Middle Farm was built in 1977 on a piece of land adjoining Wotton House, an early 18th century home which was once the family home of William Pitt the Younger, and subsequently the Duke of Buckingham (or Richard Plantagenet Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, to give him his full family name). After that family line died out, Wotton has since had a number of owners including Sir John Gielgud and, since 2008, Tony Blair.
All of which makes the village a surprising place to find such a striking modern design as the one featured on this page, a house which is now on the market at £1.35 million with Michael Graham.
Designed by the architect Dominic Michaelis, this late-1970s creation came out of the architectural movement of the time which sought to maximise space and light with floor-to-ceiling windows.
Rather wonderfully, the present owners have kept the place in 1970s fashion, with a brown-green deep shagpile carpet and furniture which wouldn't look out of place in an Abba video. Even the kitchen has a pleasingly period look which somehow seems just right in the context.
And while lovers of the traditional English country house might be tempted to mop their brow at the architecture, lovers of English country gardens will no doubt see beyond the stark timber-and-glass design, for the all-around glass offers 360-degree views of a formal garden which is truly spectacular, and beyond which lies a lovely orchard.
As well as the eye-catching, open-plan living space there are also four bedrooms and two bathrooms, with the bedrooms opening onto a veranda.
The house comes with around 19 acres of grounds which include open bay garaging, stables, workshops, home offices, and a detached barn – built in a more traditional style – which has the potential to become separate accommodation.
Horse lovers will be delighted to learn that there are paddocks close to the house, which take up almost 16.5 acres of the total land – enough that a manege could easily be built.
The house was featured in Ideal Home magazine when it was built back in the 1970s.
A handsomely remodelled Queen Anne home with gardens woodland and a poolhouse
Chance of a lifetime.
A country house just outside Winchester with its own opera festival
Dymoke House at Easton boasts a natural amphitheatre of the gardens.
One of John Nash’s least-known country houses comes to the market
Principally designed by John Nash, Warrens at Bramshaw in Hampshire is surrounded by the New Forest.
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'The whole house shook. Everything was white. For four months, it felt as if we were on Mars': The story behind one of Hampshire's most breathtaking gardensWhen Kim Wilkie sculpted a tiered grass amphitheatre behind this 17th-century house, the garden finally settled into place, as Non Morris discovers.
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'I have lost a treasure, such a sister, such a friend as never can have been surpassed': Inside Jane Austen's Winchester home, the house where she penned her final words and drew her final breathJane Austen spent the last days of her life in rented lodgings in Winchester, Hampshire. Adam Rattray describes the remarkable recent discoveries made about the house in which she died.
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An utterly charming island home in Scotland with gardens so beautiful they made the cover of Country LifeAn Cala on the Isle of Seil has a fascinating history that is only enhanced by its amazing setting.
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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.
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'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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
