Country houses for sale

A no-compromise forever home has come up for sale in the Cotswolds

Buying a house is always a compromise, or so goes the received wisdom. Sometimes, though, you come across a place which seems to have no obvious down-side.

Quenington House, in the Cotswolds village of Quenington — not far from Fairford — is one of those rare places which seems to tick every box.

On sale via Butler Sherborn, it’s a house with a prime location in a charming village, yet comes with over three acres of gardens and grounds. It’s full of 19th century charm, yet has been kept in splendid condition. It has countryside walks from the doorstep, but also a pub and a shop.

There are large rooms, plenty of light, a cellar and even a separate, self-contained cottage. The main house is set is over four floors, with elegant proportions and period features such as classic Georgian sash windows, original wooden shutters and double doors with tracery glass panels.

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One the ground floor of the main house a comfortable reception space leads on to an elegant drawing room, sitting room and dining room.

There’s also a large kitchen/breakfast room housed in a part of the house once converted from a barn, with an Aga and a mezzanine floor used as a study.

There is an en-suite master bedroom, two further bedrooms and a family bathroom on the first floor, while the second floor has two more bedrooms, each of which has access to a large attic space.

As lovely as the house is, for our money the gardens are an even greater draw. There is a mix of lawns and fields, spectacular borders, topiary, a walled garden area, summer house and a divided-off lawn which looks very much as if it was once either a tennis court or a bowls green. It’s nothing short of idyllic.

Quenington itself is a small village of around 600 people with the River Colne weaving its way through, while very close by — under a mile — is another village, Coln St Aldwyns.

The charming little market town of Fairford is only a couple of miles away, with a 12th century church that is rightly famous for having some of the finest medieval stained glass in the country.

This is a beautiful area full of wonderful homes — which brings us to what might be the only downside of Quenington House: the price of £2.65 million. Once you’re fishing in this particular pool in this part of the world, you’ll find larger houses, houses with hundred-plus acre holdings, and houses with hundreds of years of history that boast tennis courts and swimming pools. You’ll be spoilt for choice — but good luck deciding.

Quenington House is for sale at £2.65 million — see more details and pictures.


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