Those who move out of London often focus on the surrounding areas, the so-called Home Counties: Surrey, Sussex and Kent to the south; Berkshire and Buckinghamshire to the west; Middlesex, Hertfordshire and Essex to the north and east. Slightly further out are Hampshire, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire, which also balance of country life with easy access to the metropolis.
Surrey is the county most associated with the ‘stockbroker belt’: it’s very close to London but still leafy and attractive and boasts world-famous estates such as St George’s Hill and Wentworth. Its market towns like Haslemere and Farnham have great amenities and quick rail links back into the capital.
Sussex is perhaps best characterised by the views offered in the beautiful South Downs, but there are also vibrant cities such as Brighton and Chichester which offera real cosmopolitan mix.
Kent, the Garden of England, has been growing in popularity for those moving out of London for some time, and country houses in Kent are remarkably good value compared to those in neighbouring Sussex or Surrey.
Many parts of Hampshire are very pretty and yet still commutable to London – Kingsclere and Winchester are both within an hour of Waterloo, the former a classic English village, the latter with its medieval cobbled streets and fun markets one of the most desirable Cathedral cities in the country.
In Berkshire, towns and villages such as Bucklebury, Bray, and Yattendon are justly famous, while in Buckinghamshire the likes of Long Crendon are both practical and picturesque.
Herfordshire has the charming city of St Albans to recommend it while Harpenden and Hertforshire are also enduringly popular, while Essex has countryside that inspired Constable as well as 350 miles of coastline.
Don’t miss Country Life’s guide to the best places to live near London
Living on your own island is the stuff of childhood dreams; this place offers that chance while also offering easy access to London.
The house of a Napoleonic hero, and where Percy Shelley came for tea, has come up for sale in a pretty Sussex village.
Over 20 years since it was last sold, Penny Churchill looks at a home once owned by a scientist and champion chess player player that has come to the market.
A new-found love for space, quiet and Nature is driving growth in the prime countryside market, says Penny Churchill, as she takes a look at a superb house on the slopes of Leith Hill in Surrey.
Penny Churchill and Toby Keel take a look at some of the homes in the Kent town of Deal, which boasts a high street once voted the best in England.
Penny Churchill looks at the sale of Longlands House in the heart of Henley.
We tend to think of Gothic features as the preserve of churches and ancient piles, but that's not always the case.
James Fisher picks out some beautiful homes which will challenge your expectations of what a country house can be.
The charmingly-named By The Way is a lovely house full of character and in a great location — but is there a compromise to be made? James Fisher takes a look.
The views and the history are equally breathtaking at High Point, a striking new house in an ancient setting.
You don't have to be a millionaire to live in a grand country mansion, as these beautiful homes across Britain demonstrate.
Morley Manor would be a grand and impressive home even without its sporting facilities; Penny Churchill tells more.
Penny Churchill takes a look at Adshead Park, a few miles outside Reading, where Sir John Madejski's country house is for sale.
Penny Churchill looks at Chicheley Hall, a house that Simon Jenkins poured praise on in his book 'England's Thousand Best Houses'.
Penny Churchill looks at a house in the Garden of England that’s as impressive and storied as the landscape.
Great Baynden is a superb Kent house that's full of the sort of touches you'd hope to see when moving to a period home in the country, as Penny Churchill explains.
'Every other call or enquiry has been from people moving out of London,' one estate agent tells James Fisher, as he rounds up some of the best properties for sale within easy reach of the capital.
The launch onto the market of Ashe Park, a charming estate in Jane Austen country, could set the tone for the country house market this autumn, says Penny Churchill.
