Grade II-listed Greenhouse Court sits majestically in an elevated location on the outskirts of the thriving Cotswold village of Painswick, often referred to as ‘The Queen of the Cotswolds’.
Built in coursed and squared limestone, the house is a landmark property in the Cotswold landscape, with parts dating back to the 17th century. Superbly proportioned and beautifully laid out, the home offers practical living spaces whilst retaining exceptional period charm. The main house is approached via a sweeping driveway, leading to a twin-gabled frontage with a handsome battlement parapet entrance. Featuring an abundance of historic architectural features, including Gothic glazed windows, original fireplaces, shutters and high ceilings, the beautifully proportioned rooms are perfect for both family living and entertaining.
The current owners have lived at the property for 34 years, testament to what a wonderful home Greenhouse Court is. Waxing lyrical about the joys of the estate, they speak of what a wonderful environment it is, and the joy they have had bringing their two children up in such a stunning home, along with a menagerie of horses and livestock.
‘It was the extraordinary panoramic view that sold the property to us. The view across the Painswick Valley and beyond is unrivalled. The house combines comfort with historical interest, whilst still meeting the needs of modern living. Most of the rooms are dual aspect – and some triple aspect – making the home feel light and spacious.’
The kitchen is clearly the heart of the home, with a cream oil-fired Aga providing a warming focal point, and a walk-in larder giving access to a good sized full-height cellar. The house’s home office boasts magnificent valley views, offering the perfect space to work from home, while the first floor comprises five bedrooms, one of which is currently used as a magnificent billiard room with full-length Gothic glazed panes. A sixth bedroom with en-suite bathroom is located on the second floor, accessed via its own staircase and with a sitting room below, making this wing of the house an ideal self-contained guest suite.
The property overlooks its own magnificent grounds, totalling 15.5 acres. The land is divided into nine paddocks, many with original iron railings, and there are two separate stable blocks – one with seven stables, tack room, store room and two car ports; the other with five stables, hay barn and wood store. There is a separate wooded area, formerly used to keep pigs.
The separate five-bedroom cottage features a spacious kitchen/dining room, good-sized sitting room, two first-floor bathrooms and a second kitchen, while the two-storey detached Coach House has stunning aged beams and offers ample storage and garaging.
One of the real highlights of Greenhouse Court is its 15.5 acres of paddocks, outbuildings and stables.
Describing the location as ‘rural, without being remote’, the family has delighted in being surrounded by fields and woods teeming with wildlife, including wild orchids, cowslips and a profusion of birds and butterflies. ‘The orchids are something to behold,’ they say, with ‘exceptional walking and riding country right on the doorstep.
‘We had a lot of fun farming here over the course of the last 34 years, keeping a host of horses and livestock, from my wife’s prize Gloucester Old Spot boar Gerald to the handsome Alfie – a four-horn Jacob ram – along with many horses, cattle, a goose, goats, cats and dogs.’
In the words of a neighbour when the current owners moved into this exceptional country home over three decades ago: ‘Nobody who comes to live in this part of the world ever wants to leave.’
Greenhouse Court, Painswick, Gloucestershire, GL6 6SE. Guide price £3.75m. Murrays Estate Agents, 01452 814655; murraysestateagents.co.uk