Oxfordshire £1.195 million Pleasant Cottage, Brightwell-cum-Sotwell Four bedrooms, annexe This charming cottage has been imaginatively renovated, with an almost triple-height, glazed entrance-hall wall and French limestone floors. There’s a pretty garden and inglenook fireplaces and wood-burning stoves throughout, as well as a one-bedroom annexe. Savills (01491 843 000)
Lincolnshire £575,000
Old Church Cottage, Aubourn Four bedrooms, good-sized garden, large patio Most unusually for a Grade II-listed thatched cottage, this superbly renovated, charming property, with double-height ceilings and exposed beams, has been extended to include two contemporary, glass-clad wings. Ideally situated for rail access to London. Humberts (01522 304 442)
Devon £1.45 million
Winterfold, Dittisham Four en-suite bedrooms, balcony, terraces, rooftop hot tub A spectacular apex-roof-height window wall leads to a balcony overlooking the River Dart and wooded hills beyond. The master bedroom also has a glass-walled balcony attached, which leads to the roof terrace above. Savills (01548 800462) and Marchand Petit (01803 839190)
Kent, £2.85 million
Manor Barn, Upper Harbledown Five bedrooms, five bathrooms, additional barn, two lakes, summer house, 2.8 acres Following careful consultation with renowned architect Sir Thomas Croft, the property was converted about seven years ago from a disused 1300s barn in the grounds of the adjacent Manor House. Extensive glazed walls and ceiling sections meld beautifully with the barn’s enormous oak-beamed frame. New Barn, across the garden, offers secondary accommodation. Strutt & Parker (020–7629 7282)
Buckinghamshire, offers in excess of £750,000
Manor Farm Barn, Wingrave Four bedrooms, secluded garden, paved terrace This converted, timber-clad 17th-century barn features impressive double-height ceilings, a galleried landing and exposed timber beams, as well as large glass doors and high windows. Jackson-Stops & Staff (020–7664 6646)
East Sussex £2.95 million
Pilbeams, Blackham Five bedrooms, swimming pool, additional cottage, 10 acres A clever blend of 17th-century charm with modern steel and glass creates the best of both worlds, with wall-size windows complementing the Grade II-listed property. There’s also a pool and a one-bedroom cottage. Knight Frank (01892 883 724)
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A well-connected rural playground with 23 acres on the edge of the South Downs National ParkOld House Farm is an impressive family home with a wealth of amenities that would inspire any rural passion.
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The UK gets its first ‘European stork village’ — and it's in West SussexAlthough the mortality rate among white storks can be up to 90%, the future looks rosy for breeding pairs in southern England.
