If you’ve arrived at this website, and on this page, you’d probably agree that the idea of living in a big country house with incredible gardens and a spectacular setting is one of life’s great goals.
Ideas, though, are one thing. Realities can be a little different, and it has to be said that while spectacular settings look after themselves, huge houses and incredible gardens take a bit of work. Quite a bit of work indeed.
There is a solution which pops up from time to time, though, which makes the burden of sweeping grounds and private drives a bit more manageable: go for a home that is a chunk of what was originally a bigger country house.
Exactly such a home is on the market at the moment right now in the form of The East Wing at Withinlee, on the market at £1.395m in one of the most sought-after spots in England: the Cheshire village of Prestbury.
While you don’t get the entire house to yourself, The East Wing is plenty big enough for all but the biggest households. It’s a 4,300sq ft, six-bedroom home with far-reaching views over the neighbouring countryside from an elevated position.
Inside, the décor is undeniably dated, but the house is in a good state of repair, with the highlight of the ground floor probably the 23ft drawing room with huge bay window. There’s also a study, dining room and a further sitting, with four bedrooms on the first floor and two more bedrooms on the second floor.
A substantial conservatory extends off a long kitchen/breakfast room that overlooks an area of lawn, from where steps lead past a series of flower beds to an attractive circular parterre split into eight segments.
The setting is just as special as you could hope for. The house stands has about 1½ acres of south-facing landscaped gardens, accessed via long drive whose upkeep is shared with the neighbours. And if you want more space to roam? The National Trust-owned Alderley Edge woodland is nearby, and ideal for walks.
Some buyers, of course, will always prefer their own little corner of the world, away from others. But for those seeking an easier way to enjoy country house life, homes like this have a huge amount to offer.
The East Wing is for sale via Jackson-Stops at £1.395 million — 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
-
The Country Life guide to Somerset: What to do, where to stay and how to eatSomerset is rich in natural beauty and history, but it is its wealth of small-scale food and drink producers, farmers and makers that really set it apart from the competition. Find out how to make the most of it all with our indispensable guide.
-
How to make a gloomy city garden into a haven of colour and natureTiffany Daneff discovers how to transform a typically dark London back garden into a light-filled green haven that is always in use. Photographs by Clive Nichols.
-
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.
-
17 delightful homes for sale, as seen in Country LifeOur round-up of some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life this week includes a wonderful Cotswolds home and a happily affordable cottage in the West Country.
-
'This is the most money you'll spend on anything ever': The things that really matter when buying your first home in LondonIt’s easy to dream of what the ideal first-home in London might be, but when the cost of living in the capital is this expensive, being near a Gail's isn't as important as you think it is.
