Feeling brave? This 'rare find' in Surrey is on the market for the first time in 50 years — and it's crying out for some love and attention
16th century Fairview is an exciting project waiting to happen in the village of Betchworth.

From the outside, Fairview appears in fairly good condition. Its handsome red-bricked exterior is surrounded by a long driveway with space for parking, lawns on either side and a number of now derelict outbuildings, including a detached double garage.
In total, the grounds extend to just shy of an acre, with views reaching out over the open farmland towards the North Downs and Box Hill. With the garages, outbuildings and a separate workshop in the rear garden which offers plenty of scope for a home office or studio space, there’s plenty of potential on offer externally.
Inside, the accommodation has retained a number of period touches, including feature windows, exposed timbers, original doors and an especially unique fireplace in the family room with seating on either side.
It’s the sort of canvas that lends itself well to owners looking to make their mark on a property without losing its sense of history and character.
The ground floor is currently configured with the entrance porch leading into the family room, which in turn leads into a large sitting room (with another feature fireplace), off which is a study.
The dated dining room and kitchen are situated towards the rear of the house, both with access out to the rear gardens. Subject to all the necessary planning hoops and hurdles, this space would make a fantastic open-plan kitchen/dining area that could incorporate the rear garden nicely during the warmer months with a terraced seating area.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Completing the downstairs space is a boot room located between the dining and family room (with handy side door access), a store room, a larder and a bathroom.
All five bedrooms can be found on the first floor (with stairs leading up from the dining room), along with two bathrooms. Again, with the necessary planning consent, there is ample space here to reconfigure the layout in order to suit a range of family needs.
Fairview sits in the small rural community of Gadbrook, just a few miles from Betchworth village, in the Mole Valley district in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
There are several good primary schools in the immediate area, with North Downs Primary School and Sandcross Primary School, plus a post office/shop and a couple of pubs. For a wider range of amenities, Reigate and Dorking are about 3.5 miles to the east and west, both with an excellent range of schools plus commuter services into London.
Fairview is currently on the market via Jackson-Stops with a guide price of £1.6 million — see more pictures or enquire with the agents for further details.
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
-
Country Life 2 April 2025
Country Life 2 April 2025 celebrates smaller country houses, visits Portmeirion and is wowed by the magnolias of Maurice Foster.
By Country Life Published
-
Chloe Dalton: The woman who swapped top-level geopolitics to rescue a baby hare
As an expert foreign policy adviser, Chloe Dalton's life revolved around international travel and walking the corridors of power. Then a chance encounter while out on a walk changed her life forever.
By Toby Keel Last updated
-
An idyllic home in Hampshire that's perfect for the musical mind
Lyewood House sits in 3.5 acres and comes with a purpose built recording studio and an outdoor heated pool.
By Arabella Youens Published
-
A well-connected rural playground with 23 acres on the edge of the South Downs National Park
Old House Farm is an impressive family home with a wealth of amenities that would inspire any rural passion.
By Arabella Youens Published
-
18 magnificent homes for sale from £550k to £20 million, as seen in Country Life
From 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.
By Toby Keel Published
-
If heaven is on earth, it might be in this home with a converted chapel that is now a swimming pool
5 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.
By James Fisher Published
-
The sounds of spring and stained glass in an Arts-and-Crafts masterpiece in Dorset
With 35 acres, more than 10 bedrooms, a swimming pool and tennis court, Winterfield has it all.
By James Fisher Published
-
An eight-bedroom wonder in East Sussex where the outdoors are an adventure
The interiors of Old Middleton are pretty good too.
By Arabella Youens Published
-
A lakeside farmhouse on the market in the beautiful heart of Pembrokeshire
A lake, streams, 15 acres and five bedrooms. Rogershook might have it all.
By James Fisher Published
-
An idyllic countryside home that's light, spacious and comes with a Grade II-listed folly
Hagg House is a gorgeous family home that just happens to have a miniature castle in the gardens. Annabel Dixon explains more.
By Annabel Dixon Published