On hearing that a house is called ‘Comforts Place’ you’d be forgiven for thinking that it was a name plucked out of the ether by a property developer to create a feeling of pleasant cosiness in the prospective buyer. Yet in the case of this house in Surrey — for sale at £3.15 million through Knight Frank — the label is in fact many centuries old.
The Comfort family name appears in local parish record books throughout Surrey from the 13th century — notably as de Cumpwrthe, Cumpeworth, Compworth and Compworthe. The house that bears the family name is of a similar vintage: originally, the house was part of a medieval-aisled hall, but now, its core is an Elizabethan manor.
The house may be old but it is well cared for, not least by the current owners. They’ve been there for 17 years, and have determinedly taken on a new project every year. The property now has an extra 2,000sq ft of accommodation, with the main house significantly modernised.
Of brick and tile, it contains nine bedrooms in two wings; a brick-and-timber barn has been converted into a pool house and two-bedroom accommodation.
The surrounds are just as much of a draw. Comforts Place sits within 16 and a half acres that contain a sunken terrace, some large mature oaks and extensive lawns flanked by borders of roses, hydrangeas and grasses, leading to paddocks.
There’s also an orchard (with apple, pear, plum and mulberry trees), swimming pool, tennis court, a rose arbour where David Austin’s finest trail around pillars and over arches, a lake and a productive kitchen garden and greenhouses — not to mention a manège, hay barn and stabling for up to six horses, which are no doubt well supplied with carrots.
‘What the owners have done,’ explains Ed Rook, head of Knight Frank’s country department, ‘is taken a very good family house and turned it into an extremely good one.
‘A lot of this has involved improvements to the landscape — the kitchen garden is beautifully arranged with everything from asparagus and raspberries to lettuce and potatoes. Throughout, the owners have added thoughtful details, such as a big tree house. This has been going on for 17 years, so a lot of these projects have really matured.’
Only two miles west of the village of Lingfield and less than five miles from Oxted, from where trains to London Victoria take 40 minutes, or 30 to London Bridge, Comforts Place is well situated as a country haven for city worker bees.
Comforts Place is for sale at £3.15 million through Knight Frank — see more details and pictures.
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
-
Dawn Chorus: A Blue Plaque for Marc Bolan, holidaying in the Caribbean with Francis Ford Coppola and a history of the National Gallery in 25 picturesPlus the best of the property pages, and how the railways will save the countryside.
-
Game, set, match: 12 of the world’s most beautiful tennis courtsFrom Italy to Indonesia, when it comes to hotel amenities, a picturesque tennis court will always trump a 24-hour gym. So, before you book your next holiday, take a look at our pick of the 12 best.
-
Five palatial mansions for sale, including one with its own private swimming lake, as seen in Country LifeSometimes bigger really is better.
-
Gaze over Cap Ferrat in this four-bedroom French villaIgnore the wind and the rain. Imagine yourself in this hillside home with some of the best views the Mediterranean can offer.
-
Classical style meets fun and flair in a seven-bedroom manor in CornwallAt Polstrong Manor, the current owners have combined period charm and elegant modern interiors to create a flamboyant country home 10-minutes from the beach.
-
Two halves make a sublime four-bedroom home in Kent's North DownsA contemporary extension to a traditional clapboard house brings light and life to Lavington House.
-
The week in property statistics: Service charges reach record highPlus, how first-time buyers prop up the mortgage market, why you need to move north if you want to live by yourself, and house-price growth slows
-
A seven-bedroom oast house for sale in East Sussex, where your dreams can run riotUnlisted, yet full of character, this property in the High Weald National Landscape is an eccentrically furnished family home that screams fun.
-
Character, history and comfort combine in a four-bedroom farmhouse in NorfolkWillow Farm near Southburgh is that rarest of things — a perfect combination of period charm and modern elegance in some of England's best countryside.
-
A Grade I-listed Georgian townhouse that's part of the fabric of Bath's historyWith 5,500sq ft set over six floors in the centre of Britain's most architecturally rich city, there is much to love here.
