The country house where the architects threw out the rulebook, and created 'one of the best 12 homes in Britain'
Who said houses have to be a collection of rectangles? Penny Churchill looks at a place which subverts the usual form of country house design while also wallowing happily in its spirit.

The Round House is that rare thing: a country house which manages to be both familiar and novel all at once. On the market via Peter Edwards of Knight Frank’s country department, this £3.75 million Cotswolds home really is a joy to behold.
Set in five acres of landscaped gardens and grounds on the edge of the pretty village of Paxford, two miles from Chipping Campden and five miles from Moreton-in-Marsh, which offers a regular train service to London Paddington.
The Round House derives its name and inspiration from a distinctive, early-Victorian structure, once part of a range of farm buildings associated with nearby Paxford House.
In 1999, these charming vernacular stone buildings were cleverly transformed by a local architect into the central core of a delightful country house, which has been extended and modernised by the current owners to create a unique Cotswold property of considerable charm.
The living accommodation is bright and spacious with generous reception spaces — drawing room, family room, two sitting rooms and kitchen/dining room — that make the most of wonderful views across the gardens to the surrounding Cotswolds National Landscape.
Bedroom accommodation is well proportioned with five double bedrooms, three en suite, and a family bathroom in the main house, and a self-contained, one-bedroom annexe in the facing courtyard.
Approached through electric gates over a gravelled drive, The Round House enjoys total privacy in addition to magnificent views.
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Behind the house, the heated swimming pool and terrace provide a perfect outdoor entertaining space, with plenty of room for further development, subject to the necessary consents.
The Round House is for sale via Knight Frank — see more pictures and details.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
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