A selection of Grade II-listed homes in England offers a glimpse into the country's rich architectural heritage. From a quintessential 'chocolate box' cottage to part of a grand stately home, these properties blend history with modern living.
Barrington, Somerset
This conservation village is home to the National Trust's Barrington Court, with its popular secondhand bookshop and artisan workshops. The pub, the Barrington Boar, is another selling point of the village, which is close, but not too close, to major roads cutting through the countryside. This white cottage has four bedrooms and two bathrooms, under a thatched roof. The heart of the house is the kitchen with a central island and exposed timber ceiling beams. There's a well-stocked cottage garden and an orchard. Price: £850,000. Contact Symonds & Sampson at 01460 200 790.
Kelloe, County Durham
Kelloe Hall South is part of Kelloe Hall, a stately home that dates to the mid-18th century and is reputed to be the site of the home of one of Durham's prince bishops. The white facade of this four-bedroom, three-storey property stands out from the properties on either side. The hallway leads into the kitchen-diner and there is a sitting room to the rear. This opens into a conservatory and on to a series of private gardens, lawns, raised beds and outbuildings. It is a short drive to Durham city centre. Price: £525,000. Contact Finest Properties at 01434 622 234.
Shalford, Essex
Down a quiet lane, less than a mile from the village, is a 'chocolate box' thatched cottage, rendered in soft yellow. Sleepy Hollow – think idyllic rural lifestyle rather than Tim Burton gothic horror – has a kitchen-dining room on the ground floor, a sitting room and a bathroom, and two bedrooms upstairs. Beyond the fence of the typical cottage garden is a medieval meadow ringed by a mature hawthorne hedge. The roof was replaced in 2016 and there is no onward chain. Shalford has all the essentials: a village store, pub and a church. Price: £395,000. Contact Mullucks at 01279 755 400.
Hackney, London
Where Islington meets Dalston lies De Beauvoir Town, which features a square with a rose garden, a lawn and a children's play area. On the corner of the square is an 1840s neo-Jacobean house over four storeys with three bedrooms. The kitchen-diner opens on to the back garden. It has been restored with attention to its period character – huge leaded windows with geometric panes and window seats. There are playful elements, too: joinery is picked out in yellow, there is a pink stairwell, and a drinks cupboard has been installed at the back of the garden. Price: £3 million. Contact Aucoot at 020 7112 4907.
Bristol, Somerset
The Cotham and Redland conservation area to the north-west of the city is characterised by Georgian villas and Victorian terraces with facades of traditional Bath limestone. One is for sale for the first time in 46 years. The five-storey White House (one in from the corner) has a front yard and a roofed area for bikes. The original six-panelled front door opens into a sitting room and library with sash windows fitted with shutters and an open fireplace with an 18th-century surround. There are four bedrooms and an eight-metre (27ft) back garden. Price: £1.05 million. Contact Inigo at 020 3687 3071.
