08/09/2026
Set within five acres of gentle Gloucestershire countryside, this elegant 18th-century rectory dates from 1788 and possesses the quiet symmetry and proportions that make Georgian houses so enduring. Built for the local vicar, the Cotswold stone house has a wonderfully restrained architectural character, with high-cellinged rooms, a tormal five-bay elevation and an unusually clear, rectilinear plan.
The property was thoughtfully remodelled by landscape and interior designer lesley cooke who spent more than two years carefully modernising the house while retaining its historic integrity. The former stable and coach house has been transformed into a generous kitchen wing, while the interiors combine antique furniture, chinoiserie, soft greens and powder blues with contemporary comforts.
The result is sophisticated without feeling overly decorated — a house where the architecture remains firmly in command.
The gardens are equally considered. Formal elements around the house transition naturally into the surrounding agricultural landscape, with evergreen oaks and clipped hedging creating a visual connection between the architecture and countryside beyond. A landscaped pool terrace incorporates a rill and waterfall, while the wider grounds provide the sense of space and tranquillity expected of a Gloucestershire country house. It is, ultimately, a fine example of how an historic property can be carefully renewed without losing the qualities that made it special in the first place.