One of my favourite facts about England is that it is quite small. Not in a ‘little England’ kind of way, but in a ‘actually look at it on a map’ kind of way. England is smaller than the state of New York. You can drive from Southampton to Newcastle in about 6 hours.
Yet, when it comes to property, anything north of Manchester might as well be on the moon. Which is why you get beautiful five-bedroom properties such as Rosley House in Cumbria for less than what you would pay for a three-bedroom (if you’re lucky) flat in London. It, and its 1.5 acres of gardens, paddock and orchards, is for sale with Fine and Country for £875,000.
Advertised as a ‘modest’ country house, the property was built in a Georgian style in the late 19th century by the Rooke family, who made lots of money in cotton. On the boundary of the Lake District National Park, it enjoys an enviable location in the village of Rosley; a best of both worlds opportunity.
The property is approached via landscaped front gardens, where an entrance with a portico leads to a hallway. Inside, the property is positively stuffed with period features, be they ornate coving, original doors, fireplaces and window shutters, as well as ceiling roses. Rosley House has been sensitively restored and maintained by its current owners.
Set over two floors, the property offers more than 4,600sq ft of living space, for less than £1 million. The ground floor is for entertaining, with a large kitchen complemented by a sitting room, garden room, dining room, wine room and drawing room.
There is also a larder, workshop and garage attached to the property. Upstairs are five bedrooms, with the principal suite having its own bathroom and dressing room.
Outside, the gardens and grounds are split into the formal gardens that surround the house, the third-of-an-acre orchard known as The Spinney which produces many fruit trees, and the paddock.
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Credit: Knight Frank
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