There is little better than retreating inside a warm home over the festive period. With an open fire, a cosy kitchen and lots of character, spending the winter tucked up inside a chocolate box cottage is sheer bliss.
Hutton Park House, Cumbria, £695,000
This pretty family home sits on the edge of the Hutton Park estate, enabling it to feel like part of the countryside without being isolated. It has lovely views of the rolling countryside of Cumbria, over to a private stretch of St. Sunday’s Beck beyond the garden walls.
With five bedrooms, this country home is ideal for the growing family. Two acres of paddock are included with the sale which would make a great extended garden for children to play in. After a busy day outside, the inviting living room is the perfect place to spend an evening. Fine & Country Lakes & North Lancs. (01539 733 500; www.fineandcountry.com)
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The Lee, Buckinghamshire, £970,000
This charming four bedroom detached family home has stunning views of the Chiltern Hills from every room. The property is located on a quiet country lane in a peaceful position, adjacent to a nature reserve. The owners could put logs onto the open fireplace and look out at the wildlife in their garden and beyond.
Hedgerow cottage is set in The Lee, a traditional and peaceful village with an active community. The village is in the heart of the Chilterns, which is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The village is home to members of the Liberty family, owners of the Liberty department store in London, and is also the backdrop to Midsummer Murders. Fine & Country Hazelmere (01494 711 677; www.fineandcountry.com)
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Shottery, Warwickshire, £675,000
This thatched property dates back to circa 1635 and has been lovingly restored to the highest standard. This grade II Listed cottage mixes old with modern day living. Original features have been preserved, including school radiators, wooden doors and original door furniture, giving it an authentic countryside character.
The house is directly opposite a church and backs onto protected woodland, making it peaceful and quiet. From the cottage, it is a short stroll into the town centre of Stratford-upon-Avon. Fine & Country Stratford Upon Avon (01789 332 600; www.fineandcountry.com)
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Set in the heart of the historic village of Llanfilo, this appealing three bedroom, two reception room property has spacious gardens with views over the beautiful Breconshire countryside. The small village church is next door, completing the idyllic rural picture.
The nearest shopping facilities are in Talgarth which is approximately three miles, with the regional centres of Brecon and Hay-on-Wye approximately seven miles and nine miles away respectively. Fine & Country Brecon (01874 610 990; www.fineandcountry.com)
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Grafton Regis, Northamptonshire, £450,000
This pretty thatched cottage, built of Northampton stone in the early 1700s, could easily have been the background for a story book. The current owners mostly use the cottage as a weekend retreat, travelling to the village from London every Friday evening.
The property is Grade II Listed with a thatched roof and situated within idyllic gardens. The property was originally a tied cottage for the historic Grafton Estate and passed into the current family’s possession about 100 years ago. Consequently, this is the first time the property has come onto the open market. Fine & Country Northampton (01604 309 030; www.fineandcountry.com)
To discover more beautiful homes, start your property search on visit Fine & Country’s website: www.fineandcountry.com
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'The second cosiest cottage in Britain' is on the market in WiltshireWith its attractive period features and impeccable styling, this chocolate box home has already caught plenty of media attention. It’s set in rolling Wiltshire countryside yet still commutable from London.
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One of the original cottages used on Cadbury's chocolate boxes has come up for saleThe term ‘chocolate box cottage’ is much overused, often in a context involving neither chocolate nor boxes. Not this time, though: Weavers was one of 12 ‘official’ chocolate box properties featured on the Cadbury’s chocolate boxes in the late 1800s, and has therefore rightly earned its title.
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An almost absurdly picturesque thatched cottage in rural Dorset — and it's priced under £400,000Two-up two-down has never looked sweeter than at Mundy’s Cottage, in the sought-after village of Stour Provost.
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A spectacularly renovated thatched home in a picture-perfect Northamptonshire villageA superb quality refurbishment has turned Willowbrook House into a stylish, modern home which still retains a huge amount of character.
