Country Life: 13th April 2022 Early Property Pages

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The life and times of the rabbit Somerset unveils its deepest secrets Vaughan Williams: the man behind the music

APRIL 13, 2022

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ONE FAMILY SPECIALISING IN FINE FURNITURE SINCE 1866

Interpretation of The Women Of Amphissa by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema. The original hangs at The Clark Insitute, USA and depicts an obscure story recorded by the first-century Greek writer Plutarch: a group of bacchantes from Phocis awaken after a night of celebrating the rites of Bacchus. They find themselves in the marketplace of Amphissa, a town at war with Phocis. The women of the town have been guarding the sleeping revelers, protecting them from attack by soldiers. Characteristic of Victorian fascination with languorous women in ancient dress, the painting was awarded the Gold Medal of Honor when it was exhibited at the Universal Exposition of Paris in 1889.

A specially commissioned reproduction oil painting on canvas by our principal artist Liu Yingjie, in a bespoke hand made 4” wide ribbed frame with medium tone gold finish.

£4,825

Width: 66 inches (168cm) | Depth: 1¾ inches (5cm) | Height: 46¼ inches (118cm)

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OXFORDSHIRE

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RG9 5DD (OPEN TUES-SAT)

KING’S RD

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LONDON

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SW6 2DX (OPEN MON-FRI)

1 WYKEY, NORTH SHROPSHIRE

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supremely elegant Georgian country house standing in glorious gardens and grounds. The property benefits from a cottage and coach house.

6 B E D R O O M S | 3 B AT H R O O M S | 4 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S O U T B U I L D I N G S | G A R D E N W I T H L A K E | C O T TA G E | C O A C H H O U S E | A P P R O X I M AT E LY 1 7 A C R E S | E P C E O S W E S T R Y 7. 5 M I L E S | S H R E W S B U R Y 1 2 M I L E S | C H E S T E R 3 2 M I L E S

Guide price £2,800,000 Knight Frank London & Shrewsbury peter.edwards@knightfrank.com 020 4502 8544 belinda.hutchinson-smith@knightfrank.com 01743 664200 Ref: SHR012201735

knightfrank.co.uk Winner of six customer service experience awards in 2021

HENTON, OXFORDSHIRE Guide Price: £1,375,000

4 Bedrooms | 4 Reception Rooms | 4 Bathrooms | E EPC

An early 19th century former farmhouse which has been refurbished while retaining original character features. The property has 2,838 sq. ft. of versatile accommodation including a dual aspect kitchen, sitting room and family room. The rear garden measures approximately 0.35 acres with landscaped areas which include a rockery, a pond, loose stone beds and a lawn. A five-bar gate leads to the separate 1 acre paddock. The property has a detached double garage and there is off-street parking for four cars.

Michael Graham Princes Risborough Paul Copping 01844 396000 Michael Graham London Bob Bickersteth 0207 839 0888

michaelgraham.co.uk michaelgraham_living

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ECCHINSWELL , HAMPSHIRE

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n attractive period country house positioned in a stunning rural location with 48 acres of farmland. The property is situated to the north of the sought-after village of Ecchinswell, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

7 B E D R O O M S | 4 B AT H R O O M S | 3 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S | O U T B U I L D I N G S | PA R T Y/ P O O L R O O M 3 L O O S E B O X E S | L A K E | S T R E A M | T E N N I S C O U R T | S W I M M I N G P O O L | PA S T U R E L A N D | W O O D L A N D | E P C E N E W B U R Y 6 M I L E S ( L O N D O N PA D D I N G T O N F R O M 4 0 M I N U T E S ) | B A S I N G S T O K E 1 2 M I L E S

Guide price £4,250,000 Knight Frank London & Basingstoke edward.cunningham@knightfrank.com 020 4502 7121 mark.potter@knightfrank.com 01256 806421 Ref: BSK012252295

knightfrank.co.uk Winner of six customer service experience awards in 2021

A Landmark New Mansion Banks of the River Thames, Cookham Marlow: 4 Miles, Henley-On-Thames: 11 miles, Central London: 30 miles Constructed and finished to an exacting specification, showcasing all the best that award winning developers O&H Properties have to offer. 8 reception rooms, 7 main bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, ballroom for 200, gym, cinema tennis court, pavilion guest house, boat house with guest apartment and 3 staff flats. EPC = B

About 4.3 acres | Guide £36.5 million

Crispin Holborow Savills London Country Department 07967 555 511 cholborow@savills.com

James Crawford Knight Frank 020 3930 2523 james.crawford @knightfrank.com

savills

savills.co.uk

Devon, Near Chulmleigh

A fabulous contemporary house combining open plan living with stunning views, set in 72 acres Chulmleigh: 4.3 miles, South Molton: 7 miles, Tiverton: 18.3 miles, Exeter: 22.5 miles Large open plan kitchen with dining and sitting area | Drawing room | Study | Music room | Boot room | Laundry 7 Bedrooms and 6 bathrooms | Terrace | Gardens | Paddocks | Woodland | EPC Rating C Lodge with 2 bedrooms, bathroom and sitting room with development potential (subject to planning) About 72.74 acres

Over 50 Offices across England and Scotland, including prime Central London.

Guide Price £3,000,000

Oliver Custance Baker

Richard Speedy

Country Department 020 7591 2207

Exeter Office 01392 248 207

oliver.custance.baker@struttandparker.com

richard.speedy@struttandparker.com

/struttandparker

@struttandparker

struttandparker.com

Historic Country Estate Eythorne, Kent Dover: 6 miles (London St Pancras International from 65 minutes), Canterbury 14 miles Historic country estate with income producing residential and commercial portfolio. 6 bedroom principal dwelling with commanding parkland views, Victorian former kennel complex and riding school, 17 estate cottages and lodges with significant rental income, range of further buildings either with planning permission or offering potential for a variety of uses, all set within mature parkland, farmland and woodland. Available as a whole or in 3 lots. EPCs = D-G

About 434 acres | Guide £11.85 million

Chris Spofforth Savills Sevenoaks 01732 608 370 cspofforth @savills.com

Alex Lawson Savills National Farms and Estates 020 4579 2523 alawson@savills.com

savills

savills.co.uk

Sensational Barn Conversion Chaple Amble, North Cornwall Rock: 4.6 miles, Polzeath: 6 miles, Newquay Airport: 16 miles Beautifully converted slate and granite barn with generous proportions, open plan living spaces and boasting panoramic rural views. 4 reception rooms, 6 bedrooms (1 en suite), 2 further bathrooms, garden room, stone barn with garaging and storage, solar panels with Powervault storage system, extensive gardens and grounds, south facing terrace and meadows.

EPC = D

About 10 acres | Offers in excess of £2.5 million

Chris Clifford Savills Truro 01872 438 088 cclifford@savills.com

savills

savills.co.uk

Wonderful, Elegant Living Sulgrave, Northamptonshire Banbury: 8 miles (London Marylebone from 56 minutes) Grade II listed family home on the edge of the village with attractive gardens. 4 reception rooms, 7 bedrooms (2 en suite), 2 bathrooms, study, boot room, utility, cellar, tennis court, swimming pool, coach house including stables and garaging, landscaped gardens and paddock.

About 2.25 acres | Guide £2.25 million Nick Rudge Savills Banbury 01295 500 299 nrudge@savills.com

savills

savills.co.uk

Idyllic Parkland Setting Gatcombe, Isle of Wight Fishbourne Ferry: 9.5 miles (Portsmouth Harbour from 45 mins) Grade II* listed country house with views of the Medina Valley. 6 reception rooms, 10 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, staff flat, swimming pool, tennis court with pavilion and lake. Available on separate negotiation: Grade II listed stable block, 2 cottages, outbuildings and agricultural buildings.

About 40 acres | Guide £4.25 million (Lot 1) George Nares Savills London Country Department 020 4525 2538 george.nares @savills.com

Steven Moore Savills Winchester 01962 418 848 smoore@savills.com

savills

savills.co.uk

Beautiful Village House North Cadbury, Somerset Castle Cary Station: 5 miles (London Paddington from 100 mins) A particularly pretty hamstone property sitting comfortably within mature gardens of almost an acre. 4 reception rooms, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, stone barn and double garage.

Further land available by separate negotiation. EPC = F About 1 acre | Guide £1.575 million James McKillop Savills Salisbury 01722 638 293 james.mckillop @savills.com

Ashley Rawlings Savills Wimborne 01202 139 439 ashley.rawlings @savills.com

savills

savills.co.uk

Stunning Riverside Property Bray, Berkshire Windsor: 5.3 miles, Maidenhead 1.9 miles, Henley: 11 miles Situated in the heart of Bray and architecturally designed with wonderful river views throughout. 3 reception rooms, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, double garage and off-street parking, riverfront gardens and mooring. EPC = D Guide £3.25 million John Henson Savills Windsor 01753 260 733 john.henson @savills.com

Fiona Copeman Savills Windsor 01753 260 229 fcopeman @savills.com

savills

savills.co.uk

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4 5 LECKHAMPSTEAD, BERKSHIRE

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n elegant Grade II listed Georgian family house built in the early 19th century. Positioned on the Berkshire Downs, the property is located in the desirable and highly accessible village of Leckhampstead.

6 B E D R O O M S | 4 B AT H R O O M S | 4 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S 2 B E D R O O M C O T TA G E | G A R D E N E R ' S S T O R E & W C | T E N N I S C O U R T G A R A G I N G | B E A U T I F U L M AT U R E G A R D E N S & G R O U N D S

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A P P R O X I M AT E LY 1 . 6 4 A C R E S | M 4 ( J U N C T I O N 1 3 ) 5 M I L E S N E W B U R Y 7 M I L E S ( L O N D O N PA D D I N G T O N F R O M 4 0 M I N U T E S ) HUNGERFORD 8 MILES

Offers in excess of £3,500,000 Knight Frank London & Hungerford edward.cunningham@knightfrank.com 020 4502 7121 mark.potter@knightfrank.com 01488 758437

Winner of six customer service experience awards in 2021

knightfrank.co.uk

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4 5 WHITECHAPEL , DEVON

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fine example of a Grade I listed Elizabethan family home.

Whitechapel Manor has fantastic views over its walled and terraced gardens, set in 13.7 acres. A charming three bedroom cottage is also available by separate negotiation.

1 1 B E D R O O M S | 1 1 B AT H R O O M S | 6 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S S TA B L E YA R D | 5 L O O S E B O X E S | G A R A G I N G | PA D D O C K S | W O O D L A N D S O U T H M O LT O N 3 M I L E S | N O R T H D E V O N C O A S T 1 4 M I L E S

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T I V E R T O N PA R K WAY 2 2 . 5 M I L E S ( L O N D O N PA D D I N G T O N 1 H O U R 5 5 M I N U T E S ) EXETER 36 MILES

Lot 1: Offers in excess of £2,000,000 Knight Frank London & Exeter hamish.humfrey@knightfrank.com 020 4502 7856 david.lewis@knightfrank.com 01392 240978

Winner of six customer service experience awards in 2021

knightfrank.co.uk

GUIDE PRICE £2,250,000 FREEHOLD

SWANMORE, HAMPSHIRE

PILLERTON HERSEY, WARWICKSHIRE GUIDE PRICE £4,150,00

An impressive modernised country residence with six bedrooms, swimming pool, detached annexe, garaging, stables, menage, garden and paddocks of 3.5 acres. EPC D.

A Grade II listed beautifully restored family home with six bedrooms, five bathrooms, four receptions, landscaped gardens, paddocks, stabling, tennis court and triple garage.

Hamptons Winchester 01962 656339

Hamptons Stratford Upon Avon 01789 863958

BUCKLAND DINHAM, SOMERSET £1,250,000 FREEHOLD

STREAT, EAST SUSSEX £1,975,000 FREEHOLD

A charming Grade II listed detached family house with five bedrooms and four reception rooms full of period features with a pleasant garden and far-reaching views over beautiful countryside.

A Grade II listed five bedroom family home ideally suited to equestrian enthusiasts with a plot extending to six acres of paddocks and gardens, stabling, tack room, swimming pool and garaging.

Hamptons Bath 01225 800657

Hamptons Haywards Heath 01444 849530 HAMPTONS.CO.UK

WELWYN, HERTFORDSHIRE GUIDE PRICE

£3,000,000

FREEHOLD

[7 bedrooms] [3 receptions] [study] [6 bathrooms] A beautiful home packed with character with flexible accommodation and the potential to extend or develop.

The property is set in lovely gardens extending to c. 1 acre and is offered with a leisure complex comprising a gym, changing room, steam/sauna, large games/sitting room leading to a sun deck with hot tub. EPC E Hamptons Wheathampstead

01582 803953

HAMPTONS.CO.UK

Only With Us property showcase

Ellistown, Leicestershire

£625,000

Swinton, North Yorkshire

£1,250,000 guide price

Angmering, West Sussex

£1,300,000

offers in region of

A fabulous barn conversion with a high-quality interior making it ideal for entertaining. Set within a large, private gated plot.

Contact: Melton Mowbray 01664 518924

Moyola Lodge is a superb house with an annexe and paddocks, and set in an elevated position within the Howardian Hills, close to Malton.

Contact: York office 01904 595677

A detached four-bedroom house with a stunning mature garden, situated on one of Angmering’s most sought-after private roads.

Contact: East Preston office 01903 906642

Henley, Suffolk

Grayshott, Hampshire

Bleathwood, Herefordshire

£675,000

guide price

£2,250,000 guide price

£395,000

guide price

A non-listed, picturesque, former Victorian mill house requiring full renovation. Set on the edge of a tranquil and secluded village.

Contact: Ipswich office 01473 679734

An outstanding home built to the highest of standards in a peaceful position on the outskirts of a sought-after village location.

Contact: Haslemere office 01428 734940

This pretty converted barn sits within an idyllic courtyard of character properties, perfect as a home or rural weekend getaway.

Contact: Ludlow office 01584 539971

Fenny Compton, Warwickshire

Honley, West Yorkshire

Frogham, Hampshire

£600,000

guide price

A beautifully presented stone-built detached cottage in the heart of the village with pretty cottage gardens and a home office.

Contact: Kineton office 01926 267783

£1,100,000

offers in region of

High Royd Cottage is a beautiful family home set in an elevated position with views over its delightful gardens and grounds beyond.

Contact: Holmfirth office 01484 973961

Verify at www.onthemarket.com/only-with-us/. Agents specify exclusivity.

£1,300,000 guide price

An exceptional detached four-bed, boasting panoramic views over open forest, and set in an outstanding location with complete privacy.

Contact: Ringwood office 01425 292816

All these properties appeared exclusively with us, 24 hours or more before Rightmove or Zoopla.

Upwey, Dorset

£1,550,000

offers over

Ravenstonedale, Cumbria

£695,000

guide price

Thame, Oxfordshire

£1,345,000 guide price

A beautiful, stylish five-bed home which truly blends the art of indoor/outdoor living. Set in peaceful grounds of approx. 1 acre.

Contact: Weymouth office 01305 248951

A spacious and versatile family home located in a semi-rural, yet accessible village location with superb countryside views.

Contact: Barnard Castle 01833 314983

A wonderful detached 17th century period home with four bedrooms. Lovingly restored and extended to provide very generous living space.

Contact: Thame office 01844 447905

Mickleham, Surrey

Denmead, Hampshire

Kingswood, Surrey

£800,000

An attractive four-bedroom detached home believed to date back to the Tudor period and set in a sought-after Surrey village.

Contact: Leatherhead office 01372 434808

£595,000

auction guide price

A Grade II listed two-bedroom thatched cottage set in South Downs National Park, believed to be a blacksmith’s cottage from 1600’s.

Contact: Denmead office 023 9211 9845

£1,000,000

offers in excess of

A characterful cottage set in over half an acre offering untold potential for refurbishment, extension or even replacement.

Contact: Kingswood office 01737 483772

Create an alert To view these and the finest selection of premium properties, search OnTheMarket Plymtree, Devon

£1,000,000

offers in excess of

A Grade II listed five-bedroom farmhouse with a two-bedroom cottage, courtyard of outbuildings, 2.2 acres of gardens and paddock.

Contact: Exeter office 01392 976719

Felton, Northumberland

£900,000

guide price

An elegant, stone-built, four-bedroom family home offering an abundance of living space and set in an idyllic rural location.

Contact: Alnwick office 01665 491968

at CountryLife.co.uk and set up a property

Create alert alert today.

LANCASHIRE, DALTON

WEST DORSET, PILSDON

Opulent Victorian country house in 2 acres | EPC D £3,000,000 excess | Lancashire: 01704 651029

Family home with land in idyllic setting £2,450,000 excess | Bridport: 01308 423133

MID DEVON, MORCHARD BISHOP

EAST SUSSEX, HASTINGS

Farmhouse, cottage and land with views £1,000,000 excess | Exeter: 01392 214222

19th Century attached villa with sea views | EPC D £1,000,000 guide | Cranbrook: 01580 720000

SUFFOLK, NR LAVENHAM

SOUTH MANCHESTER, BOWDON

Tranquil rural setting with far reaching views | EPC E £1,250,000 guide | Ipswich: 01473 218218

Superbly proportioned in over half an acre | EPC D £3,250,000 guide | Hale 01619 288881

PRO PERTY EXPERTS S IN CE 1910

jackson-stops.co.uk

CAMBRIDGESHIRE, CATWORTH

CHESHIRE, ALLOSTOCK

Contemporary barn with panoramic rolling views | EPC A £1,150,000 guide | Northampton: 01604 632991

Seven bedroom country house in 2 acres | EPC E £2,750,000 excess | Alderley Edge: 01625 540340

Sustained demand and higher price levels make this a good time to sell.

SUFFOLK, BURY ST EDMUNDS

Book a market appraisal to discover the true potential of your property.

Elegant period townhouse with walled garden £1,750,000 guide Bury St Edmunds: 01284 700535

BURTON PARK, WEST SUSSEX Delightful rural mews house | EPC D £640,000 guide Midhurst: 01730 812357

SURREY, HOOK HEATH

MIDDLESEX, PINNER

Major portion of a historic home approx. 4,000 sq. ft | EPC E £1,675,000 guide | Woking: 01483 322135

Five bedroom village house with garaging and outbuildings £3,000,000 guide | London: 020 7664 6646

PRO PERTY EXPERTS S IN CE 1910

jackson-stops.co.uk

KIRTLING, NR NEWMARKET

Newmarket 5 miles, Cambridge 18 miles, London 70 miles

A striking farmhouse with stud buildings and up to 330 acres Lot 1: 147 acres - Price Guide £4.5m

Farmhouse with 5 reception rooms, 6 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms • Stable yard with 17 boxes, barns, horse walker, lunge ring, tack & feed rooms • 1 bedroom annex • 37 acres of paddocks • 5 acres of woodland • 105 acres of arable land Lot 2: 82 acres - Price Guide £775,000. 82 acres of arable land close to the village Lot 3: 101 acres - Price Guide £950,000. 96.5 acres of arable land • 4.7 acres of copse

In all about 330 acres

For sale as a whole or in lots

+44(0)1672 521155

info@windsorclive.co.uk www.windsorclive.co.uk

+44 (0)1778 420 406

kit@longstaff.com www.longstaff.com

This is the life.

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ROSELAND PENINSULA, SOUTH CORNWALL Rosevine. Portscatho about 2 miles, St Mawes about 5 miles, Truro about 14.5 miles, Newquay Airport about 23.5 miles – all distances approximate

In one of the most coveted, spectacular and unspoilt coastal settings on the Roseland Peninsula, an original 1930s detached, 4 bedroomed, 3 reception roomed house with extensive sea, beach and coastal views. Set in about 2 acres of beautiful mature, wooded gardens and grounds with steps down to one of the most breathtakingly idyllic and tranquil beaches in Cornwall.

In all, about 2,301sq.ft. comprising 3 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Outside: driveway parking for numerous vehicles, detached double garage. About 2 acres of gardens and grounds with steps to Porthbean beach. Opportunity for significant extension and alteration, subject to all requisite consents.

Offers over £2,500,000

Freehold www.lillicrapchilcott.com

| 01872 273473 |

Sole Agent sales@lillicrapchilcott.com

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Teaching old houses new tricks Clients of buying agency Property Vision are now being offered advice on how to make their houses sustainable–reducing running costs and shoring up values in a carbon-free future, explains senior partner Philip Harvey

Technology is available to reduce the ecological footprint of classic Georgian homes, long a favourite with country-house buyers

T

HREE years ago, I was asked to speak at a family office conference about the effects of Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) in residential property markets; I didn’t have much to say. At the time, house buyers, as ever, were looking for properties to fall in love with and thinking more about practical and value-enhancing projects than green solutions. Investors were simply focused on returns. Today, the landscape is somewhat different. We have clients rewilding their land, introducing regenerative farming, building new houses in open countryside, refurbishing to strict Passiv-haus standards and researching esoteric sustainable solutions, such as cob houses.

We all know there are solid environmental (and health) reasons why carbon emissions need addressing; many of us are motivated to act because we worry about the future of our children and grandchildren.

There is a clear shift in mentality, but how many people are doing something about it?

Since Property Vision started advising buyers in 1983, a typical country-house requirement has been for a classic Georgian old rectory surrounded by its own land.

Under the green spotlight, old buildings are considered sustainable from an embodiedcarbon perspective (they already exist) but are operationally inefficient. Herein lies a problem: such buildings are protected by legislation to preserve our architectural

heritage, yet a study published by the Spatial Economics Research Centre estimated that preservation policies cost residents an additional £3.8 billion and led to around 20.1 million more tons of greenhouse-gas emissions over an eight-year period.

Governments are going to have to bring about change by a combination of stick and carrot. Subsidies to incentivise green energy initiatives are unlikely to be wide spread for higher-value properties, especially when trying to recoup the costs of the pandemic. Penalising carbon-polluting houses must be on the cards. So, is avoiding the issue of sustainability in old houses going to have a negative effect on their value and desirability?

Advertisement promotion We have already noticed a change in sentiment: the new wave of country dwellers asks more questions about the wisdom of buying historic houses. But beautiful old homes are not only bought with the head, they are also bought with the heart. We forgive them their foibles, constant maintenance and expensive running costs because they enhance our lives.

It’s unlikely that they are going to struggle to sell any time soon.

It’s unlikely beautiful old homes will struggle to sell any time soon There is also good news for old houses: the technology already exists to mitigate their impact significantly, or in many cases completely decarbonise them. We are still in the early-adoption phase, but, a bit like electric cars (the first was on the production line in 1884), the basic solutions have been around a lot longer than one might think. Air-source heat pumps were invented in 1856, geothermal in 1948 and electricity-producing solar panels in 1954 (although water-heating panels have been around since 1896).

Greening a property is not a cheap exercise. Refurbishment costs are on average 15% higher than traditional methods, but sustainable interventions will reduce running costs, usually with a payback time of less than 12 years and can also be value-enhancing. More than ever before, we are seeing premiums paid for plugand-play homes. As regulations tighten, we will see many more buyers preferring to pay to avoid the disruption and the uncertain expense of carrying out green upgrades themselves.

This new-build energy centre and barn, which was constructed with local rubble stone, houses a biomass boiler to power the entire estate in which it’s situated

As a business, Property Vision has always focused on one thing: finding and acquiring property that best suits our clients’ needs, be that for lifestyle or investment purposes. As a part of this process, we assess every property for threats to future value. This process now involves an audit to understand the opportunities for carbon mitigation. We’ve always introduced clients to the best suppliers, such as architects, land agents, interior designers and construction companies who can help them with post-purchase projects. This list now includes specialists in green technologies.

Given that 80% of all built structures on the planet in 2050 already exist today, there is no avoiding the need to decarbonise old houses. What is becoming

Policy shifts mean buyers will pay more attention to a house’s eco-credentials

GREENING HOMES: THE FACTS l UK carbon targets suggest 80% decarbonisation of private owneroccupied buildings l The greenest houses are those already built, but old buildings generate significantly more emissions than new ones l Buildings and construction contribute about 40% of global CO2 emissions l Think ‘fabric first’—improve thermal efficiency before specifying a new heat source l Financial benefits—green upgrades reduce running costs and enhance capital values increasingly clear is that there are no silver bullets, no single element fixes.

A holistic approach needs to be taken that properly assesses old houses and the land surrounding them, then produces a plan that reduces and finally eliminates the need for operational carbon.

A change of ownership is a great time to carry out building works and our aim is to empower clients, helping them access the knowledge and know-how to prepare their homes for a greener future.

For more information, please visit www. propertyvision.com, telephone 01635 813130 or e-mail pharvey@propertyvision.com

Property market

Penny Churchill

High endeavours Glorious houses high in the hills of Derbyshire and Staffordshire compete with a landmark Cornish property for the best view

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HE High Peak District of Derbyshire hides its secrets well. When, in 1698, the intrepid English horsewoman Celia Fiennes rode from Chatsworth to Bakewell in the picturesque valley of the Wye, a tributary of the Derwent, she described the pretty market town as ‘standing on a hill, yet you descend a vast hill to it which you would think impossible to go down… the common people here know not above 2 or 3 miles from their home, but they of the country will climb up and down with their horses those steep precipices’.

From the 17th century onwards, wealthy Derbyshire mine-owners built fine country houses on the steep hillsides of the Peak District to make the most of spectacular valley views, using the region’s natural contours to create impressive terraced gardens. Such a house is imposing, Grade I-listed Holme Hall near Bakewell. It stands in more than four acres of historic gardens on the eastern bank of the River Wye, which runs through the town.

Meticulously restored by its current owners, who bought the house in 2009, Holme Hall

comes to the market today at a guide price of £3.75 million through Derbyshire agents Caudwell & Co (01629 810018).

Research assembled by the hall’s owner, John Stansfield, reveals that the main part of the present house, which incorporates an earlier 15th-century building, was built between 1626 and 1628 by Bernard Wells, a successful lead merchant originally from Gloucestershire. The new house was reputedly based on plans for smaller Italianate villas

by Elizabethan architect Robert Smythson, the designer of Hardwick Hall near Chesterfield, now owned by the National Trust.

Wells left Holme Hall to his daughter, Anne, and her husband, Robert Eyre, of nearby Highlow Hall, whose family had long been involved in lead mining. In 1658, the Eyres expanded Holme Hall with the addition of the east and west wings. Eyre also oversaw the creation of Holme’s magnificent terraced gardens, in which survive the stone-built, Grade II-listed Banqueting House and the romantic Prospect House or belvedere, with its commanding views over Bakewell and down the valley.

Robert and Anne’s eldest son, William, who was Sheriff of Derbyshire in 1691, inherited the Holme and Highlow estates, which then passed to his son, also William, following his death in 1706. This William became a barrister at Gray’s Inn and, having inherited by marriage a portfolio of estates in Essex and elsewhere, changed his name to Archer and thereafter spent little time in Derbyshire.

In about 1720, William’s widowed mother, Catherine, wrote to complain that ‘ye county report that ye come no more to Holme…

I hope you’ll restore it to me, for I think I have a right to it’. She later bemoaned the

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Facing page: Grade I-listed Holme Hall, Derbyshire. £3.75m. Above: Sensitively restored Stowe Hill, Lichfield, Staffordshire. £1.95m state of the grounds at Holme Hall, advising him that ‘the Arch at Holme Garden is Ready to fall in: and if Itt be Repaired speedily Itt May save a great deal of money: Else the Battling (battlements) and the Stairs And the face of ye Arch Will be Broken to pieces by the fall… tis said you will be Much Reflected on Having such an Estate if you let such a place as Holme go to Ruine for want of a little Repair’.

In the event, William had his younger brother, John, and his family installed as

tenants at Holme Hall for a period of 10 years from 1721 until 1730, when John inherited Hopton Hall near Matlock, and changed his name to Gell (Property market, February 15).

During his tenure, John managed his brother’s Derbyshire estates and carried out numerous repairs to the grounds of Holme Hall, including, in 1724, that of the aforementioned stone arch, which still stands to this day.

William Archer (formerly Eyre) borrowed heavily on his estates, as did his son and heir, John, who was effectively bankrupt

at the time of his death in 1800. In 1802, the Archer estates were sold by order of the Court of Chancery; Highlow Hall was bought by the Duke of Devonshire and Holme Hall

by Robert Birch.

Birch, too, eventually encountered financial problems and, in 1854, Holme Hall was purchased by the Gisborne family, who owned it until 1912, when it was leased and then sold to Edward Lascelles Hoyle. He had the hall overhauled and restored and lived there until after the Second World War. April 13, 2022 | Country Life | 93

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Property market

Grade II-listed Comprigney House, Cornwall, is one of Truro’s most notable houses and enjoys superb views over the city. £2m

It was sold again several times before the current owners bought it and embarked on a further renovation of the house and grounds.

During their time at Holme Hall, Mr and Mrs Stansfield have not only updated the main house, which boasts more than 10,000sq ft of well-structured living space over three floors, including four reception rooms, games room and cinema, large kitchen/breakfast room, grand master suite, six/seven further bedrooms, three bath/shower rooms and two further dressing rooms, which could be converted to additional bathrooms. They are rightly proud to have continued the restoration of the gardens to their original early-1660s layout, facilitated by very detailed sketches, plans and a poem about the estate (possibly

by John Eyre), which are held in the Bagshawe Collection of the Derbyshire archives.

Over in Staffordshire, the three landmark spires of Lichfield Cathedral have been a source of inspiration for many over the centuries, not least the 18th-century architect who, in the mid 1750s, built Stowe Hill House for Elizabeth Aston on a commanding hilltop site overlooking the cathedral. Samuel Johnson, who was born in Lichfield, was a regular visitor to the striking early-Georgian

house, now listed Grade II*, which, according to its listing, ‘forms an important element in the landscape, especially in the view from the Cathedral and Stow Pool’.

The gardens still include the Banqueting House and the romantic Prospect House or belvedere For sale for the first time in 50 years, Stowe Hill has been the much-loved family home of the vendors, who bought the house in a dilapidated state in the 1970s and have since comprehensively restored it. Sarah Briggs of Knight Frank’s Birmingham office (0121– 233 6400) quotes a guide price of £1.95m for the classic Georgian house set in 2½ acres of gardens and grounds, which provides excellent family accommodation on three floors, including three main reception rooms, a charming fan-shaped orangery and nine/10 bedrooms, plus cellars and outbuildings.

Down in Cornwall, Falmouth-based Jonathan Cunliffe (01326 617447) quotes a guide price of £2m for one of Truro’s landmark houses, Grade II-listed Comprigney House, which stands behind walled gardens on the favoured north side of Truro, with panoramic views over the cathedral city. The house dates from the 16th century, when it was the manor on a 24-acre estate.

In 1718, Comprigney House was the birthplace of the Revd Thomas Vivian, whose son, John, is regarded as the founder of the Cornish copper trade. John’s son, Sir Richard Hussey Vivian, distinguished himself at Waterloo and became Baron Vivian of Glynn and Truro, and was twice MP for Truro. The house remained with his heirs before passing to William Mitchell who died there in 1845. Requisitioned by the US Army during the Second World War, the property was acquired in 1980 by Geofrey and Heather Miller, founders of the eponymous firm of estate agents Miller and Son. Today, the house, which is set in 1½ acres of delightful gardens, offers more than 7,800sq ft of accommodation, including four good reception rooms, six/seven bedrooms and three bathrooms.

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Be a winner at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Green fingers not requıred Enter our prize draw and as well as entry to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, you’ll win a three-course lunch, music and live cookery; all part of Raymond Blanc OBE’s ‘Le Sunflower’ package. And later, you can admire ‘A Garden Sanctuary by Hamptons’.

To enter, and for terms and conditions, visit hamptons.co.uk/CFS

Entry into the prize draw opens at 4pm on 1st April and will close at 5pm on 30th April 2022. Entrants must be 18 years old or over. Two separate winners will receive ‘Le Sunflower’ hospitality package for two which includes entry to RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022 for two. Runners up will receive two standard day tickets to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022. Selected dates only. Further terms and conditions apply.

Properties of the week

Annunciata Elwes

Very tempting indeed Beautiful properties for less than £1 million

Cumbria, excess £750,000 Against the striking backdrop of Wasdale Valley’s Screes, this little white pebbledash cottage with its green window frames, known as Low Greendale, would be dwarfed, were it not for the expanse of unspoilt Lake District countryside that spreads out before it, including its own three acres of grazing land. It has four/five bedrooms, a sun room and studio barn conversion, Little Greendale, which is currently a holiday let. Views of Scafell Pike tempt one out of doors, where Wastwater is a short walk and Buckbarrow and Middle Fell are on the doorstep. The village of Nether Wasdale, with its two pubs, is not far, either. PFK (01900 826205)

Hertfordshire, £750,000 The warm red brick of Georgian Cobweb Cottage contrasts pleasingly with the cool hues of its tastefully appointed interior. Once three properties, now one Grade II-listed family home, it has four bedrooms, underfloor heating, period fireplaces, a carport and a good-sized private garden and is flooded with natural light. It faces onto Wheelers Yard, a little courtyard at the centre of the village of Long Marston, near Tring and Berkhamsted, not to mention peaceful walks along the Grand Union Canal. Planning permission exists for a single-storey kitchen extension. Nash Partnership (01442 820420) 96 | Country Life | April 13, 2022

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Properties of the week

West Sussex, excess £995,000 Exposed timbers, original brick flooring and sizeable inglenooks can be found in abundance at Farriers in the village of Heyshott, near Midhurst—yet, as attractive as all this is, it’s hard to compete with the glorious views over the South Downs from all four bedrooms (the master has a walk-in wardrobe).

Approached by a wooden five-bar gate, the house is surrounded by lovely landscaped gardens, with plenty of mature trees, borders and seating areas, and a little stream meandering through. Knight Frank (01428 788595)

9000

Kent, £895,000 Extending to more than 2,500sq ft across three floors, smartly converted Down Farm Oasts has five double bedrooms and glass doors leading to a large sitting/dining room with exposed beams and a brick feature fireplace with log-burner. It sits just outside the extraordinarily pretty village of Lamberhurst, famous for its vineyard, the ruins of Bayham Old Abbey, Scotney Castle and Margaret Thatcher’s one-time holiday house, not far from Bewl Water, Frant and Tunbridge Wells. Hamptons (01892 640316) 98 | Country Life | April 13, 2022

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