It’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good. As we try to look ahead to a time when the misery of the past nine months will be wiped from our collective memory, who would have thought that the big winner to emerge from the pandemic would be the British countryside? Whatever economic and social problems lie ahead, there is no doubt that many more homeowners will want to go where others led in 2020 and seek a cleaner, greener future without the grinding pressure of the dreaded daily commute.
A multi-generational family with lofty ambitions can find the best of town and country at Trout Grange, near the picturesque wooded hamlet of Coldharbour, five miles from Dorking, on the southern slopes of Leith Hill — at 965ft above sea level, it’s the second-highest point in south-east England.
Set in more than 19 acres of private gardens and grounds within the Surrey Hills AONB, the 4,368sq ft main house and its 3,200sq ft converted barn and pool house are for sale through Knight Frank in Guildford at a guide price of £3.75 million for the whole, or £2.35m for the main house alone.
Approached down a long, winding drive off a small country lane, Trout Grange was built in the 1980s on the site of a historic former farmhouse that had fallen into disrepair.
The house is laid out over four floors with an impressive cinema/games-room complex on the lower ground floor.
The ground floor offers a large formal sitting room, a triple-aspect dining room, a study and a kitchen/breakfast room.
There are six first-floor bedrooms, with two further bedrooms on the floor above, and four bathrooms in all.
Trout Grange Barn comprises two wings, with a large kitchen/breakfast/family room, a sitting room and bathroom on one side; the other wing includes a large room, currently used as a games room, with three bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs.
The swimming pool is located behind the main house to take full advantage of the spectacular southerly views.
Trout Grange is for sale via 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
Spectacular Scottish castles and estates for sale
A look at the finest castles, country houses and estates for sale in Scotland today.
-
Interiors that inspire in a four-bedroom cottage in HertfordshireCome for the Grade II-listed family home an hour from Central London, stay for the interior-design inspiration.
-
The house that refused to die: Castle Howard's spectacular 21st-century renaissance'Molten lead cascaded from the roof into the centre hall, and then the dome crashed to the ground, leaving the interior an inferno of blazing timber and shattered stonework.' 85 years on from the devastating fire at Castle Howard, restoration is still going on. Annunciata Elwes reports.
-
A Georgian vicarage that blends idyllic seclusion, village life and a simple commute to the CityThe Old Rectory in Hawkhurst, Kent, is a delightful home inside and out. Penny Churchill takes a look.
-
The green Gable House: A family home in Hampshire that even we can't believe is only 15 years oldIf the house isn't quite right, don't be afraid to build something new. The Gable House in Ashford Hill is a glorious example of a new home that looks like it's always been there.
-
Best country houses for sale this weekFrom a vast Shropshire masterpiece to an idyllic West Country farmhouse, here's our pick of the best property for sale this week.
-
Ten stunning character properties for sale at under £400,000From thatched cottages near the beaches of Devon and Cornwall to a barn conversion in Kent and a wonderful getaway in Snowdonia, here's our pick of the best character cottages and character homes for sale.
-
The Brontës original family home has come up for sale with a £380,000 price tagThe Revd Patrick Brontë's former home has come on to the market, where he and his wife lived in their early years before having their children Charlotte, Emily, Anne and Branwell.
-
Six superb homes, from the picturesque to the palatial, as seen in Country LifeOur pick of some of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life includes a true gem in Buckinghamshire.
-
A £21 million castle that's come up for sale for the first time in 700 yearsRipley Castle in North Yorkshire has been the family home of the Ingilbys since the early 1300s. It's steeped in history, has a list of famous visitors over the centuries that include James I and Oliver Cromwell, and is now on the open market. Annabel Dixon takes a look.
-
A wisteria-clad former rectory in Stevenage that used to host Sir Winston ChurchillWrapped within all that greenery are some of the finest Georgian interiors we've seen.
