Those who've ever enjoyed a boat trip along the River Thames will doubtless have looked with envy at some of the houses whose gardens tiptoe down to the water's edge.
Head west along the waterway from, say, Richmond and you'll see all sorts of grand and beautiful homes, with majestic lawns leading to their own small, wooden jetty. There's almost always a handsome, shiny launch tied up, one which makes your own rented craft seem liable to sink at at any moment. One of those houses is now for sale: Little Fishery House, in Maidenhead.
Little Fishery House is really anything but little. Nor is it a fishery. But it is a house, and a rather marvellous one at that, with enough bedrooms for even the largest family, plus more than 6,500 sq ft of space for you all to rattle around in. It's for sale via Hamptons at £5.25 million.
The house was built in 1908, and is one of a string of large Edwardian riverside properties that exists along the Bray reach of the River Thames. All of these properties fall within the Maidenhead Riverside conservation area.
The house offers eight bedrooms and five reception rooms over its three floors, from which you can look out over the private and formal gardens to the riverside beyond.
Although the gardens and river frontage are magnificent, so, too, are the interiors, which have been sympathetically modernised and are ideal for families both young and old.
The present owners have been here for 24 years but are now moving on, opening the door for a new family to come and live in this extraordinarily beautiful spot.
All that said, the price is hefty — you could buy a cracking country house in Devon for less, and if you need less space you could look at this £2m home nearby.
But what you're getting with a house like this in this part of the world is a little different to either of those prospects. It's a slice of that country life in a town that's almost unmatched for road, rail and indeed air links to get either into London or further afield.
See more pictures of Little Fishery House, or find more similar property in the area.
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
-
From California to Cornwall: How surfing became a cornerstone of Cornish cultureA new exhibition at Cornwall's National Maritime Museum celebrates a century of surf culture and reveals how the country became a global leader in surf innovation and conservation.
-
18 magnificent homes for sale from £550k to £20 million, as seen in Country LifeFrom a charming thatched cottage to a 300-acre estate with its own vineyard, here's our pick of places to come to the market via Country Life of late.
-
18 magnificent homes for sale from £550k to £20 million, as seen in Country LifeFrom a charming thatched cottage to a 300-acre estate with its own vineyard, here's our pick of places to come to the market via Country Life of late.
-
If heaven is on earth, it might be in this home with a converted chapel that is now a swimming pool5 Wood Barton Town House is part of an exclusive 80-acre development in Devon that also comes with fishing rights on the River Avon and four bedrooms.
-
The sounds of spring and stained glass in an Arts-and-Crafts masterpiece in DorsetWith 35 acres, more than 10 bedrooms, a swimming pool and tennis court, Winterfield has it all.
-
An eight-bedroom wonder in East Sussex where the outdoors are an adventureThe interiors of Old Middleton are pretty good too.
-
A lakeside farmhouse on the market in the beautiful heart of PembrokeshireA lake, streams, 15 acres and five bedrooms. Rogershook might have it all.
-
An idyllic countryside home that's light, spacious and comes with a Grade II-listed follyHagg House is a gorgeous family home that just happens to have a miniature castle in the gardens. Annabel Dixon explains more.
-
A historic villa for sale on the Via Nomentana worthy of Rome's rich historyThree floors, lots of balconies, and a private garden in one of Rome's loveliest neighbourhoods.
-
Eight bedrooms of unlisted Edwardian elegance with sweeping views of SomersetAshton House sits near the market town of Chard and comes with a wealth of amenities both inside and out.
