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Four grand and beautiful homes for sale, as seen in Country Life

We take a look at some of the finest houses to come to the market in Country Life in the last few weeks.

A magnificent 15th century farmhouse with space and charm, and under an hour from London

Farms and estates are more popular than ever, both as investments and as places to escape the rigours of city life. Penny Churchill takes a look at one up for sale in Essex.

Why can’t we resist puppy dog eyes?

It's no accident that your heart melts when dogs gaze into your eyes — it's simply a fact of thousands of years of evolution and selection, as Martin Fone explains.

Simon Jenkins: The new planning white paper is a domesday for development

The white paper on planning promises to license untold damage to the British landscape, argues Simon Jenkins.

A converted mill at the heart of a glorious small estate in the Cotswolds

The rural property market has been booming, says Penny Churchill, as she looks at a small Cotswolds estate that's certain to stir up interest.

An entire village on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park up for sale at just over £1 million

Ringed by towering peaks and beautiful countryside, Aberllefenni is for sale at the sort of price that would normally buy you a maisonette in Hampstead.

An extravagant Surrey mansion with a helipad, an American diner and a colourful history of presidents and parties

A private island for sale in Weybridge with its own bridge, three acres of gardens and a rushing weir to sing you to sleep

Living on your own island is the stuff of childhood dreams; this place offers that chance while also offering easy access to London.

The home of one of the heroes of the Battle of Trafalgar has come up for sale

The house of a Napoleonic hero, and where Percy Shelley came for tea, has come up for sale in a pretty Sussex village.

A Georgian home near Salisbury comes to the market, full of light and charm

James Fisher takes a look at a home in Wilton.

A thatched, pink cottage that was once the love nest of a Lord Mayor of London

James Fisher takes a look at a thatched home in Suffolk with a past as colourful as its paintwork.

Idyllic homes for sale in Woodbridge, a gem on the Suffolk Coast

From a Georgian townhouse to a countryside home where otters roam.

Seven glorious country houses for sale at £2.5 million, from lakeside homes to a vast Jacobean mansion

Toby Keel takes a look at what £2.5 million can buy you across the country.

An elegant Georgian mansion in Cornwall set in 14 acres of blissful woodland

Penny Churchill looks at Sconner House in Cornwall, where local agents have reported a booming market.

An Arts-and-Crafts home named after a Tolkienesque land, with a world-class collection of rare plants in the garden

Over 20 years since it was last sold, Penny Churchill looks at a home once owned by a scientist and champion chess player player that has come to the market.

A country house created from the ruins of a crumbling farmhouse, set in 19 acres of Surrey Hills

A new-found love for space, quiet and Nature is driving growth in the prime countryside market, says Penny Churchill, as she takes a look at a superb house on the slopes of Leith Hill in Surrey.

When were dogs domesticated?

Dogs have never been more popular — as soaring puppy prices (and the worrying number of scams) show. But our love affair with dogs is anything but new — it's older than even our most ancient civilisations, discovers Martin Fone.

Georgian gems and a converted church in the picture-perfect seaside town of Deal

Penny Churchill and Toby Keel take a look at some of the homes in the Kent town of Deal, which boasts a high street once voted the best in England.

A genuine Henley-on-Thames landmark comes up for sale at £6.25 million

Penny Churchill looks at the sale of Longlands House in the heart of Henley.

Barnes: The London village encircled by the Thames that's left an indelible mark on the nation

Barnes played a role in everything from the invention of football to the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots. Carla Passino takes a closer look.