d’Or', with a 26,000sq ft Georgian style home at its heart
Stokes Hall in the Crouch Valley is an inspiring property looking for a new owner.
By Penny Churchill Published