Nestled in a valley hidden from the road and surrounded by the fields and trees of the Surrey countryside, Claire and Jamie McFadyen's Victorian house is a special place to spend Christmas. We had no intention of moving house, having just finished a renovation project, explains Claire. However, my parents were thinking of moving and were on various estate agent's lists. When my father was sent the details of this house, he showed it me, and said "this looks like a belter!" so we went to see it - and fell in love with it.'
Claire and Jamie put in an offer, but to be able to afford it, they would have to sell their newly finished house in nearby Wallington and a rental property they owned, quickly. Luckily they sold both properties within six months.
The house was in a great spot - there aren't any other houses nearby, and it's set back from the road,' says Claire. "There is a manor house a short distance away and our house was built for the man who looked after the hunting dogs. An old couple had been living here for 25 years and it was in a pretty bad state. It was cold, damp and everything needed doing, but we could see it had good bones.'
This story is from the December 2023 edition of Country Homes & Interiors.
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This story is from the December 2023 edition of Country Homes & Interiors.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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