In north-east Essex, Bruce King of Cheffins in Saffron Walden quotes a guide price of £1.675m for the charming, Grade II-listed Byeballs Farm, which sits in 1¾ acres of gardens in the tiny picturesque hamlet of Tindon End, 20 minutes’ drive from the pretty market town of Saffron Walden.
With parts of the impeccably restored, six-bedroom farmhouse dating from the 12th century, Byeballs Farm is said to be one of the oldest privately owned properties in the area. The house was lovingly renovated by the current owners, who bought it more than 20 years ago and took great care to preserve its original medieval and Tudor character.
An ancient panelled front door leads into a vast hall, which dates from the 1500s, from where steps lead, via a study and music room, to a pretty sitting room lined throughout with medieval murals.
A corridor on the other side of the hall leads to a snug, a separate study and a dining room, which together form the 12th-century part of the house. The corridor leads on to an impressive vaulted kitchen, which was added by the current owners.
Behind an old Tudor door, a sweeping staircase leads to three first-floor bedrooms and two bathrooms, with two further bedrooms up another flight of stairs in what was once the servants’ quarters.
The grounds at Byeballs Farm are no less appealing. Outside the kitchen is a smart swimming pool with a gym and outdoor seating area and, to the side of the pool, what remains of the original moat still attracts wildlife throughout the year.
On the other side of the house, the gardens include wooded areas, an orchard and sweeping lawns, with about 1,000 daffodils flowering every spring. A further five acres of land is available by separate negotiation.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
A seven-bedroom home near Wimbledon that will make all your modernist fantasies come true
Designed by Maxwell Fry, Miramonte is a delightful 1930s building situated in one of London's most enviable locations. It also
Credit: Inigo
A 300-year-old Jacobean mansion that comes with woodland, orchard and its own mini-village
Frome is where the heart is, so they say. It's easy to see why you might fall in love with
Credit: Hamptons
A 400-year-old house that’s as romantic a country cottage as you could hope to find
How many kinds of sweet flowers grow in an English country garden? Well, head to these magical gardens in Kent
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
-
If heaven is on earth, it might be in this home with a converted chapel that is now a swimming pool5 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.
-
An Italian-inspired recipe for lemon-butter pasta shells with spring greens, ricotta and pangrattatoSpring greens are just about to come into their own, so our Kitchen Garden columnist reveals exactly what to do with them.
-
If heaven is on earth, it might be in this home with a converted chapel that is now a swimming pool5 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.
-
The sounds of spring and stained glass in an Arts-and-Crafts masterpiece in DorsetWith 35 acres, more than 10 bedrooms, a swimming pool and tennis court, Winterfield has it all.
-
An eight-bedroom wonder in East Sussex where the outdoors are an adventureThe interiors of Old Middleton are pretty good too.
-
A lakeside farmhouse on the market in the beautiful heart of PembrokeshireA lake, streams, 15 acres and five bedrooms. Rogershook might have it all.
-
An idyllic countryside home that's light, spacious and comes with a Grade II-listed follyHagg House is a gorgeous family home that just happens to have a miniature castle in the gardens. Annabel Dixon explains more.
-
A historic villa for sale on the Via Nomentana worthy of Rome's rich historyThree floors, lots of balconies, and a private garden in one of Rome's loveliest neighbourhoods.
-
Eight bedrooms of unlisted Edwardian elegance with sweeping views of SomersetAshton House sits near the market town of Chard and comes with a wealth of amenities both inside and out.
-
A waterside cottage in Devon with a private quay, idyllic views and the prettiest summerhouse we've seen in yearsRight 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.
