The most enchanting houses for sale in the Cotswolds
It’s no secret that the Cotswolds is one of Britain’s most idyllic regions, with its rolling hills, quaint villages and countryside charm. Such is its imaginative force that the last year has seen not just the emergence of one of the best series on TV set there – Rivals – but also the announcement of a reality show which we expect to amplify the mythical draw of the local: namely, Ladies of the Cotswolds. But how to actually get your hands on one of those famous honey-stoned cottages? And how best to rub shoulders with the great and the good (and indeed the villainous, if we’re going to be totally honest about the Chipping Norton set…)?
Whether you’re a city dweller seeking calm come the weekend, a country mouse looking to set down rural roots, or simply a cottage fetishist intrigued to learn what’s out there, we’ve rounded up two hands full of the loveliest houses, cottages and grand estates on the market in the Cotswolds right now.
1/12Upper Swainswick, Bath, Somerset
Not loads to look at at Upper Swainswick – except for the seven bedrooms, six thousand square feet of country house and views over the rolling Bath landscape. Grade II-listed and very tastefully acquitted on the inside (you wouldn’t need to do loads at all), it could make a good claim to the title of quintessential West Country Georgian pile. It sits in the heart of Upper Swainswick, just outside Bath proper and within walking distance, making it a great option for the more sociable house-hunter.
Listed with Savills for £2,250,000.
2/12Elm Tree Cottage, Chastleton, Oxfordshire
It’s hard to call a cottage on the market for £1.6m “understated” with a truly straight face, but by comparison to some of the grander houses on this list, Elm Tree Cottage definitely has a certain cosiness to it. Caramel-yellow under a thatched roof, it boasts nooks and crannies galore, the sort of house a cool sculptor or watercolourist of a grandmother might live in a picture book. Can we make it through this whole write-up without using the adjective “chocolate-box”? Who knows…
Listed with Inigo for £1,600,000.
3/12St Catherine’s Court, Bath, Somerset
Mullions for days. Look at those windows and try to resist the charms of Grade I-listed St Catherine’s Court, with its plastered ceilings, oak-panelled walls and cavernous fireplaces, and the tithe barn and 12th-century chapel on the grounds. Many a period house in the Cotswolds has been ruined by new-money renovations – think chrome kitchens and billion-pile grey carpets – but St Catherine’s has escaped, blending modern conveniences with smart old-world looks, all amid a sequestered valley location.
Listed with Savills for £12,500,000.
4/12Stanton, Broadway, Gloucestershire
If you’re anything like us, those honeyed gables are what you immediately picture when someone says the words “Cotswolds manor house” to you. Stanton is a sprawling complex of a period house set amid 12 acres of grounds, with interiors which cunningly combine the fresh with the traditional. It’s those gardens, though, with their topiary and lawns and fountains and planting, which keep coming back to us in our dreams.
Listed with Sotheby’s for £12,950,000.
5/12Ilmington, Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire
People forget that Warwickshire juts down into the Cotswolds, but those people would unfortunately miss out on this gingerbread gem of a cottage in the far south of the county, in Ilmington (technically, about two-thirds of the village is in the Cotswolds AONB and one-third is not). All thatch and climbers, this little house – which was originally two – has a handful of period features including an inglenook fireplace and a bread oven. A splash of paint on the joinery and a new carpet or two in the main living room, and it will look like the (almost) million pounds you’ll probably have to pay for it.
Listed with Hayman Joyce for £850,000.
6/12Upland House, Chalford Hill, Gloucestershire
As beautifully spare on the inside as it is austere in its exterior looks, Upland House is a testament to Georgian proportionality four miles south-east of Stroud. Look a little closer, though, and you’ll see a few clever Edwardian additions like large windows overlooking the expansive garden, as well as a minimalist restoration undertaken by the artist-owner in soft colour.
Listed with Inigo for £1,650,000.
7/12Hoefield, The Leigh, Gloucestershire
Hoefield is a (very late) Georgian villa with extensive grounds, cellar and gym, six miles to the west of Cheltenham. Once a vicarage, it dates back to 1840 and is light and airy thanks to the sash windows and high ceilings typical of the time. Several well-proportioned reception rooms and five bedrooms make for comfortable day-to-day living, but if we lived here, we’d spend all day outdoors anyway, thwacking balls across the tennis court.
Listed with The Country House Dept. for £1,900,000.
8/12Middleton Park, Middleton Stoney, Oxfordshire
Twenty-seven bedrooms might be too many for some, but if you’re in the hotel/wedding/care home business, or just want a really, really large house, then Middleton Park can be snapped up for a cool 18 million pounds (in the 1970s, it was divided into 18 flats). A country house designed by Lutyens and completed in 1938, the estate sits near to Bicester in squared limestone and ashlar dressing. It comes with a cornucopia of added features, from a water tower and extensive garages to a cricket pitch and pavilion, and 47 acres of woodland.
Listed with Savills for £18,000,000.
9/12The Old Manor House, Baunton, Gloucestershire
There are no four words in the English language more evocative than “The Old Manor House”; this one, in South Gloucestershire’s Baunton, dates back to the 13th century and has historical royal connections. The most recent owners took the opportunity to restore it to its original state, removing Victorian partitions and modern false ceilings. Particular details stand out to us, like the 17th-century niche in the kitchen which now houses the Aga, and the river Churn at the foot of the grounds.
Listed with Blue Book for £1,950,000.
10/12The Manor House, South Cerney, Gloucestershire
Like many a stand-up Cotswolds house, the Manor House in South Cerney is a Georgian creation, in this case dating back to 1766. A walled garden of formal lawns and mature trees surrounds a stylish six-bedroom family house which is in the centre of the village but nonetheless totally private. The house has been refurbished over the last year, including its plumbing and heating; basically, it’s as comfortable as it is sophisticated.
Listed with The Country House Dept. for £3,750,000.
11/12The Orchards, Gretton, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
There is so much to love about this Grade II-listed country house outside Cheltenham. The original house dates back to the 17th century but modern additions, including a separate, newly built coach house, have added extra charm to the proposition. Beyond the house, there are acres on acres of grounds, including a large vegetable garden, charming lake, stables and paddocks. The village of Gretton is a lovely one, with two pubs, a local school and village hall to its name.
Listed with Savills for £2,700,000.
12/12Lyegrove, Badminton, South Gloucestershire
This majestic Grade II* listed 17th-century house is set within the sprawling Badminton Estate. It includes period features throughout and has been decorated in a grand, historical vernacular. It also includes a stylish indoor pool, gym and sauna. It has nine bedrooms in the main house, as well as full guest and staff accommodation.
Listed with Blue Book Agency for £9,500,000.
