'She said it was the most haunted place she had known and asked if we’d seen all the ghosts': Alexander Armstrong on his first house in the country
The actor and comedian Alexander Armstrong fondly remembers his first house in the country, in an Oxfordshire village.
Alexander Armstrong is an actor, comedian and broadcaster. On June 14, he will be discussing the power of classical music at the Well Read Literary Festival at Wasing Estate near Aldermaston, Berkshire.
Where was it?
On the edge of an Oxfordshire village.
A quick description
A five-bedroom, Grade II-listed Victorian vicarage.
How did you find it?
Through word of mouth.
What made you buy it?
It was so elegant and, as with all good houses, it told us how we were going to live in it. It had exactly the right smell.
How was the purchase?
Fairly smooth. We bought it from a family trust, which meant every-thing took considerably longer.
Favourite aspect
It had a heavenly garden, mature borders and a wonderful orchard. It was next to a medieval church in the curve of a river. It was bliss.
Best memory of living there
Our first winter there was 2010, when it snowed as it used to in the 1980s, and we had a white Christmas. Had the oil lorry been half an hour later on Christmas Eve, it would never have made it through. The joy and relief that we would have heating and a work-ing stove added to the cosiness.
Biggest mistake
The house was next to some picturesque ruins. The only bum note was that every Friday and Saturday night until dawn, from late March until mid October, these ruins were where the local teenagers came to drink vodka, tear about screaming and generally have an amazing time. I would go out to speak to them and although they were unfailingly polite and genial, they would use our garden as their latrine.
Anything unusual?
A couple of years ago we met someone who had known the house for years. She said it was the most haunted place she had known and asked if we’d seen all the ghosts. We hadn’t — which is terribly sad as I love a ghost.
What happened to it?
We moved to a farm with a bit more space. However, we still look back on it very fondly.
This feature first appeared in the May 27, 2026, issue of Country Life. Click here for more information on how to subscribe.
