Properties of the week

Cambridgeshire, OIEO £1.1 million

Listed Grade II and situated in a semirural position on the outskirts of the village of Ashdon, The Old Farmhouse is a substantial 5/6-bedroom family home with lashings of character. A rare example of a house awash with period farmhouse features, as well as plenty of ceiling height, the property is more than suited to modern living, with plenty of contemporary elements, a highlight of which is surely the living/dining room extension, with triple-aspect views of the surrounding gardens. The gardens themselves extend to about half an acre and mostly consist of a large lawned area with well-stocked borders, mature shrubs and trees. The market town of Saffron Walden, with its extensive amenities, is only five miles down the road and regular trains run from nearby Audley End to London Liverpool Street and Cambridge. Knight Frank (01223 972911)

Norfolk, £1.425 million

Dating from the 18th century, The Old Rectory on Low Road near Shelton is a splendid Georgian red-brick home that sits in a private and peaceful 3.2 acres with lovely views of the neighbouring church and the countryside beyond. The property has eight bedrooms over its three floors and, with 4,000sq ft of living space, offers more than enough room for a large family or entertaining. A ‘thorough yet sympathetic’ programme of restoration has been undertaken in recent years, bringing out the best of the many period features throughout, as well as providing all of the comforts of modern living. The garden and grounds surrounding the Old Rectory are generous and include a beech tree planted to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar, plus extensive lawns, woodland, a walled garden and even a 1,300sq ft coach house that provides plenty of scope for alternative uses, whether that be as a home office, art studio, ancillary accommodation or games room.

Savills (01603 229229)

Cambridgeshire, £1.6 million

Originally built in the 13th century, Lordship Cottage was once a church, then a school house and even had a moat. These days, it’s an immaculate four-bedroom family home, which has been extensively refurbished and modernised by its current owners, but not without taking extra care of the many period features throughout. A highlight of the recent works is the vast vaulted sitting room, which includes floor-to-ceiling windows on one end to maximise the natural light flowing through the property. Another highlight would be the state-of-the-art kitchen to the rear, which comes with two dishwashers, Gaggenau appliances and 12ft-long island. The property, which looks traditional and unassuming from the outside, also sits in about half an acre of gardens and grounds that include spacious lawns, an outdoor kitchen, and an annexe/games room and home office.

Cheffins (01223 214214)