This handsome four-bedroom cottage sits in the peaceful village of South Luffenham, Rutland, surrounded by agrarian countryside and rolling hills. Inside, vibrant pops of colour are juxtaposed with period features, including original fireplaces, sash windows and painted, exposed brickwork. The rear garden brims with greenery, bulbs and broad-leafed trees interspersed with fruit canes and climbing foliage. Despite its decidedly rural setting, the area is well connected; Stamford railway station is a nine-mile drive away, providing links to London King’s Cross via Peterborough in around 90 minutes. 

South Luffenham is a picturesque village in the heart of rural Rutland, positioned midway between the historic towns of Stamford and Uppingham. Sitting alongside a tributary of the River Chater, the majority of the buildings are hewn from the honey-hued vernacular stone. Traditionally, the village had four farms, along with its medieval church, a fine 18th-century hall, a substantial 19th-century rectory, and many cottages. 

This house, commonly known as Swiss Cottage, was built in 1897 by Edmund J Stapleton, a local publican, builder and mill-owner, who is commemorated by a small plaque high on the front of the house. Further back into its history, it is thought that two stone cottages initially stood on the site; records date back to 1774, indicating occupation by a shepherd, Francis Cook, and later sold to local blacksmith Robert Shelton. Throughout its storied life, the site has been home to generations of local workers, including blacksmiths, carpenters, bakers, stonemasons and a butcher, as well as general agricultural labourers.