When it comes to the archetypal English country home, it’s pretty difficult to look beyond thatch. It is the gold standard, the picture postcard, of English country living. Combine it with a delightful location, a wisp of smoke rising out of a chimney, and things start to feel immensely reassuring. This is England.
Few things set the pulse racing like a good bit of thatch. I always enjoy houses that seem to be more thatch than building. You will find few better examples than this property, called The Thatched Cottage, in the village of Nutbourne, moments away from the Chichester Harbour National Landscape. It is for sale with Fine and Country for £700,000.
Somewhat unsurprisingly, it is old. Very old. Dating from 1650, the property is listed Grade II and is nestled between the towns of Chichester and Emsworth. Set over two floors, it is achingly cosy, with three bedrooms, three bathrooms and two reception areas. It is a delicious country bolthole with the perfect aesthetic.
Marvel at the features of the interiors: the exposed beams, the fireplaces, the brick and tilework. A kitchen with a duck-egg blue Aga. A vaulted ceiling in the sitting room. This house has seen and heard things for centuries. It was also re-thatched in 2021, so you won’t have to worry about that for a while. Even the boot room is perfect.
Chichester Harbour and its environs need no introduction, but it is one of the most beautiful parts of the South Coast of England. As much as the beauty of this house lies in its traditional appearance, so too does it lie in its location. The water is a short walk away. The train station is a short walk away. The pub is a short walk away. More than just weekends can be whiled away when everything is on your doorstep.
This is a home for the creative. Not content with just enjoying the surrounding scenery, the property boasts two summer houses, as well as an art studio, within the gardens that surround the house. Beyond inspiring.
-
Deep lakes, tall peaks and Flemish portraiture. It's the Country Life Quiz of the DayAugust 28's quiz gets to grips with geography, art, film and also cats.
-
Gill Meller wants to make soufflé great again with his sweetcorn and smoked cheddar recipeIs the soufflé on the brink of extinction? Well, not if Gill Meller's recipe for a sweetcorn and smoked cheddar has anything to do with it.
-
The market for super-prime houses in England's biggest millionaire's playground is booming — and this £10m example is one of the bestWhirley Hall is a 17th century building that's a perfect example of how 21st century updates can transform an old home almost beyond recognition.
-
If I had to spend the rest of my life living underground, I would do it in this four-bedroom house for sale in the Peak DistrictThe aptly named Underhill is a 'a work of inhabitable art' that was built in the 1970s. And there's a swimming pool in the middle of it.
-
A micro estate for sale in west Wales shows that the best things come in small packages. In this case, three of themBrithdir is a remarkable collection of properties centred around a lake and just five miles from the sea.
-
This blissful converted mill has sweeping views, a breathtaking library and gardens by a Chelsea gold medallistPenny Churchill takes a look at Stanbridge Mill, one of the finest properties for sale today in the west country.
-
Portmore has it all: A 3,459-acre Scottish estate for sale, with a signature Baronial sandstone mansion at its heartFor sale for the first time in 40 years, Portmore Estate is everything you could ever want in Scotland.
-
Location, community and charm: the enduring desirability of London's mews housesFrom birds, to horses, to beautiful family homes, the mews of London are some of the nation's most sought-after homes. But why?
-
The distinctive and historic home that might just be 'one of Dorset’s most picturesque'Grade II*-listed Manor House, set in just under eight acres, dates from the 16th century.
-
A 17th century farmhouse in Surrey with one of Britain's oldest squash courtsFords Farm is on the market for the first time in over half a century.
