84 MAYFAIRTIMES.CO.UK
pROpERTY & InTERIORS
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poolhouse,oversley Castleestate, WarWiC
kshirefrenChman’sCreek, dartmouthThe CoTswolds
Nestled amongst five county ‘Shires’
(Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire,
Warwickshire and Worcestershire), The
Cotswolds is the largest Area of Outstanding
Natural Beauty in England and Wales,
covering some 800 square miles. The area’s
natural beauty, seen through its stone brick
properties and rolling hills, is often what
captures buyers’ attention. The arrival of
celebrity hotspot and private members’ club
Soho Farmhouse in 2015 has only served to
further increase the popularity of areas like
Oxfordshire.
Pretty villages abound and the demand
for contemporary 21st-century living within
historic farmhouses has seen values rise
sharply in north Cotswolds, according to
Bruce Tolmie-Thomson, partner and regional
chair at Knight Frank.
“Stock has always been very lean in The
Costwolds, particularly towards the northern
villages of Daylesford and those closer to
Oxfordshire. In addition to this, the average
holding period of homes in the area has
increased in recent years, from circa seven
years to 12 years, as buyers contend with
rises in stamp duty taxes. Yet the demand for
property is strong as buyers look for larger
luxury homes away from London.”
For those looking for a special type ofretreat, The Cotswolds is able to offer
property unlike anywhere else. Take
Grade-II-listed The Priory in Great Milton,
Oxfordshire. Dating from the 16th century,
the Tudor house boasts seven bedrooms and
five bathrooms, and features a Tudor arch
fireplace and spiral cellar. It is for sale with
Savills with a guide price of £4.95 million.
There is no shortage of homes that blend
pretty period farmhouses with contemporary
21st-century living in The Cotswolds.
For example, Knight Frank is currently
selling a five-bedroom house in Calves
Hill, Cheltenham, which has been expertly
designed by renowned local architect
Yiangou. It is for sale for with a guide price of
£3.5 million.
According to Tolmie-Thomson, many of
The Cotswolds’ luxury homes are ref lective
of ‘proper’ country homes, with outbuildings
and such that many buyers moving to the
country seek. Like Calves Hill, these homes
have undergone significant refurbishment
and been heavily modernised over the years,
meaning many older listed buildings are now
more eco-friendly in terms of carbon output
and running costs.
“It is much easier to build a new stone
house with the modern layout buyers seek,
such as larger kitchen/living areas alongside
technology-controlled features. It makesmany homes not that dissimilar to what you
might find in a luxury apartment in the City,”
says Tolmie-Thomson.w arwiCkshire,
The Midlands
Just outside of the traditional Cotswolds
setting, in rural Warwickshire, there is a
property that would not look out of place in
Mayfair. Part of the Oversley Castle Estate
remodelling, Pritchard and Company is
currently selling The Pool House, a 7,000
square feet-plus architecturally striking
home in Wixford, Alcester.
“The Pool House skilfully combines
interesting architecture with the very best
of contemporary design. Its unique clifftop
position provides for spellbinding views in
an exclusive gated community, set to become
one of The Midlands’ premier addresses,”
says Richard Pritchard, who notes that such a
property is unique in rural Warwickshire. As
such, it could be attractive to buyers looking
to move out of London, international buyers
and regional buyers who require a country
setting that remains close to London and
airport connections.
“For the buyer of this property, it
combines the best of several worlds: the
area is very rural, yet you are not that far
from cosmopolitan Stratford Upon Avon.
Birmingham International Airport is
also close by and it is well-linked to key
motorways.”
The overall design of the building
effortlessly blends old and new styles over
three f loors and allows the house to enjoy
a magnificent elevated position with views
over the hillside. It also provides modern
amenities in the form of a cinema room,
gymnasium and a master bedroom with
comprehensive kitchenette.
“This is a very different style of property
to what is normally found in the area, or
the neighbouring Cotswolds. Part of the
property is underground, whilst a number
of the rooms have access to courtyards or
balconies,” says Pritchard.d evon and The souTh wesT
CoasT
For many buyers looking to relocate to
Devon, there is more often than not a
childhood connection, according to Sarah-
Jane Bingham-Chick, head of the residential
sales team in Exeter at Savills. “The majorityMT Aug19 83-84 property country.indd 84 30/07/2019 11:53