Country Life October 13, 2021

EVERY WEEK

OCTOBER 13, 2021

Interiors special

ISSUE: 41

PRINTED IN THE UK

£4.50

INTERIORS OCTOBER 13, 2021

Sophie Conran reimagines the country look Nina Campbell’s top 50 decorating tips Hair ice, cramp balls: rural mysteries solved

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ONE FAMILY SPECIALISING IN FINE FURNITURE SINCE 1866

An exceptional black Chinoiserie lacquered serpentine commode. The richly hand painted top of Chinoiserie landscapes and floral details above an cast brass floral decorated edge and two finely cast brass molding paneled doors enclosing a burgundy interior with one long adjustable shelf.

The scroll uprights with bold Rococo cast brass mounts trailing to splayed feet centered by an undulating and Rocaille brass mounted apron.

£14,190 Width: 53¾ inches (137cm) | Depth: 22 inches (56cm) | Height: 33 inches (84cm)

The Art of Chinoiserie Chinoiserie was especially popular with British designers during the mid 18th Century, capturing the exotic Far East with fantastic landscapes, pavillions and interesting figures. All our chinoiserie is hand painted in the traditional manner.

NATIONWIDE HOME APPROVAL SERVICE | BESPOKE COMMISSIONS UNDERTAKEN OVER 1,000 ITEMS OF EXCLUSIVE CLASSICAL FURNISHINGS IN STOCK

CALL 01491 641115 | WWW.BRIGHTSOFNETTLEBED.CO.UK nettlebed . oxfordshire . rg9 5dd (open tues - sat)

king's rd . london . sw6 2dx (open mon-fri)

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WALL , STAFFORDSHIRE

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all House is a Grade II listed country house that successfully blends period style with today's modern refinements. With a well-equipped home office, and granted planning permission for the addition of an annexe or leisure complex, the property is highly adaptable to any contemporary lifestyle.

8 B E D R O O M S | 4 B AT H R O O M S | 5 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S | G Y M W I T H S A U N A G A R D E N S | PA D D O C K | T E N N I S C O U R T | A P P R O X I M AT E LY 4 A C R E S LICHFIELD 3 MILES | SUTTON COLDFIELD 7 MILES

Guide price £4,250,000 Knight Frank London & Birmingham peter.edwards@knightfrank.com 020 7861 1707 sarah.briggs@knightfrank.com 01212 336400 Ref: BRM012146361

knightfrank.co.uk

ASKETT, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE Guide Price: £1,700,000 5 Bedrooms

5 Reception Rooms

3 Bathrooms

D EPC

A late 18th century brick and flint house, with outbuildings including a home office with a bedroom above, driveway parking, and just over 0.8 acres of private established gardens.

Set well back from the road, the main house has 2,167 sq. ft. of accommodation set over two floors, including a contemporary Accoya wood extension which created an open plan kitchen/breakfast/family room with glazed sliding doors to the wraparound gardens. The village of Askett is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a Conservation Area and is less than 4 miles from Chequers. For commuters, Princes Risborough station is only 7 minutes’ drive and has direct trains to Marylebone in 33 minutes.

Princes Risborough Office | Paul Copping | 01844 396000 London Office | Bob Bickersteth | 0207 839 0888

14 offices covering 8 counties and Central London

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michaelgraham.co.uk

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michaelgraham_living

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SAND GATE , KENT

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n elegant Grade II listed Regency house of some note with stunning sea views.

The property offers substantial and flexible family accommodation in a wonderful location off Sandgate Esplanade.

8 - 9 B E D R O O M S | 7- 8 B AT H R O O M S | 6 - 7 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S S E L F - C O N TA I N E D C O T TA G E | G A R A G E | G A R D E N S F O L K E S T O N E 3 . 8 M I L E S ( L O N D O N S T PA N C R A S F R O M 5 6 M I N U T E S ) | A S H F O R D 1 4 . 4 M I L E S

Guide price £2,300,000 Knight Frank Tunbridge Wells simon.biddulph@knightfrank.com 01892 888494 Ref: TNW012198111

knightfrank.co.uk

Historically Important Country House Bearsted, Kent Maidstone: 3.5 miles A meticulously restored Grade I listed home, perfectly designed for contemporary living. 4 reception rooms, 9 bedrooms (5 en suite), 2 further bathrooms, cellar rooms, swimming pool, tennis court, gate lodge with 4 bedrooms, pavilion, greenhouse, various stores and outbuildings, garaging and private garden.

About 5.4 acres | Guide £5 million

Will Peppitt Savills London Country Department 020 3813 5461 wpeppitt@savills.com

Phillippa Dalby-Welsh Savills London Country Department 020 4502 3089 pdwelsh@savills.com

Andrew Harwood Strutt & Parker Sevenoaks 01732 459 900 andrew.harwood @struttandparker.com

savills

savills.co.uk

Devon, Netherexe

A charming six-bedroom Grade II* listed thatched home, with two additional cottages and substantial barns, all within a desirable Exe Valley location Stoke Canon: 2.5 miles, Brampford Speke: 5.1 miles, Exeter St David’s mainline station: 6.3 miles (London Paddington 2 hrs 10 mins), Exeter: 6.9 miles Main House: Kitchen | Drawing room | Conservatory | Dining room | Boot room | 4 Bedrooms | 2 Family bathrooms Separate wing with 2 reception rooms and 2 bedrooms | 2 Separate cottages (one with 3 bedrooms and one with 2 bedrooms) Courtyard of traditional outbuildings | Stables | Gardens About 1.9 acres

Over 50 Offices across England and Scotland, including prime Central London.

Guide Price £1,500,000

Oliver Custance Baker

Richard Speedy

Exeter Office 01392 248 207

Exeter Office 01392 248 207

oliver.custance.baker@struttandparker.com

richard.speedy@struttandparker.com

/struttandparker

@struttandparker

struttandparker.com

Exceptional Lowground Estate Brechin, Angus Dundee: 23 miles, Aberdeen: 43 miles Centered around a historic castle with scope to develop current diversified income stream. 4 reception rooms, 6 principal bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, library, sheltered gardens and attractive policy parkland, 6 further dwellings, agricultural buildings, about 1,012 acres arable, about 183 acres pasture land, about 213 acres commercial and amenity woodland, fishing on River South Esk and roe deer stalking. EPCs = D-E About 1,528 acres | Offers over £11.3 million | For sale as a whole or in up to 8 lots

Evelyn Channing Savills Edinburgh 07807 999 412 echanning @savills.com

Chris Thomson Savills Edinburgh 07807 999 162 cpthomson @savills.com

savills

savills.co.uk

Artist Impression

Rare Building Plot Dunsfold, Surrey Godalming: 8 miles, Guildford: 12 miles An exciting opportunity to create a prominent country house in an elevated position. Planning permission approved for Arts & Crafts style country home designed by Yiangou Architects in this picturesque location surrounded by open countryside. Planning reference - WA/2019/1474.

About 35 acres | Guide £2 million Alastair Mercer Savills Guildford 01483 604 357 alastair.mercer @savills.com

Paul Finnegan Savills London Country Department 020 3432 6581 pfinnegan@savills.com

savills

savills.co.uk

Beautiful Period Home Near Brentwood, Essex Brentwood: 4.8 miles, Epping Underground Station: 10 miles Situated in a lovely stretch of countryside, this beautiful house has an annexe and equestrian facilities. 5 reception rooms, 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, swimming pool, stables, manège, 2 bedroom annexe, outbuildings, gardens, grounds and paddocks. EPC = F About 8.25 acres | Guide £3.25 million Stephen White Savills Chelmsford 01245 801 320 swhite@savills.com

savills

savills.co.uk

Unique Period Home Esher, Surrey Esher Station: 1.7 miles, Kingston upon Thames: 5.4 miles Beautiful home tucked away in private grounds with sweeping driveway. 3 reception rooms, 4 bedrooms (1 en suite), 2 further bathrooms, 1 annexe featuring studio and workshop, summer house, garage and landscaped grounds. EPC = E About 0.78 acres | Guide £2.75 million Karl Matier Savills Esher 01372 886 879 kmatier@savills.com

Tim Ross Savills Esher 01372 288 785 tross@savills.com

savills

savills.co.uk

Slice of Cotswold Heaven Kineton, Gloucestershire Stow-on-the-Wold: 8 miles, Moreton-in-Marsh Station: 10.5 miles Glorious detached Grade II listed country house with secondary accommodation.

3 reception rooms, 5 bedrooms (1 en suite), 2 further bathrooms, snug, study, swimming pool, 2 bedroom annexe, 1 bedroom cottage, parking, gardens, woodland, lake and River Windrush.

About 5.6 acres | Guide £3.5 million David Henderson Savills Stow-on-the-Wold 01451 888 017 david.henderson @savills.com

James Walker Savills London Country Department 020 3432 6884 james.walker @savills.com

savills

savills.co.uk

Fabulous Golf Course Views Mere, Knutsford Knutsford: 2 miles, Manchester Airport: 9 miles Well-presented family home that offers potential for further extension and re-development subject to planning. 4 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, 5 bedrooms (3 en suite), further family bathroom, cloakroom, bar/games room, garage and landscaped gardens. EPC = E Guide £1.75 million Jamie Carter Savills Knutsford 01565 817 503 jamie.carter @savills.com

Edward Morris Savills Knutsford 01565 817 507 edward.morris @savills.com

savills

savills.co.uk

Fantastic Modern Home Cobham, Surrey Cobham & Stoke d’Abernon Station: 1.4 miles A fine example of a modern home with many traditional features set within the Eaton Park Estate. 4 reception rooms, 5/6 bedrooms (4 en suite), further bathroom, games room, studio/gym with shower room, triple garage and a south facing garden. EPC = C About 0.5 acres | Guide £4.25 million Louis Winterbourne Savills Cobham 01932 809 417 lwinterbourne @savills.com

Charles Broadbent-Coombe Savills Cobham 01932 809 051 chbroadbent@savills.com

savills

savills.co.uk

Property in the Central region is in high demand The Central region of the UK encompasses many beautiful areas of countryside as well as buzzing market towns, including the renowned Cotswolds. In fact, from January 2021 to August inclusive, 43% of listings sold for their guide price or over, a 12% increase on the five year average*.

Here is a selection of properties currently available.

Ewen, Gloucestershire Exceptional Grade II listed family home in a desirable village.

6 - 7 B E D R O O M S | 4 B AT H R O O M S | 5 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S

Guide price £1,350,000

alasdhair.lochrane@knightfrank.com 01285 895776

Welford-on-Avon, Warwickshire Immaculately presented contemporary bespoke home in the heart of the village.

4 B E D R O O M S | 3 B AT H R O O M S | 2 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S | E P C C

Guide price £1,150,000

william.ward-jones@knightfrank.com 01789 863993

Solihull, West Midlands An attractive family home set in a generous private plot.

4 B E D R O O M S | 3 B AT H R O O M S | 5 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S | A P P R O X I M AT E LY 0 . 3 9 A C R E S | E P C D

Guide price £1,250,000

sarah.briggs@knightfrank.com 01213 927805 Source: Knight Frank data

Whitgreave, Staffordshire A beautifully restored Victorian manor house with two first floor flats.

9 B E D R O O M S | 8 B AT H R O O M S | 8 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S | A P P R O X I M AT E LY 3 . 3 4 A C R E S | E P C C

Guide price £1,700,000

sarah.briggs@knightfrank.com 01213 927805

Broadwell, Gloucestershire A charming period home located on the edge of the village.

5 B E D R O O M S | 4 B AT H R O O M S | 3 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S | A P P R O X I M AT E LY 0 . 2 5 A C R E S | E P C F

Guide price £1,750,000

leigh.glazebrook@knightfrank.com 01451 888130

Far Forest, Worcestershire A spectacular house, in magical and private landscaped gardens and grounds.

5 - 8 B E D R O O M S | 6 B AT H R O O M S | 3 - 4 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S | A P P R O X I M AT E LY 3 . 5 6 A C R E S | E P C D

Guide price £1,750,000

shelley.stephenson@knightfrank.com 01905 885720

If you’re thinking of selling your home, or would simply like some advice on the market, get in touch today. We’d love to help you.

Your partners in property for 125 years

knightfrank.co.uk

new & exclusive property showcase

Hoby, Leicestershire

£850,000 guide price

Thirsk, North Yorkshire

£2,000,000

offers in excess of

Perranporth, Cornwall

£575,000

offers in excess of

A luxuriously appointed, extended four-bedroom detached property, recently remodelled to the highest quality and specification.

Contact: Melton Mowbray 01664 518924

The OId Parsonage is a distinguished house in the heart of a village near Thirsk, with a swimming pool, garaging and coach house.

Contact: York office 01904 595677

A Grade II listed two-bedroom character cottage in a village location not far from the famous surfing beach at Perranporth.

Contact: Truro office 01872 395947

Westcott, Surrey

Shardlow, Derbyshire

Brampton, Cumbria

£1,195,000

guide price

£775,000

£775,000

guide price

A charming Grade II listed four-bedroom home set in 0.75 acres with a wealth of period features, annexe and private gardens.

Contact: Dorking office 01306 293954

A sublime three-bedroom Tudor period cottage nestled in Great Wilne with magnificent landscaped gardens extending to 1.65 acres.

Contact: Derby office 01332 494658

A superb detached home with holiday cottage and stables. Set in approx. 2 acres in a quiet, yet easily accessible location.

Contact: Leyburn office 01969 738985

Udimore, East Sussex

Thurlstone, South Yorkshire

Rockland All Saints, Norfolk

£695,000

guide price

The Laurels offers a beautiful garden and a home full of character and charm in the village of Udimore, on the outskirts of Rye. Contact: Rye office 01797 709954

£900,000

offers in region of

An exceptional detached period family home, set in approx. 3.62 acres of gardens and grounds with elevated views over the valley.

Contact: Penistone office 01226 417787

£400,000

guide price

Detached cottage ideal for extending, set in a quiet but accessible location. Provides 1,116 sq. ft. of living space in 2.36 acres.

Contact: Wymondham office 01953 536946

All these properties appeared exclusively with us 24 hours or more before Rightmove or Zoopla.

Caputh, Perth & Kinross

£725,000

offers over

Burlescombe, Devon

£795,000

guide price

Prescott, Gloucestershire

£1,750,000 guide price

Impressive country home with grazing, woodland and a lake with an island. Positioned in an idyllic rural setting by the River Tay. Contact: Perth office 01738 301815

Three-bedroom house with outbuildings, polytunnels, hardstanding areas and arable land. A former plant nursery set in 26.08 acres.

Contact: Tiverton office 01884 685928

A charming detached four-bedroom farmhouse built of Cotswold stone with outbuildings.

Set in a beautiful position within 31 acres.

Contact: Moreton-in-Marsh 01608 503959

Nr. Tadcaster, North Yorkshire

Cottenham, Cambridgeshire

Kewstoke, Somerset

£1,200,000

guide price

A substantial five-bedroom family home, set in 2.5 acres, within an idyllic and private location. 3,724 sq. ft. plus outbuildings.

Contact: Wetherby office 01937 205886

POA

A gorgeous, characterful six-bedroom 3,700 sq. ft barn conversion (not listed) with an endless, indoor heated swimming pool.

Contact: Cambridge office 01296 595937

£300,000

Two double bedroom, two bathroom character cottage with fine gardens. Set in a popular coastal location near local amenities.

Contact: Congresbury office 01934 247865

To view these and the finest selection of premium properties, search OnTheMarket at CountryLife.co.uk and set up a property alert today.

Llangefni, Anglesey

£795,000

guide price

Spacious residence with a detached cottage that could generate income or be additional family accommodation. Set in tidy grounds.

Contact: Llangefni office 01248 308933

Crowborough, East Sussex

£1,250,000

A beautifully presented six-bedroom detached family home, located in a rural setting within The Warren area of Crowborough.

Contact: Crowborough office 01892 310751

See www.onthemarket.com/newandexclusive. Agents specify exclusivity.

Tea Lane Associates Luxury Sales and Rentals

Red Farm: A Magical World Unto Itself Martha’s Vineyard

The Red Farm estate combines iconic Island history, over 21 private acres of pastoral West Tisbury land, and a key to Hancock Beach in Chilmark.

The Robert Luce homestead is one of the first and oldest English style houses in West Tisbury. The home has been carefully renovated, preserving it’s original character. An antique home from Eagle Bridge, NY, purchased from the descendants of Grandma Moses, was connected to the main dwelling creating the master suite. The property also offers a guest cottage, a beautiful barn with greenhouse, a replica of Thoreau's cabin where he wrote “Walden”, extensive walking trails, exquisite stonewalls, and a tranquil man-made pond. Exclusively offered for $6,250,000.

https://tealaneassociates.com/redfarm

+1 508.696.9999 (US)

office@tealaneassociates.com

Property market

Penny Churchill

Rossley Manor, set in an estate of some 140 acres of pasture and woodland, seems to grow out of the Gloucestershire hills. £10m

Building back better

Sizeable estates in the New Forest and Cotswolds rarely seen on the market show the benefit of improvement over centuries

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HE concept of ‘building back better’ is nothing new; for centuries, country landowners have been remodelling their homes, estate buildings and even the landscape—as the launch onto the market of three exceptional properties demonstrates.

For sale for the first time since 1993 and only the second time since 1582, the pale-grey stone buildings of historic Rossley Manor appear to grow out of the hillside of the wooded

Dowdeswell Valley, four miles from Cheltenham and 14 miles from Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

Clive Hopkins of Knight Frank (020–7861 1064) quotes a guide price of £10 million for the picturesque Cotswold estate, comprising a Grade II-listed manor house, a cottage, garage block, stabling, outbuildings and sporting facilities set in 140 acres of pasture and woodland, with magnificent views across the valley to the dramatic Malvern Hills.

In the early 16th century, the Rossley Manor estate was owned by Winchcombe Abbey and leased to Richard Rogers and his family.

After the Dissolution, Richard’s son, William, by then the lessee of neighbouring Dowdeswell Manor, acquired Rossley Manor in 1582, after which both estates passed down through various branches of the Rogers family.

In the 19th century, Rossley Manor was one of the main farms in Dowdeswell and when,

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Find the best properties at countrylife.co.uk in the early 20th century, Charles CoxwellRogers installed himself in the main farmhouse, he retained 73 acres of land before selling the rest of his estate in the late 1920s.

In about 1930, having transformed the original 16th-century farmhouse and its attached courtyard into a large, rambling country house in the Cotswold Revival style, with a swimming pool, tennis and squash courts, he opened a residential country club called Rossley Manor. He died in 1953, leaving Rossley Manor to a kinsman, Lt-Col R. A. Coxwell-Rogers, who ran it as a country club until 1966, eventually selling the estate to its present owner in 1993.

The marchioness was a collector of rare vertebrate fossils Some 15 years ago, the entire Rossley Manor estate was upgraded in a major programme of works that included the re-roofing and renovation of the 12,192sq ft manor and courtyard and the refurbishment of the garage wing and squash court. The house now offers seven reception rooms, nine bedrooms and five bathrooms, plus a cinema room and an indoor swimming pool, with extensive stabling in the main courtyard. A separate courtyard houses four carports, three garages, a wine cellar and storage space with potential for conversion to a two-bedroom flat.

Down in Hampshire, things are stirring in the New Forest where Savills (01722 426800) and Strutt & Parker (01722 344014) are joint agents in the sale of the 234-acre Wilverley Park estate near Lyndhurst—last seen on the open market in 1947.

The agents quote a guide price of £8.65m for the estate as a whole or £5m for the main house with 86 acres of formal gardens, parkland, pasture, lake and woodland, together with a gate lodge, a three-bedroom cottage and a range of farm buildings; £2m for Cuffnells Farmhouse with a cottage, a courtyard of Victorian farm buildings and a range of modern buildings; and £1.65m for Cuffnells Lodge with 143 acres of arable land, pasture and woodland, including a landscape and arboretum designed by Capability Brown.

Wilverley Park and Cuffnells are part of a group of small historic parks located to the south of Lyndhurst in the southern half of the National Park, between Poole and Southampton, and north of the Georgian market town and yachting port of Lymington. The land,

Wilverley Park in Hampshire has gardens designed by François Goffinet. £8.65m

which is farmed in hand by the vendor, is home to a Royal Show-winning herd of 135 Holstein cows, which may be acquired, together with the rest of the farming assets, on a ‘lock, stock and barrel’ basis.

Wilverley Park was originally part of the Foxlease estate sold by Henry Buckworth Powell-Montgomery in 1865 to fund the building of a grand Victorian house with an impressive coach house. Wilverley Park remained with the Powell family until, in 1947, it was acquired

by Peter Barker-Mill, who also bought the former main house on the adjoining Cuffnells estate, which, like Wilverley House, had been requisitioned during the Second World War. Sadly, both houses were in a poor state of repair and were demolished by the new owner.

When, in 1968, Barker-Mill’s son-in-law, Lindsay Masters, chairman of Haymarket Publishing, acquired Wilverley Park, the only substantial building left standing was the unlisted coach house, which Masters converted into a stylish, 4,368sq ft country house with three fine reception rooms and six bedrooms.

He commissioned the celebrated Belgian garden designer François Goffinet to lay out the formal gardens on the east side of the house and created a kitchen garden using bricks from the old walled garden, adding a swimming pool and a hard tennis court.

Meanwhile, over at Cuffnells Farm, shades of former glory remain in the parkland, lake, kitchen garden, orangery and arboretum, 153

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Property market

Grade II*-listed Efford Park in Hampshire has been completely refurbished by the owners and offers 14 bedrooms. £10.5m

which were designed by Capability Brown for Sir Thomas Tancred in the 1760s.

‘There could hardly be a more idyllic setting for a country house than that of Efford Park,’ say selling agents Knight Frank (020– 7861 1065) of the imposing, Grade II*-listed Georgian country house, which stands on high ground at the heart of the 127-acre estate on the edge of the New Forest, two miles from Lymington, and has views across the Solent to the Isle of Wight. A guide price of £10.5m is quoted for the 19,172sq ft former headquarters of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Horticultural Research Station, set in parkland that has changed little since the house was built by Col Shedden in 1838.

Efford Park was a manor in the 11th century, but lost its manorial status in the 17th century, when it reverted to use as a farm. However, its standing was reinstated when the colonel’s heirs sold the estate to Admiral Reginald Hastings and his wife, Barbara, Marchioness of Hastings, in 1846. Known for her beauty, exuberance and love of travel and gambling, the marchioness was a collector of rare vertebrate fossils, which were exhibited in a specially constructed room, now the gym.

She also laid out the easterly avenue and other parts of the ornamental grounds.

In 1853, the estate was sold to Warren William Richard Peacocke, who added the conservatory, built the ice house, laid out the orchard, developed the kitchen garden and installed greenhouses. In 1907, Sir James Beethom Whitehead acquired the estate, extending it in 1925 and 1928, and adding a cricket pitch and tennis courts. In 1951, the Ministry of Agriculture bought it, retaining part for the Research Station, whereas the northern half, comprising the house and park, was

sold in 1999 to the current owners. They carried out a complete refurbishment of the house, restoring original features, modernising systems and returning Efford Park to its original use as a gracious and substantial family home, with accommodation on three floors including three large reception rooms, a study, billiard room and an open-plan kitchen/ breakfast room, along with a spa, gym, party room, 14 bedrooms, five main bathrooms and a self-contained staff annexe.

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Hamptons.co.uk/experts

Me: Enjoying Spaghetti Alle Vongole.

Whilst fixing my tenants’ leaky shower in Caterham.

Properties of the week

Carla Passino

Flat’s the way

Whether in London, the country or by the sea, these stylish apartments are ideal for stress-free living

London, £8.95 million Hugh Grant used to own this magnificent South Kensington penthouse, which is decidedly more glamorous than the house with the bright-blue door that belonged to his celebrated character William Thacker in Notting Hill. Spanning a little more than 3,000sq ft, it has three bedrooms—the master suite is especially attractive with its views towards the river and Battersea Power Station. There’s also a vast, semi open-plan kitchen, dining and living area that opens onto a panoramic west-facing terrace. In total, the apartment has more than 1,500sq ft of outdoor space, complete with covered sun deck and hot tub. Alexander Millett (020–3968 1080) Tyne & Wear, £1.2 million An elegant three-bedroom apartment, No 46 Princess Mary Court is set within the historic Abbot Memorial Building within a luxury development in Jesmond, Newcastle. Completely renovated by the current owners, it has many beautiful details, from John Cullen lighting to handmade wool and bamboo carpeting, bespoke cabinetry and exquisite bathrooms. The 2,400sq ft interior includes a 42ft open-plan living, dining and kitchen space with underfloor heated tiling in the kitchen area and double-height ceilings in the living area. Also on the ground floor is a large bedroom that can double up as a sitting room. A beautiful staircase leads to the mezzanine music room, then to the master suite and a further bedroom on the first floor. Sanderson Young (0191–223 3500) 156

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Advertisement promotion

London calling

Tenants are returning to the capital en masse in a bid to take advantage of all it offers, but there is a shortage of properties to meet their voracious demand

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HERE is something of a crisis in the London rental market, according to one of the capital’s largest estate agents, Chestertons. The company’s latest figures show that average rents have climbed 9% since last September, a direct result of the fact that there are 58% fewer properties currently available to rent in London and 55% more tenants looking to move compared with this time last year.

Although tenants have returned, many rental properties have not and will not come back any time soon Inevitably, this situation has its roots in the pandemic, which caused two large and very sudden shifts in supply and demand that have now created one of the busiest and most competitive rental markets on record. When Covid-19 forced the country into lockdown last March, the impact was felt almost immediately by landlords across London, as many tenants left the city and travel restrictions prevented other people from moving in.

Many property owners that had relied on a steady stream of corporate tenants, students or short-term rentals, such as Airbnb, saw their income almost completely evaporate overnight.

Chestertons’ offices are seeing rents rise

With people back in London, demand for rental properties is vastly outstripping supply

As a result, rents in London plummeted— up to 30% in some locations—and thousands of rental properties across the city stood empty for weeks on end. Landlords that could afford to weather the storm did so, but many others decided to take advantage of the strong sales market and sold their buy-to-let investments, a decision made easier by the recent tax changes that have reduced the relief on mortgage repayments.

Eighteen months on and London has bounced back, with people who had previously moved away from it now drifting back, encouraged by the re-opening of offices, the return of ‘normal’ dining and the opportunity to enjoy the city’s cultural delights, such as theatres and art galleries.

Students and tourists are also back and overseas workers from global companies are once again relocating to London.

Although tenants have returned, many of the rental properties have not—and will not be coming back to the rental market any time soon. Not only have hundreds of buy-to-let properties been sold, but many landlords

(keen for a secure income) and tenants (eager to take advantage of lower rents) agreed longer-term tenancies, meaning that there will be less ‘churn’ over the next two years.

The high demand and lack of supply has created a difficult market for tenants: Chestertons estimate that they are currently registering about 15 people for every new rental property they bring on to the market. Most properties find tenants within hours and rents have quickly started to rise and are soon expected to be at precovid levels.

Chestertons are currently offering landlords 0% letting fees*. For further information, please contact Chestertons today on 020–7182 1536 or email offers@ chestertons.com

*T&C apply. For further details, visit www.chestertons.co.uk/ en-gb/news/chestertons-news/0-landlord-fees

Properties of the week London, £1.9 million This elegant 1,480sq ft apartment is perfect for downsizers. Set within the grand Star and Garter House, at the top of Richmond Hill, it has two en-suite bedrooms (the bathrooms for which are nothing short of spectacular) and a vast, open-plan living, dining and kitchen area, complete with striking contemporary units. Buyers also have access to the development’s concierge service, gym, sauna and communal gardens.

Richmond Park is literally on the doorstep and the town centre’s many restaurants, cafes and shops are a short walk away. JacksonStops (020–8943 9777)

Bath, £650,000 For a slice of country-house life without the hassle, few properties can rival Grade II-listed Battlefields House on Lansdown Hill, near Bath. Built by John Wood the Elder, this castellated building has been split into flats and one of the ground-floor ones is available for sale. It has a magnificent, 27ft reception room, a striking kitchen that opens onto a terrace and two large bedrooms with Gothic bay windows—the master suite has a spiral staircase linking it to a shower room, dressing room and study on the lower ground floor. Winkworth (01225 829000)

Local heroes The new rural MP

Devon, £575,000 Grade I-listed Brewhouse sits by the Royal William Yard in Plymouth and Apartment 14 enjoys magnificent views of the yacht basin and the River Tamar from its Juliet balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows. The open-plan kitchen, dining and sitting room is a great place to soak up the panorama, but the best views are from the master bedroom, which looks out across the water to the Rame Peninsula. There’s also a second bedroom and a private parking space. The property is sold with a 104-year lease.

Knight Frank (01932 848822)

Illustration by Emma van Zeller

9000

Andre has no idea how he was parachuted into such a rural seat—the by-election result is as much a shock to him as the rest of the country. He had never heard of the basic farm payment—he’d only just got to grips with it when he twigged that it’s finishing—and wisely refrained from asking one particularly choleric farmer why he’d voted Leave in the first place. He’s ruined a pair of shoes stepping into slurry and pranged his car in narrow lanes—he now gets why people are angry about potholes. He adores walking, when he escapes the myriad village jumble sales and harvest suppers, but he can’t afford to buy a house in the constituency. His maiden speech will be on broadband connection. KG

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