A pale stone facade and restrained Georgian symmetry face the street in the Somerset village of Butleigh. Behind it sits Lower Rockes, a Grade II-listed house that began life around 1671 as a farmhouse commissioned by the squire of Butleigh Court. In the early 19th century a Georgian extension was added, bringing a classically balanced frontage to the road. The house now spans more than 4,200 square feet, its rooms gathered around a courtyard garden. It is currently listed for £2.5 million with Inigo.
Photography: courtesy of Inigo
Photography: courtesy of Inigo
Photography: courtesy of Inigo
Photography: courtesy of Inigo
Photography: courtesy of Inigo
Photography: courtesy of Inigo
Photography: courtesy of Inigo
Inside, the house retains the weathered structure of the earlier building. Elm beams cross the ceilings and thick stone walls hold deep-set windows. The kitchen sits beneath exposed timber with shaker cabinetry, polished concrete and granite worktops gathered around a central island. An original bread oven remains in its alcove, while the hearth forms part of a back-to-back fireplace shared with the dining room.
The Georgian wing introduces taller ceilings and larger windows. Two reception rooms sit here, one centred on a marble fireplace with a crescent-shaped hearth and glazed doors opening to the garden. Four bedrooms occupy the first floor, including a triple-aspect suite with an en suite finished in pale-pink metro tiles. A further main bedroom sits in the roof space beneath exposed beams.
Borders of roses and mature trees — eucalyptus, magnolia, wisteria and fruit varieties including apple, quince and pear — surround the house. The village of Butleigh lies five miles south of Glastonbury and within reach of the Mendip Hills.
