The home of one of the heroes of the Battle of Trafalgar has come up for sale
The house of a Napoleonic hero, and where Percy Shelley came for tea, has come up for sale in a pretty Sussex village.

After a tough day of commanding HMS Ajax and defeating Napoleon’s navy at the Battle of Trafalgar, Captain John Pilfold would retire to his home at Marshalls Manor in Sussex. There, he would entertain his nephew Percy Bysshe Shelley in one of the five reception rooms.
Ok, so that may not all be strictly accurate; a naval officer at the time of the Napoleonic wars would have been away for months, or even years at a time. Indeed, earlier in his career as a young midshipman Pilfold headed out to the East Indies in October 1788, and didn't come home again until the spring of 1792.
By the time he got back he found that his father had died, and that the family seat — Effingham East Court Manor — had been sold off. That building has now gone, but the place where Pifold move to instead is still there, and is now for sale: Marshalls Manor, in Cuckfield, West Sussex, is for sale via Hamptons at £2.25m.
Two centuries on from Pifold's time the property is a delightful 4,500sq ft family home, which has thankfully seen some modernisation since the days of grapeshot and scurvy, and offers seven bedrooms and extensive gardens.
The house retains a wealth of period charm, with a particular highlight being the wood-panelled drawing room, and more contemporary additions, such as an enlarged kitchen and two conservatories, leave room for entertaining.
There is also a separate cottage, a cavernous garage — which has a studio-cum-games room above — and a summer house/pool house complete with a disused swimming pool.
Cuckfield itself (pronounced 'cook-field' — you'll need to know that to stop the neighbours raising their eyebrows) is pleasant village with a charming centre that looks like its escaped from the pages of a Dickens novel. It's just a mile or so off the main A23 London to Brighton road — but the trains go from Haywards Heath, a ten-minute drive away.
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Marshalls Manor is for sale at £2.25m via Hamptons — see more pictures and details.
The Tudor mansion in Sussex where Lutyens and Jekyll pooled their talents
Legh Manor: The Tudor mansion in Sussex where Lutyens and Jekyll worked together
Credit: Marchand Petit
A beautiful, 900-year-old house with a lake, 11 acres of gardens and a pair of holiday cottages
Penny Churchill looks at the historic Leigh Barton, a Grade I-listed home that date back to 1120.
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.
-
19 charming homes for sale, from picture-perfect cottages to beachside retreats, as seen in Country Life
This week's selection of some of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life this week.
By Toby Keel Published
-
You can’t always rely on the Great British summer — but you can rely on its watches
British watchmakers have excelled themselves in recent months — releasing bright and beautiful timepieces that you'll want on your wrist through summer, and beyond.
By Chris Hall Published
-
19 charming homes for sale, from picture-perfect cottages to beachside retreats, as seen in Country Life
This week's selection of some of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life this week.
By Toby Keel Published
-
Tim Burton is selling the house he shared with Helena Bonham-Carter, a sublime home on the Thames that comes with three private islands
Mill House in Sutton Courtenay, Oxfordshire, might just be the perfect English country home.
By Rosie Paterson Last updated
-
A spectacular tower for sale that's a blend of Victorian folly, architectural marvel and 21st century family home
Hadlow Tower has space, and a back story of love, jealousy and intrigue.
By Toby Keel Published
-
A spectacular, light-filled home on the Isle of Wight where you can see the water from practically every window
Penny Churchill takes a look at the grand and impressive Fishbourne Quay House.
By Penny Churchill Last updated
-
The former stables — and recording studio for the Pet Shop Boys — transformed with a magical blend of city and country aesthetic, now seeking a new owner
In the heart of Clerkenwell, what was once a Victorian industrial unit is now a beautiful home.
By Toby Keel Last updated
-
The Good Life 2025? A development promising 'Britain's greenest homes' blends zero carbon, organic allotments and a touch of luxury in the Kent countryside
Hartdene Barns, sitting on a disused dairy farm in Kent, is a vision of what sustainable living one day mean for all of us.
By Annunciata Elwes Published
-
Breathtaking views and gardens that run down to the water's edge at this delightful home in Cornwall
The Garden House in Polruan sums up the appeal of waterside living. Penny Churchill steps inside.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
A 500-acre estate that spent 11 centuries in the same family, for sale for only the second time in its history
In the beautiful hills of north Wales the Garthewin estate has come up for sale, including a great country house once restored by the architect who created Portmeirion. Penny Churchill takes a closer look.
By Penny Churchill Published