Picture-perfect country cottage with a dreamy English country garden
Church Cottage is the idyllic countryside family home for everyone, including Alexandra Fraser, who takes a look at its many remarkable features.
South-East England property for sale
Those who move out of London often focus on the surrounding areas, the so-called Home Counties: Surrey, Sussex and Kent to the south; Berkshire and Buckinghamshire to the west; Middlesex, Hertfordshire and Essex to the north and east. Slightly further out are Hampshire, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire, which also balance of country life with easy access to the metropolis.
Surrey is the county most associated with the ‘stockbroker belt’: it’s very close to London but still leafy and attractive and boasts world-famous estates such as St George’s Hill and Wentworth. Its market towns like Haslemere and Farnham have great amenities and quick rail links back into the capital.
Sussex is perhaps best characterised by the views offered in the beautiful South Downs, but there are also vibrant cities such as Brighton and Chichester which offera real cosmopolitan mix.
Kent, the Garden of England, has been growing in popularity for those moving out of London for some time, and country houses in Kent are remarkably good value compared to those in neighbouring Sussex or Surrey.
Many parts of Hampshire are very pretty and yet still commutable to London – Kingsclere and Winchester are both within an hour of Waterloo, the former a classic English village, the latter with its medieval cobbled streets and fun markets one of the most desirable Cathedral cities in the country.
In Berkshire, towns and villages such as Bucklebury, Bray, and Yattendon are justly famous, while in Buckinghamshire the likes of Long Crendon are both practical and picturesque.
Herfordshire has the charming city of St Albans to recommend it while Harpenden and Hertforshire are also enduringly popular, while Essex has countryside that inspired Constable as well as 350 miles of coastline.
Don’t miss Country Life’s guide to the best places to live near London
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The beautiful Grade I-listed 650-year-old manor house and gardens which survived dereliction twice, now lovingly restored
Otham Farm in Kent has been rescued, altered and extended again and again. It has now been restored and its gardens salvaged, returning it to a stunning family home. Penny Churchill reports.
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A palatial Georgian mansion restored to immaculate condition, where even the cottage in the grounds is a splendid six-bedroom home
Barrington Hall has suffered many ups and downs in its three centuries of existence, but an astonishing restoration effort has put it in superb condition. Now it's looking for an owner to kick off its next few centuries; Penny Churchill reports.
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A spectacular Georgian mansion for the 21st century comes to the market at £30 million
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An immaculate 18th-century 'country' cottage that's in the middle of one of the loveliest towns in the Home Counties
Oxford Cottage is a wonderfully-pretty Georgian home with a surprisingly rural feel despite its location in the heart of the lovely town of Marlow.
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A wisteria-clad Cookham cottage, once the studio of the artist Sir Stanley Spencer
In a village synonmous with the works of one this country's most important 20th-century painters, it's a rare treat to see the cottage which he made his own on the market once more.
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The ultimate house for the car nut? A 17th century West Sussex home with indoor pool and a simply enormous garage
If the Festival of Speed at the weekend has inspired you to start collecting classic sports cars, you'll need somewhere to keep them — and this country house in West Sussex could be the answer.
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A Grade II-listed farming estate, once home to unruly horses and their talented trainer
A landmark Oxfordshire estate where champion racehorses were prepared – or retrained – is an exciting addition to the market.
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Not your typical Old Vicarage, once home to an entrepreneurial vicar in the heart of Surrey
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An idyllic millhouse set in a picture-perfect slice of Hampshire countryside
A delightful millhouse in Hampshire has come up for sale with land, stables, a river full of fish and a bridge, all within easy reach of London.
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A gracious Georgian country villa in Hampshire's Meon valley
Hill Place, potentially designed by Sir John Soan, can be purchased as a whole estate or simply as a country house, with just 20 acres of stunning parkland.
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A chance to live in the Gothic mansion just outside London where JFK and the Queen Mother once partied
This incredible apartment in a huge 19th century house within the M25 has had some astonishing visitors. If only the walls of Wall Hall could talk...
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A rare Grade-II Georgian manor house in the New Forest National Park
Bartley Manor has undergone a series of renovations to return it to its former glory, with each owner since the first leaving their own unique stamp on the property. Penny Churchill reports.
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A gorgeous Georgian house for sale in Cowes built for a founding father of the Royal Yacht Squadron
The history of Belmore House, a moment's stroll from the charming centre of Cowes, is inextricably linked with the world's most famous yacht club.
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A magnificent Jacobean manor house with panels believed to come from Windsor Castle, perfectly protected by ancient trees and rolling grounds
Boys Hall is full of surprises and secrets, as well as the potential to be a rare and incredible modern family home.
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A medieval masterpiece in 42 acres of gardens whose owner lost his head over Anne Boleyn
Built during the War of the Roses, Ockwells Manor is a perfect timber-framed mansion with a rich history, set in the heart of Berkshire.
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A beautiful country house with pool, paddock and endless old school charm
The Manor House in Boughton Lees is a much-loved family home on the market for the first time in 50 years which seems to tick every box for a new family on the lookout for a new place to live.
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A new mansion in the coveted Wentworth Estate that has it all... including state-of-the-art spa facilities and a car museum
Westbourn is the kind of place for someone who has everything – family and friends to fill the large bedrooms, numerous cars to stack the 'car museum' and £17 million to foot the bill...
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One of the finest Queen Anne country houses in the Surrey Hills AONB, on sale for the first time in almost half a century
Burgate House stands in 16 acres of grounds beautifully designed by Gertrude Jekyll, long-time partner of Sir Edwin Lutyens.
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Surprisingly-unlisted fairytale cottage in Berkshire with quaint gardens and a fantastic location
Mistletoe Cottage is picture-perfect, with lovely period features, a wonderful Home County location and a price tag many would find surprising.
