A house that's straight out of Cider With Rosie, and a picture-perfect cottage that's commutable to London make it into our selection of the best homes to appear in Country Life in recent weeks.
Devon — £4,000,000
Cider With Rosie vibes aplenty at this fairytale cottage just outside Chagford, on the northern edge of Dartmoor.
This is not just a house, but rather a mini-estate taking in 30 acres and a couple of holiday cottages — yet it just a few minutes off the A30, making it a simple commute to Exeter and beyond.
For sale with Knight Frank. See more pictures and details for this property.
Buckinghamshire — £1,695,000
Just a perfect cottage in a desirable village. What else could you need?
For sale with Michael Graham. See more pictures and details for this property.
Cambridgeshire — £3,900,000
Obviously it would be madness to buy a house simply on the strength of a room with a snooker table and a grand piano…. but if ever you were going to do it, this feels like the one.
The rest of the house is superb, too. And considering you can pay well over £2m for a semi-detached house of 2,000sq ft in Cambridge, this utterly wonderful home not far away in Ickleton feels like an absolute bargain.
For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details for this property.
Leicestershire — £1,250,000
A fully renovated and substantial period six double bedroom farmhouse — it even has a separate one-bedroom annexe, 1.7 acres and a paddock.
For sale with Bentons. See more pictures and details for this property.
Somerset — £1,300,000
A Grade II* listed farmhouse and outbuildings including Grade I listed gatehouse and large traditional threshing barn. Ideal for those wanting to do some threshing, and not half bad either for the rest of us.
For sale with Cooper and Tanner. See more pictures and details for this property.
Jersey — £1,495,000
A lovingly restored four-bedroom farmhouse seamlessly blending original features and contemporary finishes, plus a triple garage and large workshop.
For sale with Fine & Country. See more pictures and details for this property.
Kent — £1,700,000
We just love this one: it’s an elegant Grade II listed Georgian residence with useful outbuildings including an old milking parlour.
For sale with Hobbs Parker. See more pictures and details for this property.
Hampshire — £2,950,000
This six-bedroom home in a gorgeous country location has stables, tennis court, barn and eight acres — plus planning permission for a party barn and an indoor pool.
The location is worth noting, too: this is a truly rural spot, but close enough to the M4 at Reading and M3 at Basingstoke to make getting to and from relatively simple.
For sale with Knight Frank. See more pictures and details for this property.
Stirlingshire — £6,500,000
The Cromlix Estate has come on to the market, a 1,346-acre holding with a series of houses, lochs, fishing and forestry all centred around the town of Dunblane.
The sellers are happy to break the estate up in to lots, which might be of interest to a certain retired tennis player: Sir Andy Murray owns the Cromlix Hotel, which is separate from the estate but right on the doorstep.
For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details for this property.
Hertfordshire — £2,500,000
A dream home for equestrians, this house has stables, paddocks, a manege and even an automated horse walker.
Inside, this Georgian house has been completely stripped back and refurbished, offering a stylish and immaculate living space.
For sale with Michael Graham. See more pictures and details for this property.
Kent — £4,000,000
The sort of house that you dream of when you first think of heading out into the country, this 17th century home has a fine blend of original features with later additions and modern refurbishment.
London is under an hour away by train — but once you pass through the stone pillars at the entrance to the driveway, it’ll feel like worlds away.
For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details for this property.
Buckinghamshire — £2,150,000
If you ever wondered why they made mock-Tudor home by the score in the 1930s, it’s places like this that were the inspiration. You can see where those 1930s suburb planners were coming from.
This four-century-old, Grade II listed house in a viillage near Aylesbury has more than just its beautiful timbered charm, though: there are five bedrooms, five reception rooms and five acres — including a driveway that weaves along an avenue of hornbeams.
For sale with Michael Graham. See more pictures and details for this property.
Bristol — £3,500,000
In the village of Abbots Leigh, just west of Bristol, this six-bedroom home with a vast garden has been completely re-done by the present owners, with a huge amount of panache.
The views are fine, the rooms are cosy as well as smart, and the garden is a huge draw too.
For sale with Knight Frank. See more pictures and details for this property.
Surrey — £7,950,000
The dazzling staircase alone will surely prompt buyers to sit up and take notice of this modern mansion in Oxshott, the incomparably well-heeled village on the outskirts of south-west London.
Just under an acre of land, but six bedrooms, seven bedrooms and a stylish indoor pool — actually, a stylish everything — make this something distinctive and special.
For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details for this property.
Devon — £3,500,000
If ever a view from the front door could sell a house, it’s at this wonderful 18th century home near Tiverton.
This was once a very grand vicarage; now, it’s a sprawling home with four-bedrooms, a two-bedroom annexe and a coach house.
For sale with Strutt & Parker. See more pictures and details for this property.
Surrey — £1,995,000
An outstanding and substantial glorious country house with a totally unspoilt rural location, six bedrooms, formal gardens and paddock totalling eight acres — yet it’s easily commutable to the City.
For sale with Jackson Stops. See more pictures and details for this property.
Somerset — £1,250,000
An effortlessly charming Grade II-listed, 16th century farmhouse with great character and serene gardens. There are 2.5 acres of grounds and more land available should you need it.
For sale with Roderick Thomas. See more pictures and details for this property.
Surrey — £2,750,000
Kitchens sell houses, so they say. If that’s really true, you’ll need to act quickly to snap up this one: a six-bed wonder on the western fringes of London.
Not that it’s just the kitchen that’s a draw: the garden is glorious, the rooms have perfect proportions and there’s even a cupola skylight above the sweeping staircase.
For sale with Knight Frank. See more pictures and details for this property.
Somerset — £2,750,000
A manor house near Bath that’s so unapologetically traditional you’d expect Mr Darcy to wander out of the front door at any moment to glare at people.
Seven bedrooms make this a great home for big families — and a separate three-bedroom coachouse means that it could be a multi-generational home with ease.
For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details for this property.
Devon — £2,500,000
A complete gem in the form of this wisteria-clad marvel near Axminster.
As idyllic as the house is — and it really is — we’d almost still insist that the gorgeous 29 acres of grounds are really the selling point: this is secluded living in fine style, with gardens, woodland, 1,000 yards of river front and a separate cottage. Bliss.
For sale with Strutt & Parker. See more pictures and details for this property.
Buckinghamshire — £2,300,000
From the gloriously classic external country house appearance, you’d never guess at the sophisticated interiors within — and we mean that in a good way.
This seven-bedroom country house has all the timber, tiles and gardens you’d dream of, plus a gym, garage/workshop, barn and stable — and the sinuously curving staircase is a real show-stopper.
For sale with Michael Graham. See more pictures and details for this property.
Wiltshire — £6,000,000
From the sprawling look of this handsome country house, you’d assume that it was a school, an abbey or other similar institution — but it really is just a huge, and staggeringly grand country home. Wonderful stuff.
As well as the grounds, further buildings, pool, tennis courts and so on, perhaps our favourite thing about this place is just how nicely the rooms are laid out and decorated, with each one doing a wonderful job of drawing your eye to the views across the Cranborne Chase AONB.
For sale with Strutt & Parker. See more pictures and details for this property.
Devon — £8,000,000
Not many houses give distances to the nearest villages by boat, but in the case of this spectacular South Hams home, you’ll forgive them for pointing out that Salcombe is just 1.25 miles away by boat, down South Pool Creek and then across the estuary.
Not that you’d want to make that trip much if you had a house this beautiful: it’s a 10-bedroom waterside masterpiece in a picture-perfect, secluded location.
For sale with Knight Frank. See more pictures and details for this property.
Hampshire — £3,950,000
What was once the hunting lodge of the Duke of Albemarle is now a nine-bedroom home set in 50 acres of Hampshire.
The buildings and grounds are in fine shape, while the inside — according to the agent — has been ‘prepared for a personal internal design concept’… by which they mean gutted and stripped back to plain flooring and walls.
For sale with Knight Frank. See more pictures and details for this property.
Shropshire — £4,000,000
This Georgian masterpiece, as it stands today, was shaped mostly by Samuel Wyatt in the 18th century — the man who built the Pantheon on Oxford Street.
The rooms are on a truly epic scale, while there are plenty of mod cons: games room, indoor pool and a wine cellar.
For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details for this property.
Oxfordshire — £3,950,000
More a mini-estate than a country home, this five-bedroom house comes with over 40 acres, a four-bed cottage, outdoor pool, farm buildings, woodland and paddock.
It’s also a straightforward commute to London, either from nearby Pangbourne Station, or else via the M4.
For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details for this property.
Gloucestershire — £4,500,000
Down a private lime-tree drive, you’ll Kempsford Manor and The West Wing, a 17th century home near Cirencester that ’embraces English eccentricity’
What does that mean? It means 12 bedrooms, immaculate, modern and bright interiors and 6.87 acres of gardens in the village of Kempsford in the Cotswolds Hills.
For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details for this property.
Warwickshire — £6,000,000
A gracious country house that has undergone recent and extensive refurbishment, Monks Bridge is a picture postcard of rural England (note that church positioned just-so in the background).
Six bedroom suites, a two-bedroom converted coach house, tennis court, and 14 acres of landscaped gardens, grounds and paddocks. Of note: the glorious reception rooms, the wine-tasting cellar and the magnificent staircase hall.
For sale with Strutt and Parker. See more pictures and details for this property.
Hampshire — £2,000,000
Much to get excited about here. A Grade II-listed converted mill from about the 18th century. Set in 8 acres of grounds that include a lake and river system. On the market for the first time in 40 years.
Agents have a habit of getting over excited, but when they describe this five bedroom house as ‘in an idyllic setting reminiscent of a John Constable painting’, if anything they are underselling it.
For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details for this property.
Buckinghamshire — £10,000,000
Drummers Yard, formerly known as Birchens Spring, is regarded as one of the most important houses in the Beaconsfield area. Built of white brick under a Cornish slate roof, the property was designed by John Campbell and is considered one of the high points of the Arts-and-Crafts movement. Somehow it looks both like a Scottish castle and an Italian villa — and it has a great history, having been home to movie icon Dirk Bogarde, who gave the house its name.
Comes with seven bedrooms, more than 10,000sq ft of living space, dashing interiors and 12 acres of gardens and grounds. Also a tennis court.
For sale with Knight Frank. See more pictures and details for this property.
Surrey — £3,500,000
Superb, spacious and characterful. That’s how best to describe this seven-bedroom property in Tilford. Beautifully presented on the outside, with a delicious blend of period and modern interiors.
The only thing bigger than the main house is the garage, which extends to some 6,000sq ft, providing parking for about 40 cars. One for the collectors. Also comes with 3 acres of gardens and a swimming pool.
For sale with Hamptons. See more pictures and details for this property.
Kent — £4,000,000
Described as ‘a very ancient Gothic building’ and ‘a very commodious and handsome house’ by Hasted’s History of Kent (1778), Saltwood House is a former rectory that offers eight bedrooms seven bathrooms and 6.5 acres.
Originally dating from the 13th century, the property has been extended and renovated over the years, most recently by its current owners, to create a beautiful and spacious family home in south-east Kent.
For sale with Strutt & Parker. See more pictures and details for this property.
Berkshire — £9,000,000
Donnington Castle House is a terrific example of the classic design and symmetry of the Restoration period. For the past 13 years, the current owners have brought the property back to life, skilfully ‘nurturing its ancient history’ with the ‘requirements of a warm and welcoming family home’.
What that translates to is a seven bedroom home of supreme elegance, with 23 acres of gardens and grounds, a study, wine cellar, swimming pool, tennis court and three detached outbuildings. A mini estate, if you will.
For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details for this property.
Oxfordshire — £5,000,000
There are lawns, and then there are lawns. At Great David’s, within the 6.25 acres of gardens and grounds near Henley, you’ll find this exceptional croquet lawn, which looks as smooth as a billiard table.
The property is something of a summer-sports paradise, with the croquet lawn complemented by a cricket net, tennis court and swimming pool. The main property is a delightful Edwardian home in fantastic condition that offers six bedrooms.
For sale with Knight Frank. See more pictures and details for this property.
Yorkshire — £5.95 million
A slice of heaven in Yorkshire, Oaklands Manor has 15,000sq ft of beautifully presented and classically proportioned accommodation
Eight bedrooms and almost 60 acres are part of the package in one of the finest Georgian homes in the county.
For sale with Knight Frank. See more pictures and details for this property.
Cheshire — £11.4 million
A Grade I-listed home in leafy Cheshire that’s as grand as it gets.
The house was supposedly built for a visit by James I and is one of the finest country homes on the market today.
For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details for this property.
Wiltshire — £2.5 million
Grandeur inside and out at a home in the village of Downton — yes, really — in Wiltshire.
Grade I-listed, this is a truly historic home connected with the family of Sir Walter Raleigh, and said to be ‘one of the oldest continuously inhabited houses in the South of England’.
For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details for this property.
Kent — £795,000
A delightful unlisted period house dating back about 250 years, located in the village conservation area with good access to Ashford.
For sale with Hobbs Parker. See more pictures and details for this property.
Surrey — £1,695,000
An exceptional charming Grade II listed period home with beautiful gardens, located in the heart of one of Surrey’s most sought-after villages.
For sale with Jackson Stops. See more pictures and details for this property.
Kent — £500,000
A charming Grade II listed two-bedroom oast house with uninterrupted countryside views to the front of the property.
For sale with Sandersons. See more pictures and details for this property.
North Yorkshire — £850,000
A handsome stone built detached property offering a huge amount of potential with substantial south facing grounds of just over half an acre.
For sale with GSC Grays. See more pictures and details for this property.
Kent — £950,000
A substantial handsome country house with delightful wildflower gardens, located in a prominent position within a conservation area.
For sale with Hobbs Parker. See more pictures and details for this property.
Berkshire — £1,200,000
A charming period property with an exceptional kitchen and bedroom extension and pretty rear garden, in a sought-after location.
For sale with Knight Frank. See more pictures and details for this property.
Surrey — £3,000,000
As you might have guess from the combination of location, pictures and price, this isn’t the whole of Peper Harow House (built by George III’s architect), but rather an apartment within this majestic 18th century building.
That said, the word ‘apartment’ scarcely seems adequate from a 6,500 sq ft home with five bedrooms, double garage and a lift, as well as access to 19 acres of gorgeous communal grounds.
For sale with Knight Frank. See more pictures and details for this property.
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