Savills Portugal

In the UK, large country houses were built on rural estates in the 18th and 19th centuries to reflect a family's wealth and power and to accommodate their extended family and the retinue of servants required to maintain both the property and lifestyle.

However, with the diminishing income from farming, the increasing cost of wages and staff heading off to work in the cities, such great houses became increasingly hard to sustain. From around the mid-20th century many were divided up, in order to avoid demolition and as an alternative to institutional use.

While period dramas such as Downton Abbey, Bridgerton and The Crown have provided us with plenty of opportunities to bask in the splendour of stately home architecture, they are also helping to fuel interest country house conversions.

Converted wings continue to be popular for a number of reasons, not least because they offer the grandeur and atmosphere of stately home living but on a much more manageable scale. There are other potential benefits too, including the ability to take advantage of beautifully manicured – and often very large – communal grounds without the need to maintain them, a secure lock-up-and-leave environment, good parking and neighbours who are ready to socialise.

If you’re thinking of winging it, here are some of the best homes that offer grand living at a fraction of the cost.