DOWNLEY HOUSE, Ditcham, Petersfield, GU31 5RL

What: An exceptional, award-winning family home sitting in 2.5 acres and boasting five ensuite bedrooms.

Downley House, Petersfield Downley House, Petersfield (Image: Mark Hardy)

Inside: The large, vaulted entrance hall, or foudre, leads through to the functional kitchen and breakfast room, dining hall and wine room. On one side of the impressive foudre is the family accommodation with views down the valley and across a chalkdown flower meadow. This ‘wing’ includes a chic television room separated by a sliding wall from the relaxing sitting room with a Jetmaster fire, a children’s den, bedrooms and a master bedroom suite including walk-in wardrobes and a bathroom with a tub set into a bay window and steam room. On the other side are two guest bedroom suites above a ground floor of service rooms including a larder, laundry, boot room and plant room.

Downley House, Petersfield Downley House, Petersfield (Image: Mark Hardy)

Outside: Nestled in the South Downs, the property enjoys stunning grounds and gardens amounting to 2.5 acres. Externally there is also an integral garage, garden shed and storage.

Price: £5 million

Contact: Charles Chute, House Partnership, 01962 588322

Downley House, Petersfield Downley House, Petersfield (Image: Mark Hardy) Downley House, Petersfield Downley House, Petersfield (Image: Mark Hardy)

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT LIVING IN PETERSFIELD

Petersfield comes into its own with out of the ordinary amenities. These include a retro open-air swimming pool in a garden setting.

There’s the Physic Garden, a 17th century-style walled garden tucked behind the High Street that provides a welcome retreat from the 21st century bustle. Best of all, and just a stroll from the town centre, is Petersfield Heath: 69 acres of parkland with boating lake, cricket club, play area and café.

As for accessibility, Petersfield developed in part as a coaching stop on the London to Portsmouth road with rail arriving in the mid-19th century. It remains well connected today with frequent trains to Guildford and Portsmouth (both about 30 minutes) and London Waterloo (an hour and ten minutes more or less). Meanwhile the A3 now skirts around the town, providing access to the M27 in one direction and M25 in the other.

READ MORE: ​What it's like to live in Petersfield?