Suffolk, £395,000
The panorama across the Suffolk countryside is nothing short of spectacular at Merrijig, in the village of Preston St Mary – particularly at sunrise. This 18th-century cottage was originally built to care for the village poor and has now become a wonderful three-bedroom home full of period character.
The open-plan sitting/dining room has brick floors, a fireplace with a wood burner and long views of the gardens.
The grounds extend for about a quarter of an acre and are framed by ornamental pear, copper-beech, silver-birch and willow trees and, in season, snowdrops and wild primroses.
On the market via Carter Jonas – see more details.
Gloucestershire, offers over £300,000
As the name implies, The Old Chapel, in North Cerney, near Cirencester, is a former Victorian chapel that has been beautifully converted into a bright three-bedroom home.
The door opens onto the vaulted, open-plan living area, which leads to the contemporary kitchen at the back and, via a spiral staircase, to the mezzanine bedroom. Two more bedrooms are situated on the lower-ground floor.
For sale through Strutt & Parker – see more pictures and details.
Devon, £275,000
Grade II-listed, part-thatched Sage Cottage stands in the pretty village of Stoke Gabriel, in an AONB.
Dating from the 17th century, it has lovely gardens and is thought to be one of the oldest houses in the village. Behind a wisteria-clad façade is a welcoming sitting room with feature fireplace, a kitchen/breakfast room and, upstairs, three bedrooms.
For sale through Marchand Petit – see more pictures and details.
Cambridgeshire, £550,000
Recently re-thatched, this Grade II-listed cottage in Great Gransden, near Cambridge, dates from the 16th century and has preserved its period feel.
The entrance hall, sitting and dining rooms have heavily beamed ceilings and exposed brickwork, as do the first-floor bedrooms, one of which is vaulted. The charming kitchen has flagstone floors and granite surfaces.
There is a rose garden at the front and a walled garden at the back, which is dotted with trees and has a decked area.
For sale through Cheffins – see more pictures and details.
10 picture-perfect thatched cottages which are immaculate inside and out
Buying a thatched cottage needn't mean walking into a nightmare of work to do – these delightful places are all
Credit: H Tiddy
12 stunning character properties for sale at under £400,000
Thatched homes in Cornwall and West Sussex are among the many highlights of these gorgeous character cottages for sale.
The picturesque Cotswolds farmhouse that once belonged to Cath Kidston
Trillgate Farm is an enchanting period country house.
Credit: Woolley and Wallis
A perfect thatched cottage with a fairytale garden, pool and room for horses
A dreamy little cottage has come up for sale within the New Forest National Park.
Credit: Jackson-Stops & Staff
A picture-perfect cottage in the Cotswolds for the price of a flat in the suburbs
Time to get out of London? A perfect example English country cottage is on the market in the heart of
-
Can't you hear me S.O.S? Our treasured native dog breeds are at risk of extinctionDo you know your Kerry blue terrier from your Lancashire heeler? A simple lack of publicity is often to blame for some of the UK's native dog breeds flying dangerously low under-the-radar.
-
'There are architects and architects, but only one ARCHITECT': Sir Edwin Lutyens and the wartime Chancellor who helped launch his stellar careerClive Aslet explores the relationship between Sir Edwin Lutyens and perhaps his most important private client, the politician and financier Reginald McKenna.
-
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.
-
A waterside cottage in Devon with a private quay, idyllic views and the prettiest summerhouse we've seen in yearsRight beside the picturesque Yealm Estuary, No 1 Noss Mayo is an idyllic home that feels like an escape from the world. Annabel Dixon takes a look.
