To call one’s home the River Haven requires something that, in the olden days, would reference a man’s anatomy. But we are a forward-thinking publication, at least online, so nowadays we shall simply call the decision brave. There are a lot of rivers in this country, and there are a lot of nice houses next to them.
But then, look at this.
Now, if you are going to call your home The River Haven, a haven by the river it better well be. But I think this property, so named, and for sale with Hamptons for £3.3 million, fits the bill. It can be found on a very private road in Thames Ditton.
The property was purchased as a bungalow by the current owners in 2008 and, ever since, have turned it into one of the nicest London(ish) homes I’ve ever seen.
I like the New England clapboard styling, and how the façade of the house is drawn towards the river, through the well-planted garden, down to the 55ft private jetty. What better way to get into town and do your groceries than by boat!
Inside, the property is finished to an exceptionally high standard. It is one of the few that I have seen where not only would I buy the house, but also everything in it — particularly the pool table in the kitchen/sitting room, which occupies most of the ground floor. It also has a bar.
One bedroom can be found on the ground floor, with the other two on the first floor. The master suite faces out towards the river, with enormous windows, and also benefits from a split mezzanine that is currently used as a study (also with exceptional views out over the Thames).
Outside, the well proportioned and planted garden leads down to the river, and is stocked with a mix of exotic and native trees, as well as lawned areas. There are plenty of places to sit an enjoy the view, both from the house (I count at least two balconies/verandas) and from the garden. I have already planned so many parties at this place in my head.
It was a bold call from the current owners, but I think the River Haven qualifies.
20 wonderful homes, from clifftop cottages to cosy medieval dwellings, as seen in Country Life
Take a look at some of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life in recent days.
A 400-year-old fantasy house with moat, four-poster beds and a 'magic' swimming pool that converts into a ballroom
The majestic Ludstone Hall is one of Shropshire's greatest privately-owned country estates — and it's now looking for a new owner.
Credit: Fine and Country
A gorgeous Elizabethan manor with all the modern trimmings that may have been home to Anne Boleyn
Wymondley Bury is a 10-bedroom home where history meets comfort in Hertfordshire.
Stability, confidence — and lots of new homes: Property experts on what Labour's General Election win mean for the housing market
Britain woke up on Friday to change of government. Plenty of change is expected across the board, but what will
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The Henry VII-era house that was dismantled piece by piece and shipped to the USAAgecroft Hall, near Manchester, didn't meet the same miserable end as some of Britain's other country homes. Instead, it was shipped to the USA and repurposed as a museum.
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‘The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second best time is now'Now is the time to firstly, hug a tree, and secondly, plant some more — in increasingly imaginative ways.
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Rock stars and the country house: Liam Gallagher's life in the Cotswolds is in the finest tradition of music A-listers, from The Beatles to BeyoncéWhat is it about the British countryside that draws A-listers from every walk of life? With Liam Gallagher's Cotswold former home on the market, Toby Keel takes a look.
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Life on Portugal's Coast of Kings, where Ian Fleming met the triple-agent whose gambling inspired 'Casino Royale'Once a quiet fishing village west of Lisbon, Cascais became an unlikely hive of activity during the Second World War, attracting regal refugees and intelligence operatives in equal measure. Russell Higham investigates its enduring glamour — and its connection to Casino Royale.
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An extraordinary Italian palazzo built in the heart of Oxfordshire is up for sale at £16 millionThe Palazzo Pallavicini in Genoa inspired the creation of Newington House, which is on the market for the first time in 35 years.
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A bum deal on a bog-standard property? The former public conveniences being sold off for a songLondon has several affordable properties with enviable postcodes and great lighting... so long as you're happy spending more than a penny on a Victorian loo.
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A castle for sale just down the road from Gleneagles, where everyone from George VI to a farmer and his pigs once roamed the grand hallsOrchil Castle has seen it all in a tumultuous century and a half — but it's getting back to its best, and now needs a brave new owner to take it on the next step of its journey.
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Five homes with their own orchards that will be the apple of your eye (almost literally)If you've been looking enviously this year at neighbours with apple trees that have been heaving with fruit, here is the solution: five lovely homes for sale that come with their own orchards.
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A beautiful Victorian vicarage that was home to one of the Cadbury family heiresses is on the marketPenny Churchill tells the tale of Monks Bridge in Warwickshire.
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An outrageously opulent mansion in London's answer to Beverly Hills, with a gym that 'wouldn't look out of place in a 7* hotel''One of the finest houses in St George's Hill' is on the market. Annabel Dixon takes a look at what's on offer.
