Property: 10 listed homes that make the grade
Owning a listed home comes with added responsibility. Buildings of special architectural or historic interest are listed for legal protection, and you will need to apply for listed building consent before making any alterations or additions. In England and Wales there are three categories of listing – Grade I for buildings of the highest significance, Grade II* and Grade II, while in Scotland the classifications are A, B and C.
Work is inevitably more expensive than on a non-listed property as you may be required to use specialist materials and contractors, but you’ll have the joy of living somewhere unique, possibly with a fascinating past. If you’re up for the challenge, take a look at these listed lovelies on the market now.
1. Sandhill Park, Bishops Lydeard, Taunton, Somerset, from £325,000
All the hard graft has been done for you when buying one of the two remaining Grade II* listed former barns in the courtyard of the historic Sandhill estate, as they’re freshly converted and immaculately finished, with original features such as exposed brickwork and beams. The development is in an idyllic spot between the Quantock Hills, the Blackdown Hills and Exmoor, and each home has two bedrooms, a fully fitted kitchen with Neff appliances and underfloor heating, plus a garden and two allocated parking spaces. Through Knight Frank.
2. Smithy Cottage, Alpheton, Sudbury, Suffolk, £495,000
Cottages don’t come more cosy than this one, which has a thatched roof, a wraparound garden and is full of character throughout. Grade II Iisted, it includes two reception rooms, two bedrooms, a Belfast sink and range cooker in the kitchen, exposed beams and inglenook fireplaces, and looks out over the surrounding countryside. Find out more from Carter Jonas.
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3. Whitstable, Kent, £550,000
For a regular fix of salty sea air – and the oysters for which Whitstable is famed – don’t miss out on this delightful weatherboarded cottage, sitting in the heart of the conservation area and yards from the harbour and beach. Dating back 200 years, it comprises a kitchen, separate living and dining rooms, two bedrooms, a first floor bathroom and an attic room that doubles as a third bedroom. There’s also a courtyard garden and off-road parking for two cars. Find out more from Yopa.
4. Powrie Castle, South Powrie, Dundee, offers over £625,000
Not only do A-listed, 17th century castles hardly ever come up for sale, but finding one in move-in condition and compact enough to be used as a family home is even more of a rarity. Work on such a property is truly a labour of love, and the current owners have spent the past 33 years restoring it, creating a welcoming abode with three bedrooms, formal dining and drawing rooms, two turret rooms and vaulted ceilings, inglenook fireplaces, studded wooden doors, a bread oven and the remains of a 16th century keep in the garden. Furniture and other contents are available by separate negotiation, via Thorntons.
5. Mill House, Fleet, Spalding, Lincolnshire, offers over £950,000
A Grade II listed, red brick Georgian house that’s recently been extended and refurbished, seamlessly blending old and new. It incorporates four hotel-style bedrooms, three bathrooms, two reception rooms and a huge kitchen that flows into a living/dining area and on to terraces on both sides via walls of sliding doors. In addition, there’s a detached double garage with an office/further accommodation above, and a stable block. Contact Fine & Country.
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6. Tenby, Pembrokeshire, £1.15m
Set within a walled town and a short walk from the beach, this Grade II listed, four-bedroom, four-storey Georgian townhouse offers a wealth of period features, namely shuttered sash windows, elaborate arches, ornate cornices and other plasterwork, fireplaces, and wooden and brick floors. The kitchen leads out to a walled garden and a workshop at the back that has potential to be converted into a self-contained dwelling. Get in touch with John Francis.
7. The Mote, Taynot, Gloucestershire, offers over £1.25m
Exposed timbers, an inglenook fireplace and the remains of a stone staircase were uncovered by the current owners when renovating this spacious Grade II listed house. The oldest parts go back over 500 years, and it includes five double bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen/breakfast room, three reception rooms and 10 acres of grounds with stables, paddocks and a barn. Contact Grants & Co.
8. Clapham, London SW12, £1.6m
Crying out for a purchaser keen to put their own stamp on a property, this Grade II listed house is unfinished and ready to be transformed into a beautiful home. It started life as the coach house of Dudley House, the main residence next door and at the moment is arranged as three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, workshop and study. The highlight is the magnificent reception/dining room in the original billiard room, complete with a soaring ceiling, Baroque-style décor, intricate plasterwork and a roof lantern set with stained glass. For sale through John D Wood.
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9. Highfield, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, £1.65m
This grand Bath stone house is one half of a mansion that was built in 1859 and divided into two properties in the 1930s. There are four bedrooms, four reception rooms, three bathrooms, and standout features include elaborate stained glass windows flanking the front door, a stone staircase, a galleried landing and sculpted figures of Greek gods above all the first floor rooms. Even more impressive is the opulent orangery which earned the property its Grade II* listing. For more information talk to Peter Greatorix.
10. Maes Court, Knighton-on-Teme, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, £1.95m
Carved panelling, beamed walls and ceilings, stone fireplaces and leaded light windows are among the myriad period details in this Grade II listed mansion, which dates from 1630 and was extended in the Georgian era. The new owner won’t be short of space, with four reception rooms, a study, two kitchens, a conservatory, nine bedrooms and three bathrooms, and guest accommodation in a folly in the nine acre garden, Strutt & Parker.
