Seven genuinely magnificent country houses for sale, as seen in Country Life
From mansions and a castle to a wisteria-clad dream home, here's our pick of the best homes to come up for sale via Country Life in recent days.

Dorset — £5,950,000
20 acres of land with a Grade II*-listed country house at its centre, an interior full of character, and sprawling gardens which include a pool are all part of the mix at Buckshaw House.
The rooms are built on a scale you just don't see these days, with high ceilings, wonderful bay windows and ornate plasterwork. This really is something else.
For sale with Knight Frank. See more pictures and details for this property.
Shropshire — £10,500,000
Chyknell Hall — and the surrounding 200 acres — looks inside and out something like a cross between a 5-star hotel and a National Trust property.
Beautiful as it is from the outside, it's the interiors here which really shine, showing a rare care and attention to detail that suggests this has been a genuine labour of love.
For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details for this property.
Devon — £4,500,000
Something of a rarity here: a country house that's right in the middle of town — in this case, the ancient port of Topsham, right on the River Exe estuary between Exeter and Exmouth.
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.
It's a blend of graceful Regency design with superb interiors which are — and there really is no other word — cool. Plus great gardens and access to the water; though do note that the price is for the south and west wings of the enormous building that is Riversmeet House.
For sale with Strutt & Parker. See more pictures and details for this property.
Dorset — £2,500,000
Absolutely the sort of house that we'd put on the cover of Country Life, this delightful, wisteria-clad beauty in the village of Marnhull really has to be seen.
It was built in 1680, extended in the succeeding century, and as well as its six bedrooms and plethora of character, there is also a walled garden, pool and paddock. All this and a village location too.
For sale with Knight Frank. See more pictures and details for this property.
Somerset — £4,000,000
Gothic design notes and a hillside location gives this the flavour of a Highland retreat rather than a West Country home in the Quantock Hills AONB near Bridgwater.
What was originally a Grade II-listed 19th century Gothic revival mansion has been, over the years, a sanatorium, a school and a conference centre. There is still a huge pool and a sports centre, which are part of the asking price of this 37,000 sq ft, 56-bedroom property. So much potential to do almost anything.
For sale with Strutt & Parker. See more pictures and details for this property.
Bristol — £2,850,000
Sometimes an Englishman's home really is his castle — though technically this is a folly rather than a place genuinely built for fortification.
Oak pannelled walls, four-poster beds and pleasingly twisty corridors rub shoulders with modern touches such as poolhouse, games room and roof terrace with glorious views down the Avon Gorge.
For sale with Savills. See more pictures and details for this property.
Oxfordshire — £1,675,000
Brook Cottage is a place which seems to offer an awful lot of house for the money, sitting within a lovely parcel of land amid open countryside which gives it a pleasantly secluded feel.
Beamed ceilings and exposed brickwork added character to the older parts of the property, which extends to nearly 5,000sq ft.
For sale with Michael Graham. See more pictures and details for this property.
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
Toby Keel is Country Life's Digital Director, and has been running the website and social media channels since 2016. A former sports journalist, he writes about property, cars, lifestyle, travel, nature.
-
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
-
An Italian-inspired recipe for lemon-butter pasta shells with spring greens, ricotta and pangrattato
Spring greens are just about to come into their own, so our Kitchen Garden columnist reveals exactly what to do with them.
By Melanie Johnson 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
-
A historic villa for sale on the Via Nomentana worthy of Rome's rich history
Three floors, lots of balconies, and a private garden in one of Rome's loveliest neighbourhoods.
By James Fisher Published
-
Eight bedrooms of unlisted Edwardian elegance with sweeping views of Somerset
Ashton House sits near the market town of Chard and comes with a wealth of amenities both inside and out.
By Arabella Youens Published
-
A waterside cottage in Devon with a private quay, idyllic views and the prettiest summerhouse we've seen in years
Right 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.
By Annabel Dixon Last updated