Three homes down by the Thames, perfect for those who love messing about on boats
This summer’s scorching temperatures will no doubt have endorsed the perennial appeal of Thames-side houses with frontage and private access to the river. Penny Churchill and Toby Keel pick out some prime examples.

Marlow — £6.25 million
A beautiful, unlisted home full of character is always a great find, and Glenmead — in the exclusive Quarrywood Road, Marlow — is just that. This splendid riverside villa sits in just under an acre of lovely private grounds, with 150ft of river frontage with direct access to the Thames, a deep-water mooring, a full-size tennis court and pavilion and uninterrupted views of Lock Island and Marlow Church.




It was originally built in the 1920s and altered in the 1950s, with the addition of the striking neo-Georgian stucco façade, sash windows and portico entrance.
Hamptons sold the house in 2015 to the present owners, who have modernised and improved the interior with an extensive programme of renovation that has seen the installation of a new kitchen and new bathrooms, with cosmetic redecoration throughout.




The property offers 5,168sq ft of light-filled living space on three floors, including a reception hall, four reception rooms, a study, state-of-the-art kitchen, wine cellar, domestic offices and six double bedrooms with bathrooms en suite. Amenities include a gym, games room/studio and extensive private parking.
For sale via Hamptons — see more pictures and details.
Henley-on-Thames — £850,000
A three-bedroom flat, second-floor flat on a small island in the Thames, linked by a footbridge to the centre of Henley.



The agent's description of it as a 'penthouse' might initially seem a little fanciful, but it's the entire top floor for sale, with 1125 sq ft, river views on three sides and balconies on two, and there is mooring for boats in the communal gardens.
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
While you're living on the water, the property is linked to land and there's a separate garage included.
For sale via Savills at £850,000 — see more details.
Wargrave — £1.9 million
You can practically stick your feet out of the door and tip your toes in the river at this seven-bedroom detached house in a village near Reading, right where the Thames meets the Loddon.



The price includes the house, gardens and even a cottage on the grounds.
The catch? As the pictures here show, the place is crying out for a refurbishment, having been in the same family for 80-odd years. But the work will surely be worth doing for a house which includes mooring, riparian rights and is close to Wargrave station, making it commutable to London.
For sale via Ballards — see more details.
Toby Keel is Country Life's Digital Director, and has been running the website and social media channels since 2016. A former sports journalist, he writes about property, cars, lifestyle, travel, nature.
-
'There were no fireworks. The art world remained unshaken. Then, this April, a letter arrived... to see it hanging in Tate will be very special': Art dealer John Martin on the piece he'd never part with
A chance encounter with a huge, shimmering panel led art dealer John Martin to discover Nigerian sculptor Asiru Olatunde, a man who also owed his artistic career to an accidental find, as Carla Passino learns.
By Carla Passino Published
-
Country Life Quiz of the Day, September 29, 2025 is pooch perfect
Dog breeds, musicals and the world's highest high jump make an appearance in today's quiz.
By Country Life Published
-
A country house escape where 'legend has it that Shakespeare came to stay' while writing The Tempest
Standen House on the Isle of Wight isn't just a grand country home — it's a grand country home that has a claim to have hosted the most famous playwright in history. Could it really be true?
By Toby Keel Published
-
A vicarage designed by one of Queen Victoria's favourite architects, exquisitely refurbished to keep every ounce of original character — and even a few cracks and crumbles
Just down the road from Soho Farmhouse, and under 20 miles from central Oxford, this home designed by George Gilbert Scott is a joy.
By Toby Keel Published
-
The blissful waterside home for sale that hosted the iconic 'Surrealists in Cornwall' party, where Man Ray, Lee Miller and Henry Moore let down their hair
The wonderful Lambe Creek House was the setting for a bohemian gathering of some of the most creative minds of the 1920s and 1930s. Today, it's up for sale; Penny Churchill tells is story.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
'You simply would not move unless you had to': All the rumours about what The Budget could do to the property market in Britain — and what they'd mean for buyers and sellers
Months of speculation about a shake-up for property taxes has been taking its toll on the housing market in Britain. Annabel Dixon outlines the proposals which have been doing the rounds, and asks experts for their analysis.
By Annabel Dixon Published
-
A spectacular green oasis that offers a slice of country life in the very heart of one of the busiest places in London
Among the roads, rail and conference centres of Earls Court, there's a charming terrace where you can find homes that offer wonderful surprises — and they don't get much more wonderful than this one.
By Toby Keel Published
-
A breathtaking home created by a genius architect on one of the most beautiful headlands in Cornwall, on the market for the first time in almost 40 years
In 1932, a visionary architect bought a magnificently wild Cornish headland, and built some of the most beautiful homes in the West Country on it. One of them — The Gate House at Chapel Point, near Mevagissey — is on sale for the first time since it appeared in Country Life in 1987. Penny Churchill reports.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
A classic English country house, with charm, croquet lawn and a castle next door, on the market for the first time in almost 60 years
The Old Rectory in Beverston — one of the Cotswolds' most historic villages — is on the market. Penny Churchill tells its tale.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
Hammocks, streams and kooky charm at this 18th century barn in a hopelessly bucolic spot in the Sussex countryside
What was once a threshing barn in East Sussex is now a gloriously bucolic home. Annabel Dixon steps inside.
By Annabel Dixon Published