uplifting lifestyle changes

HOUSES WITH CHARACTER

Live the Bridgerton dream in one of these elegant Regency and Georgian properties resplendent with period features

1HALL WITH HISTORY Situated in an elevated position with commanding views of the majestic grounds, surrounding parkland and unspoilt Welsh hills, Shooters Hill Hall was originally built as a Georgian country retreat in North Shropshire. Resonating with period elegance, the Grade II listed house has been sensitively restored to retain high ceilings, intricate decorative plasterwork, attractive open fireplaces and deep sash windows with shutters. Step over the threshold of the colonnaded entrance into a striking entrance hall, leading off which are the principal reception rooms and large kitchen, as well as French windows to the gardens, which are part wooded with sweeping lawns and a former grass tennis court. Accommodation comprises five bedrooms on the first floor and a separate garden cottage. Shooters Hill Hall, Shropshire, £1,600,000, Strutt & Parker

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2REGENCY RESTORATION Harpole Hall is an attractive Regency country house situated on the outskirts of the village of Harpole in Northamptonshire. Rich in period features and comfort, the Grade II listed residence’s principal rooms contain marble fireplaces, moulded plasterwork and cornices, and sash windows with shutters. The front entrance portico opens to a welcoming entrance hall, which leads to a well-proportioned drawing room and substantial dining room, ideal for formal entertaining. The five bedrooms are positioned on the first floor, whilst an extensive basement offers potential for a games room and wine cellar. The gardens are mainly laid to lawn, where the seating areas and dappled shade of the mature oak can offer a relaxing retreat. Harpole Hall, Northamptonshire, £800,000, Jackson-Stops 3COUNTRY PILE Downhill from the picturesque Cotswold village of Chalford in Gloucestershire, and through a pair of gates, is Grade II* listed Skaiteshill House. Believed to have been designed by Georgian architect Thomas Baldwin in the early Regency period, the house features a magnificent cantilevered staircase which rises three floors to a skylight that floods the interior with light. Other original elements to admire are the detailed architraves, window shutters and fireplaces, which can be found in both reception rooms and two of the six bedrooms on the upper two floors. Outside are seven acres of grounds in which to wander, including formal gardens, woodland and a swimming pool with a bespoke summer house. Skaiteshill House, Gloucestershire, £2,200,000, Savills 

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4DESIGN OF THE TIMES An exemplar of Georgian architectural design, Harker Lodge is a Grade II listed residence in the Cumbrian countryside, complete with a Regency facade, full-height sash windows and pleasing proportions. The house maintains its sense of period from the moment of entering, as the hall has a beautiful ornate ceiling and sweeping staircase leading to the first floor. The sitting room and dining room also benefit from decorative ceilings and cornicing, as well as lovely fireplaces and original solid oak floors. The five bedrooms are light and bright with double-aspect windows framing the established gardens that surround the house and meander to two paddocks and an area of woodland. Within the expansive grounds is a private garden cottage which provides further accommodation. Harker Lodge, Cumbria, £925,000, Finest Properties 5PERIOD PANACHE Minshulls is a grand Georgian residence located in the historic village of Aston Clinton, at the foot of the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire. This six-bedroom property is Grade II listed and possesses a wealth of period character, including sash windows and open fireplaces throughout. At the front of the house, the tiled entrance hall leads to a cosy sitting room and a wellproportioned dining room with its own wine store, whilst to the rear is an impressive vaulted drawing room with triple-aspect views outside. The garden, which is beautifully landscaped, features abundant floral beds, lawned areas, an orchard and a stream, as well as a topiary box yew hedge that lends an air of formality to the entrance of the grounds. Minshulls, Buckinghamshire, £1,750,000, Knight Frank 6RURAL REWARDS Hidden in rural Somerset, on the edge of the Quantock Hills, Woolmersdon House is a Georgian country villa, awarded a Grade II listing for its plethora of period details. Of particular architectural interest is the curved music room, currently used as a drawing room, offering generous proportions, an open fireplace and sash windows. The dining room, sitting room and recently added orangery are sunny and warm, and afford enjoyable views of the formal garden. There are five bedrooms on the upper floor, three of which are en suite. Surrounded by paddocks, pastures and rolling countryside in an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty, an array of outdoor pursuits are available on the property’s doorstep to make the most of the idyllic setting. Woolmersdon House, Somerset, £1,250,000, Hamptons International n