Perfect Ten: the listings you loved in 2022

We were truly spoilt for choice with Inigo’s listings in 2022. From a perfectly renovated parsonage in South Gloucestershire to a Suffolk cottage of uncommon charm, lovely London townhouses to a Medieval masterpiece in Somerset, we’ve marvelled and gawped at the glory and gamut of the UK’s architectural heritage. It turns out you lot have too, testified by the popularity of what’s been on offer. Bearing that in mind, we’ve drawn up a list of the top ten, as chosen by you, to remind you – as is our wont – of the sheer brilliance and beauty of historic homes. Like what you see? Why not run through our roundup of the stories that stole your attention in 2022?

Sunnybank, Bath, Somerset

“A handsome, south-facing, detached, double-fronted Victorian villa” are likely the words many of our readers would use to describe their dream home. Enter Sunnybank. Located in the semi-rural spot of Lyncombe Vale, this home was named after its southerly position, perched on the banks of Lyn Brook, where deer in nearby fields and owls in trees complete the scene. The house is twice the width of its neighbours, built in a neo-Palladian design from the honey-coloured limestone ashlar that’s just quintessentially Bath. The beautiful stonework also features an exquisite doorcase with ionic pilasters supporting a leaded transom light, while canted bay windows alongside large box sashes bring the façade to life.

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Alderton Cottage, Wilby, Suffolk

Lately, Suffolk has captured the hearts of many city émigrés. Looking at this three-bedroom home, we can see why. This place, which we sold in 2022, ticked all the boxes. The double-fronted flint building, constructed in 1800, has been quietly added to with more modern trimmings that remain in keeping with the agricultural vernacular (extra points awarded, however, for the solar panels). Don’t let the word ‘cottage’ fool you, either – this charming place has 1,700sq ft of free-flowing living space, while beyond, a south-facing garden gives way to open plains of idyllic countryside spanning as far as the eye can see. That is until you reach Diss train station, which is – unbelievably – only a 20-minute drive away.

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Graham Road, London E8

Nestled between some of London’s most desirable neighbourhoods is a listing that lives up to its much-vaunted postcode. The previous owners of this house took the plunge and renovated the early Victorian structure by transforming a set of flats into a two-bed, two-bath, two-garden masterpiece spanning more than 1,500sq ft. Any original features that were missing or deteriorating were replaced, often with the help of revered craftspeople. Among these were North Kent Joiners, who have worked frequently with the Spitalfields Trust to restore east London’s Huguenot houses and who were employed to refit the house with sympathetic new wooden windows. The owners also procured reclaimed wooden floorboards from Lassco, installing them throughout – but not before they made sure each one was the same age as the house before being laid.

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Stockwell Green, London SW9

When it comes to townhouses, it doesn’t get much prettier than the classical stuccoed façades of Regency London. Concealed in the Stockwell conservation area, a historically significant enclave of south London, this Grade II-listed treasure was meticulously renovated in keeping with its mid-19th-century roots by its previous owners, James Russell and Hannah Plumb. “Everything had to make sense and work with the house,” said Hannah of their hand-hewn interventions. But what of the things already there? Cue cast-iron radiators, dramatic beams, and even the initial owner’s ceiling rose artwork. Even crockery can be stored in original cupboards mounted almost 200 years ago.

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Glenarm Road, London E5

When meandering through Hackney’s seemingly endless parks and gardens, it quickly becomes clear why the borough is considered London’s greenest. Glenarm Road, constructed in the 1870s, was formerly given over to market gardens that helped feed the growing population of east London. Despite its inhabitation since, it hasn’t lost that bucolic charm, thanks in part to the bounty of independent shops, markets and eateries on nearby Chatsworth Road – though, as seller Alex Hely-Hutchinson, founder of 26 Grains, told us when we visited, “the birdsong here is pretty special” too. This Victorian house, on the cusp of Clapton Park, is set over three light-filled levels and has four bedrooms, as well as a south-facing garden packed with sorrel, chives, and rosemary. You can tell a cook lived here… And that’s before you’ve even seen the larder.

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Passage Road, Aust, Gloucestershire

What better way to cleanse the soul than by taking up residency in an old vicarage, such as this one on the banks of the River Severn? The 19^th-century, five-bedroom house has seen a divine level of restoration: behind the 16-pane sash windows is 3,400sq ft of accommodation across three storeys, with an additional self-contained coach house boasting another 600. Large Welsh flagstones run underfoot, surrounded by walls painted in contrasting shades – charcoal on the bottom and softer stone white on top, for instance. (“I wanted to use the house as an experiment for colour,” explained seller Helen Ellery.) Dentil cornicing throughout the principal rooms adds a sense of cohesion and formality, while outside, two acres of magical grounds are populated by an orchard, a wildflower meadow, a herb garden designed and planted by Jekka McVicar, and an avenue of more than 30 Madame Hardy rose bushes.

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Middleton Road, London E8

Over the past 12 months we were fortunate enough to bring you not one but two big fish from the E8 pond. This delightful double-fronted home is positioned at the end of a particularly lovely and leafy street in the Mapledene conservation area. (All eyes on that spectacular silver birch.) The garden at the back of the house is also screened by mature trees, creating a secluded and exceptionally tranquil space that feels miles from the city. A fruitful apple tree takes centre stage, surrounded by planted borders, while the sunken part of the garden leads up to a pair of French doors, beyond which the bright and natural aura continues inside, with terracotta tiling and wooden surfaces.

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Compton Street, Butleigh, Somerset

This house has had many lives since it was commissioned by the squire of Butleigh Court in 1671. Its history is perfectly distilled in the heavy oak door and flagstone floor, leading to a wide hallway. Traditionally, this would have been the dining space, hence the large inglenook fireplace used to heat the home. On each side of the building are original mullioned windows, their ironmongery intact. But this place is by no means medieval. The 17^th-century spiral staircase feeds on to the landing of a magnificent Georgian wing, adding further to the symmetry of the building. And, speaking of a happy marriage of old and new, note how the 17th-century domed bread oven has been paired with a modern gas Aga. Outside, things are just as harmonious: wisteria and magnolia grow up some of the external stone walls, while the beautifully shaped gardens are alive with dinner-plate dahlias, roses and Japanese anemones.

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Frognal, London NW3

Feast your eyes on this red-brick Edwardian wonder. Built in 1906 by Amyan Champneys and mentioned in passing in multiple architectural digests since, this detached home is a brilliant example of the avant-garde Arts and Crafts movement of the time. The façade boasts two large oriel windows paired with a tile-hung gable arrangement, and the double garage is crowned with a capacious conservatory. Meanwhile, to the rear, some strategically planted hornbeams shelter a private south-facing garden, complete with a York stone-paved, east-facing terrace, which is perfect for that morning coffee alfresco. What’s more, when the house came on the market with us, coveted planning permission had been secured for general improvements and alterations to the existing structure. No wonder it was snapped up so quickly.

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Garratt Lane, London SW18

There is a quiet satisfaction that comes with possessing one of the oldest homes in town – as the next owner of this outstanding wide terraced villa will doubtless learn. Built in the Regency style in c1810, it has a grand stucco façade that’s well-balanced and restrained, with three bay windows of generous width set back from the street. Five bedrooms lie within, and the rest of the interior is a fantastic confection of internal joinery, superb plasterwork and classical fireplaces, with a chequerboard stone floor in the hall. Our readers might also be pleased to learn that 7.14KWp of solar panels were installed three years ago on the roof, concealed from view, which will halve the energy bills over the course of a year.

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