Picture-perfect cottages

Five beautiful thatched cottages for sale

As Bilbo Baggins has it: ‘It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door.’ Best stay warm, under cover of thatch.

6 absolutely beautiful character properties for sale at under £400,000

Beautiful country houses often come with price tags which put them out of reach for many – but delightful character properties can be found that are well within reach for most buyers, as these places demonstrate.

Surprisingly-unlisted fairytale cottage in Berkshire with quaint gardens and a fantastic location

Mistletoe Cottage is picture-perfect, with lovely period features, a wonderful Home County location and a price tag many would find surprising.

Six heartbreakingly pretty cottages for sale at under £500,000

You can live in a picture-perfect home for the price of a small city flat – our property editor Annunciata Elwes picks out some of her favourites from among those on the market at the moment.

Five spectacularly pretty English country cottages for sale

The country cottage has an enduring appeal which never fades – we've taken a look at some of the nicest currently on the market in England.

A picture-perfect cottage for sale in a delightful village near the coast in the North York Moors

Character homes in village locations within national parks are hard to come by – but when they do, they're hard to resist says Penny Churchill.

An idyllic thatched cottage where you can run your own Devonshire tea garden

Amid steams and waterfalls, Rose Cottage boasts a stunning tea garden perfect for hosting a few friends – or 185 neighbours.

Five delightful character homes inside the M25, and all under £725,000

Sometimes it can become easy to despair of finding a beautiful house with charm and outdoor space at an affordable price, yet still within striking distance of London. These five homes show that it's still possible.

The rise of the ‘super cottage’: Underfloor heating, dining table for 12 and claw-foot baths in the bedroom

Creaking country piles with drafty corridors and leaky roofs are increasingly a thing of the past - today's homes in the country have a very different list of features, many of which you'd normally associate with top-end hotels. Arabella Youens speaks to a pair of experts who explain the phenomenon of the 'super cottage'.

Six things you need to know about buying a picture-perfect weekend cottage

We spoke to experts to find out what you need to know about buying a picture-perfect weekend cottage.

Five fabulous houses in the heart of the moors, including a dream thatched cottage at the price of a London studio

10 utterly irresistible character homes for sale under £750,000

We've picked out ten of the finest homes for sale in Britain right now that remain affordable – with everything from picture-perfect thatched cottages to homes full of character which will still allow you to commute to the City.

A magical medieval manor just outside Glastonbury, available for the first time in half a century

Lottisham Manor is an idyllic home near Glastonbury full of medieval character, as Penny Churchill explains.

Where to live in the Cotswolds: A guide to choosing the perfect spot

A fairytale thatched cottage within an hour of central London

A beautiful cottage has come to the market which offers a magical mixture of old world charm and easy access to the city.

Four perfect, pocket-sized character properties from just £275,000

They may be little, but they’re perfectly formed, says Carla Passino.

The enchanting cottage that was once home to Sir William Golding

Picture-perfect Ebble Thatch was the home to the great Lord of the Flies author and Nobel Prize in Literature and Booker Prize winner Sir William Golding CBE.

Six spectacular country houses for sale at £700,000, from thatched cottages to country mansions

We take a look to see what you could get across Britain for a budget of £700,000 – the answer is 'an awful lot'.

Seven glorious country houses for under £1 million

You don't have to be a millionaire to live in a grand country mansion, as these beautiful homes across Britain demonstrate.

Is it too late to ask Santa for Christmas Cottage?

It'd be idyllic at any time of year, but the aptly-named Christmas Cottage seems particularly enticing at this time of year.