In the northern reaches of the Cotswolds, Savills and Knight Frank are joint agents in the sale of imposing Hill Top House. Somewhat surprisingly this £8 million home is unlisted, giving the new owners all sorts of options for a home that stands in 35 acres of long-established gardens and pasture, with views looking eastwards towards Brailes Hill near Banbury.
The house is close to Bourton-on-the-Hill, a hillside village that lies on the north-eastern slopes of the Cotswold escarpment, overlooking the Moreton Vale, two miles from Moreton-in-Marsh (with its 90 minute train service to London) and five miles from Broadway, Worcestershire. The village is located between two of the north Cotswolds’ great estates, Batsford and Sezincote, and has a pleasing mix of 17th-century cottages, farm-houses, a fine early-19th-century former rectory and the Grade I-listed, Norman Church of St Lawrence, which dominates the village.
In all, there is some 7,220sq ft of traditional country-living space, including, on the ground floor, an impressive reception hall, drawing and dining rooms, a kitchen/breakfast room and various utilities.
The first floor houses two bedroom suites and a third bedroom, with three bedroom suites and a sitting room/fourth bedroom on the second floor. Further accommodation is available in a three-bedroom guest house or a staff bungalow.
Hill Top is an ideal equestrian property, whose two stable yards comprise a traditional Cotswold barn, extensive stabling, foaling boxes, tack and feed rooms, a machinery store and useful outbuildings.
Hill Top House dates from the 1860s and was previously known as Rectory Farm, when it was part of the living of Bourton-in-the-Hill acquired in 1810 by an astute and eccentric cleric, Samuel Wilson Warneford, who lived at Bourton rectory until his death, aged 92, in 1855. The farm was a typical Cotswold sheep farm, complete with a traditional sheep-washing pool; the pool and the view to the village church still remain.
Rectory Farm was later renamed Hill Top House and extended in the 1930s in the Art Deco style.
At some point, it was also home to the Three Ashes Stud, following the conversion of some former farm buildings to stables.
According to the agents, the quality of construction of the three-storey main house matches that of the views, being of the local Cotswold stone with fine mullioned windows and leaded lights under a Cotswold slate roof.
The earlier south wing has accommodation on two floors and links to the main house at both ground- and first-floor levels, which means it can be used either as part of the main house or as separate, two-bedroom staff accommodation.
Hill Top House is for sale with an asking price of £8m. See more details at the Savills and Knight Frank listings.
-
‘Its loss became a cautionary tale, and a rallying cry for architectural conservation’: The rise and fall and renewed interest in Ireland’s remarkable country housesLesley Bond traces a brief history of Ireland’s country houses and questions whether you can ever separate the house from the history it represents.
-
Alan Titchmarsh: 'I am so weary of seeing Lutyens-style benches and chairs absolutely everywhere'A strategically placed chair doubles as a focal point and a spot to rest — but we need to move on from Lutyens-style ones says our regular garden columnist.
-
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.
-
The 15 best-value commuter towns for people working in London, according to new research from one of Britain's top estate agentsSavills have released their list of the best-value commuter towns in Britain. But do the sums add up? Toby Keel takes a look.
-
What everyone is talking about this week: Where are the new Cotswolds?The appearance of American Vice President J. D. Vance in the Cotswolds is a sure sign that they're saturated, but where else can you escape to that has the same charm?
