A swell Grade II listed family home (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

A swell Grade II listed family home

Overlooking the pretty Dikler Valley just outside Stow-on-the-Wold stands Nether Swell Manor, a truly stunning Cotswold property.

Public schools are in abundance in nearby Cheltenham, while Oxford is a mere 31 miles away to the east, so train stations and motorways are not a million miles away. Countryside pursuits like golf, horse racing and polo are also on offer in neighbouring Cotswold towns.

The Grade II listed house itself is considered to be of great architectural and historic importance, having featured in countless countryside magazines.

In fact, the original manor was commissioned in 1903 by Sir Walter Montague-Scott under the guidance of architect Guy Dawber, who was a student and published expert on the Cotswold vernacular style.

It was built of coarse stone and accented with picturesque gables, pierced parapets and traditional stone mullioned windows.

Subsequent additions to Nether Swell Manor were completed in 1909, characterised by twin double bay windows and elevated terraces, which architects say impart a distinctive older and Jacobean style to the property.

The main house has five bedrooms, four bathrooms and three magnificent reception rooms. A marble fireplace is decorated with plaster relief forms and a fitted mirror in the dining room, with wide steps leading on to a large kitchen, which looks out over the formal communal gardens and countryside beyond.

The focal point of any large family home, the kitchen also has an open fireplace and in-built fridge and freezer. The central island with granite worksurface and extra sink also adds to the spacious room.

To book a viewing of Nether Swell Manor, which is set in 1.5 acres of land, call Hamptons International on 01386 859444 or visit www.hamptons.co.uk