The first time I visited Amsterdam, I went to a bar where everything was slightly off centre. The walls weren’t _quite_ straight. The bar wasn’t quite flat. None of it was particularly awful, and I didn’t really understand why it was designed this way.
It was only after drinking several beers and then stumbling outside that the illusion revealed itself — I had normalised the off-kilter bar, and as a result the rest of the world went wonky. The beers also probably didn’t help.
You might have to be careful at The Cottage in Hog Hill, East Sussex. It would not be accurate to describe it as ‘off kilter’. Some of the rooms in this house have never been near the kilter. It comes, therefore, as no surprise that this was once the home of Terrence Alan Milligan. Better known to you and I as ‘Spike’. The property is for rent with John D Wood & Co for £3,400pcm.
A characterful man deserves a characterful home and I think the Cottage qualifies. It features three bedrooms, a large kitchen and a living/dining room over three floors.
The highlight is, of course, that extremely off-centre living room. Talk about a conversation starter.
Thankfully, the rest of the property seems pretty straight, so you will be more than able to keep your sanity. There’s lots of period features throughout, from exposed beams, wooden floors and doors, and mullion and transom windows. There is also a very nice fireplace.
The glorious British seaside is only a 30-minute walk away from the property, and The Cottage also benefits from a large garden with great views of the surrounding countryside.
I suppose I should also mention that the property is opposite something called Hogg Hill Mill, which is the private recording studio of Sir Paul McCartney. So that would be a useful neighbour to have.
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Cocker spaniels: The indefatigable dog breed with medieval lineage that stole David Beckham’s heartOnce bred to flush out woodcock, now found in royal estates and Hollywood homes — the Cocker Spaniel’s charm knows no bounds.
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20 breathtaking country homes for sale, as seen in Country LifeWe take a look at some of the finest houses to come to market via Country Life in the past week.
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20 breathtaking country homes for sale, as seen in Country Life
We take a look at some of the finest houses to come to market via Country Life in the past week.
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The elegant country home of a motor racing daredevil who drove round the world in a 1936 Bentley and crashed a Range Rover into his own front porchPeasemore House, with its collection of barns, workshops, stables and more, is an ideal home from which to plan an adventure — something that was a passion of its present owners. Penny Churchill explains more.
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The wisteria clad cottage where Noël Coward and Ivor Novello held court at the height of their fameThe 17th-century Follejon Cottage just outside Windsor was a perfect escape from the city for Noël Coward and his circle of friends. As it goes on the market, Penny Churchill takes a look.
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A Cotswolds property that's the strangest mix of old and new we've ever seen... and yet somehow, it all worksThe Gasworks is a house quite unlike anything you've seen before — or at least anything you've seen all in one place. Toby Keel takes a closer look.
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A country house near Windsor that could be straight from the pages of a Jilly Cooper novelPenny Churchill looks at the beautiful polo-lover's sanctuary that is Barkham Square Park.
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The factory that once fuelled the Victorians' insatiable appetite for pianos has become a set of gorgeous, characterful apartmentsChappell & Co were a huge name in 19th century music, even working with Beethoven. Today, one of their old factories in Camden has become a series of beautiful apartments.
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What £1 million buys you across Britain, from a Cornish cottage to a miniature castle in the HighlandsSprawling country houses, a mini-estate in Scotland and homes where the sea almost laps up at your feet are among the property options open to those with a seven-figure budget. Here's our pick of the best £1 million houses for sale across the land.
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The Hampshire home of a Victoria Cross-winning British WWI ace fighter pilot is for sale, with lake, chapel and some of the best fishing rights in EnglandPenny Churchill looks at Longparish House, a north Hampshire haven on the River Test.
