In these uncertain days, vendors of even the finest country houses may face a long wait to find a buyer, unless their pricing reflects the reality of life in today’s slow lane. Brexit is the number one issue, of course, but it isn’t the only spanner in the works; today’s buyers are easily spooked and local issues, such as planning, can also give cause for concern.
Take the case of Barnfield, one of Surrey’s most charming small estates. It’s located in Dunsfold, near Cranleigh and 12 miles from Guildford, and is currently on the market for £5m via Savills and The Grantley Group.
The price reflects the uncertainty caused by a planning application for new housing on a former wartime airfield on the other side of Dunsfold. However, the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t, and in this case it will help: the planning consent that has finally been granted suggests that Barnfield – with its 50 acres of pasture and woodland, not to mention the substantial protection provided by the village itself – should be largely unaffected by the proposed development.
Beautifully refurbished by the present owners during their 15-year tenure, Barnfield dates from the mid 16th century, although the present house was mainly built in the traditional Arts-and-Crafts style of the late-Victorian era.
The estate stands in a wonderfully private rural setting about a mile from the centre of the old village, with its pretty green, church and local pub, and within easy reach of bustling Cranleigh village and its famous school.
Other high-achieving State and private schools nearby include the Royal Grammar School, Guildford High School, Lanes-borough, St Catherine’s and Charterhouse. Dunsfold is ‘commuter-land’ par excellence, with London Waterloo a mere 35-minute train journey from Guildford.
Built in heavy oak timber with brick infills and part-hanging-tile elevations under a clay-tiled roof, Barnfield retains its historic Tudor flavour in its inglenooks, polished beams, floorboards and finely carved staircase.
The main house offers more than 7,000sq ft of luxurious living space, including a heavily beamed entrance hall, three main reception rooms, a library, a splendid kitchen/family room, study, master suite, six further bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Two separate two-bedroom cottages provide additional guest or staff accommodation.
The house is surrounded by immaculate gardens and grounds with a wealth of leisure and sporting amenities, including a gym, American-style stabling, a croquet lawn, tennis court and heated swimming pool.
Barnfield is for sale via Savills and the Grantley Group at £5m – see more pictures and 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
Credit: Peter Wright / Knight Frank
The charm of Chiddingfold
Arabella Youens goes to south Surrey.
-
Brockfield Hall, the great Yorkshire house that's gone from Regency mansion to modern family homeBrockfield Hall in North Yorkshire is the family home of Charlie Wood and Hatta Byng, editor of House & Garden, who have transformed it since they came here in 2020, winning multiple awards in the process. John Martin Robinson reports on the restoration project that revived this compact Regency house as a modern family home. Photographs by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
-
Barbour’s heritage jackets get a floral makeover courtesy of ErdemUtilitarian outwear has taken the fashion world by storm and now Britain's world-famous wax jackets are getting in on the act, inspired by some of our greatest countryside icons.
-
A Georgian vicarage that blends idyllic seclusion, village life and a simple commute to the CityThe Old Rectory in Hawkhurst, Kent, is a delightful home inside and out. Penny Churchill takes a look.
-
The green Gable House: A family home in Hampshire that even we can't believe is only 15 years oldIf the house isn't quite right, don't be afraid to build something new. The Gable House in Ashford Hill is a glorious example of a new home that looks like it's always been there.
-
Best country houses for sale this weekFrom a vast Shropshire masterpiece to an idyllic West Country farmhouse, here's our pick of the best property for sale this week.
-
Ten stunning character properties for sale at under £400,000From thatched cottages near the beaches of Devon and Cornwall to a barn conversion in Kent and a wonderful getaway in Snowdonia, here's our pick of the best character cottages and character homes for sale.
-
The Brontës original family home has come up for sale with a £380,000 price tagThe Revd Patrick Brontë's former home has come on to the market, where he and his wife lived in their early years before having their children Charlotte, Emily, Anne and Branwell.
-
Six superb homes, from the picturesque to the palatial, as seen in Country LifeOur pick of some of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life includes a true gem in Buckinghamshire.
-
A £21 million castle that's come up for sale for the first time in 700 yearsRipley Castle in North Yorkshire has been the family home of the Ingilbys since the early 1300s. It's steeped in history, has a list of famous visitors over the centuries that include James I and Oliver Cromwell, and is now on the open market. Annabel Dixon takes a look.
-
A wisteria-clad former rectory in Stevenage that used to host Sir Winston ChurchillWrapped within all that greenery are some of the finest Georgian interiors we've seen.
