Finding the balance between chic and comfort is never an easy thing, when it comes to designing a home. Under-play it and you risk losing the 'wow' factor that can make a country house feel special. Over-do it and you'll feel like you're living in a hotel rather than a cosy, comfortable home.
When you see somebody who's got it right, however, you can end up with a place that remains cosy and cool all at once — and that is the case with the gorgeous Wolverton House, situated in a hamlet not far off the A303 in Wiltshire. It's currently for sale with Fox Grant via OnTheMarket.com at a price of £1,450,000.
It's a big house. There are six bedrooms, three reception rooms and four bathrooms, plus separate home office, stables and workshop. It also has five acres of land, including a tennis court, all-weather manege and a paddock.
It's not the 3,705sq ft that makes Wolverton stand out, however, but the finish. The current owners have clearly lavished an incredible amount of care and attention on the place to bring it up to a wonderful standard, filling it with all manner of interesting touches. The kitchen, for example, has a bright red Aga placed at an angle in a kitchen which seems tailor-made for parties, connecting as it does to both dining room and the outdoor seating area.
Occasionally there are touches of whimsy which might be a little much for some tastes — the zebra rug in the sitting room, for example — but these decisions have been made in the furnishings rather than the fixtures and fittings, which work beautifully with this 17th century building.
Perhaps the finest example of the latter is the lead veranda, designed by the owner and built by local craftsmen, which shows how well loved the place has been. The gardens also speak to that, with a vegetable patch that's full of produce and an orchard that contains apple, pear, damson, plum, greengage and cherry trees.
Add the tennis court and three stables in to the mix and you have a house that's every inch the classic country home in a location just off the A303 and not far from the — making it easy to get to from Bath, Salisbury, Shaftesbury and London.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
Credit: Seend Park, Wiltshire
The sprawling Wiltshire house that ‘grows on you each time you walk through the door’
In the heart of Wiltshire and enjoying beautiful views over Salisbury Plain is this glorious house with a fascinating history.
The enchanting manor house built from the same stone as Salisbury Cathedral
Chicksgrove Manor in Wiltshire sits on the River Nadder.
-
The real Bear Grylls: Country Life Quiz of the Day, July 2, 2025Britain's longest pier is among the highlights of Wednesday's Quiz of the Day.
-
What do 19th century rowers, Queen Victoria and Giorgio Armani all have in common? They helped to popularise the world's most versatile jacket — the blazerEveryone from royalty to rappers seems to have one in their wardrobe. Harry Pearson lists the merits of the blazer, a true sartorial team player.
-
Where Venice once ruled: The roving Venetians left handsome imprints across the Greek world, from its religion to its rambling villasMatthew Dennison explores the lingering traces of Venice's vanished empire — and the best places to buy where it once stood.
-
A delightful 16th century home with some of Kent's most beautiful gardens has come on to the marketThe Grange puts the 'garden' into the Garden of England.
-
A pristine Scottish island for sale at the price of a garage in FulhamA dot on the map of the west coast of Scotland has come on to the market, where you'll be surrounded by sea, living off grid and be neighbours with the local seal colony.
-
18 beautiful homes, from charming cottages to a Highland mansion with unbeatable views, as seen in Country LifeOur look at some of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life in the past week includes Georgian manor houses, charming commutable homes and the grandest home in Newcastle.
-
The gorgeous Somerset home of the designer behind one of Glastonbury's chicest spotsThe Manor in Hinton Blewitt is a glorious Georgian home that ticks every box.
-
A 600-year-old National Trust property that you can call homeThis blooming property in Kent showcases the original garden of England. Penny Churchill takes a look.
-
A wisteria-clad delight with lawns running down to the Thames at the prettiest riverside home for sale in London todayDeodar Road, near Putney High Street, offers unrivalled views of the Thames and is characterful in excess.
-
Five of the most majestic properties for sale in Britain today, from a 1,700-acre estate to a private island, as seen in Country LifeOur look at the best homes to come to the market via Country Life this week includes some genuinely breathtaking places.
