Converted wings or apartments within country houses have long been popular for offering the grandeur and atmosphere of stately home living but on a much more manageable scale.

There are often other potential benefits too including the ability to take advantage of beautifully manicured communal grounds without the need to maintain them yourself, a secure lock-up-and-leave environment and good parking.

Some of the best examples of large country houses were built on rural estates in the 18^th and 19^th centuries to reflect a family’s wealth and power and to accommodate their extended family and staff. However with diminishing income from farming, the increasing cost of wages and staff heading off to work in cities, such great houses became increasingly hard to sustain. From around the mid-20^th century many were divided up, in order to avoid demolition and as an alternative to institutional use.

Period dramas such as Downton Abbey, Bridgerton and The Crown have not only provided us with plenty of opportunities to bask in the splendour of stately home architecture, they are also helping to fuel interest in such country house conversions.

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

Further information

Contact Jamie Williams

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