The Old House

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Enquiries go straight to the owner. If anything goes wrong, we’ll step in. And because owners pay us a flat listing fee, you pay nothing extra.

Landed Houses guests have exchanged over 200 messages with The Old House in the last 12 months.

The Old House is a beautifully restored former rectory on a working farm. It has a lot of historic charm and modern comfort. The property has been in the same family for almost 100 years. The main part, which was built mostly in the early 18th century, has eight well-designed bedrooms that can sleep up to 16 people. It has a heated swimming pool and a tennis/pickleball court at the top of its large garden. There is also a shepherd’s hut in the garden with a wood-burning stove to get away for a quiet read.

The inside areas are great for both relaxing and having fun. There is a large drawing room with an open fire and three windows that go all the way to the floor and open up to the lawn. The dining hall can easily fit 14 people, making it perfect for parties or casual get-togethers. The library is warm and cosy, and it has its own open fire. It also has a TV, DVD player, and a lot of games and puzzles to choose from. There is a piano in the hall and a downstairs cloakroom.

The kitchen has everything it needs, like an electric Aga, an American-style fridge/freezer, and a table that seats eight. A door leads to a patio with outdoor furniture for eating. The property has modern features like fibre broadband, and central heating throughout.

The bedrooms are spread out in a smart way over two floors. There are five bedrooms on the first floor: Curlew (super king with a separate bathroom), Kestrel (single with a pull-out twin option), Swallow (twin/super king with an en-suite), Kingfisher (king-size with a separate bathroom), and Skylark (twin/super king with an en-suite). On the top floor, there are three more bedrooms: Cedar (king-size), Willow (twin/super king), and Oak (double). They all share a bathroom. Due to living on a working farm with free range chickens and livestock no dogs are allowed.

Location and Things to Do

The Old House is just a mile outside Kingsclere, ideally located between Basingstoke and Newbury—each around a 15-minute drive and offering fast trains to London in under an hour. The historic cities of Winchester, with its magnificent medieval cathedral, and Oxford are both less than an hour away by car. The Cotswolds are also just over an hour’s drive.

There are plenty of places of interest nearby. Highclere Castle (of Downton Abbey fame) is only six miles away, and The Vyne, a Tudor house visited by Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, is just eight miles. Jane Austen fans can visit her birthplace at Steventon, 11 miles to the south, and her later home in Chawton, 22 miles away, where she completed most of her novels.

Other nearby highlights include the Bombay Sapphire Distillery, Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral with its Magna Carta, Windsor Castle, Hampton Court Palace, and the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, home to HMS Victory and the Mary Rose.

For those interested in sport and leisure, the racecourses at Newbury and Ascot are easily accessible, and there are several golf courses nearby, including Sandford Springs less than a mile away. Legoland and Marwell Zoo are within an hour’s drive, and clay pigeon shooting is often available just five minutes away. In the summer, opera lovers can enjoy performances at The Grange Festival, about 45 minutes from the house.

Although walking on the farm isn’t permitted due to heavy machinery and gamebirds, guided tours can sometimes be arranged to see the kune kune pigs and Black Welsh Mountain sheep. For walkers and cyclists, there are many nearby footpaths, including a 15-minute stroll up the lane to the North Wessex Downs and the Wayfarer’s Walk.

Local dining options include The Bel and the Dragon in Kingsclere, The George and Dragon in Wolverton Townsend, and the award-winning Wellington Arms in Baughurst.

House Fact

Being an old Rectory some parts date back to Tudor times.

Edmund's Choice of Extraordinary Feature

“The Old House has been in the Sladen family for nearly a century, which is why it has the easy, lived-in feel that newly-finished holiday lets can’t really fake. Heated pool and tennis/pickleball court, but the small thing I love is the shepherd’s hut at the bottom of the garden with its own woodburner. Ideal hideaway for an hour with a book.”

Availability

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Reviews⁽⁹⁾

Chris Bowman-Scargill

A wonderful stay in a house with real soul. Sarah and her husband are fantastic hosts—super friendly and full of great local tips (definitely do the pub walk they recommend, the food at the pub was amazing). The house has a perfect balance of cozy, charming spaces to hang out in and a beautiful drawing room for something a bit more special in the evening. It’s a real home with lots of character, and the kitchen has everything you could possibly need, including delicious homemade honey from their own bees — a lovely, thoughtful touch.

Grace

WOW!! What an incredibly beautiful house & grounds. The lovely owners Sarah & Angus were throughly helpful throughout our stay. We so enjoyed our weekend staying in this special home. There are lovely walks and pubs nearby but mostly we enjoyed spending time catching up as a group in the house. Highly recommend this home for a special occasion. Thank you for having us it was perfect!

Catherine Gamble

We had a friends trip away (10 in total) to celebrate a birthday and Sarah and Angus’ property could not have been more perfect for it!

The property was extremely spacious, with plenty of bedrooms and bathrooms. It was very comfortable even for a group of 10 (with bedrooms to spare). The kitchen was the best equipped kitchen we had seen for a property rental – it had everything you needed to cook for a big group. We even made a cake and porchetta roast, which is not something you can usually do at a property rental! The kitchen has an informal dining area which seated us all, and the formal dining room was a beautiful setting for dinners together. The drawing room and TV room were both big enough to seat many people for winding down and relaxing after daily activities.

The property is conveniently located near Newbury (which has short and direct trains from London Paddington). We were able to organise taxis easily from Newbury and the drive to the property was under 15 minutes. The property is also close to great pubs and walks.

Sarah and Angus were extremely kind and helped us organise clay pigeon shooting as an activity. Angus even offered to drive a few of us to the farm as we didn’t have cars. Sarah also showed us around the farm which was a real treat, as there were puppies, piglets and lambs. They were both very kind hosts and we all enjoyed chatting with them and hearing about the history of the property, family paintings and the farm.

The Wakefields

From the moment we arrived, every effort had clearly been made to go above and beyond to ensure our stay was comfortable and welcoming. The house itself is beautifully proportioned, perfect for a large family, with plenty of space for everyone to relax while still feeling wonderfully connected.

The kitchen deserves a special mention: it’s spacious, extremely well equipped, and designed in a way that makes cooking genuinely enjoyable and social. It quickly became the heart of the house for us. The heating and fireplaces also work superbly, which made our winter stay incredibly cosy and comfortable.

The grounds are absolutely stunning, and the tennis court is exceptionally well maintained. Although we visited during the winter months, we would love to return in the summer to fully enjoy the pool and outdoor spaces, which must be glorious in warmer weather.

Above all, Sarah and Angus are the kindest, most charming hosts. It was a real privilege to stay in their home, and we honestly cannot fault a single thing. We would return without hesitation and wholeheartedly recommend this property.

Chris Bowman-Scargill

A wonderful stay in a house with real soul. Sarah and her husband are fantastic hosts—super friendly and full of great local tips (definitely do the pub walk they recommend, the food at the pub was amazing). The house has a perfect balance of cozy, charming spaces to hang out in and a beautiful drawing room for something a bit more special in the evening. It’s a real home with lots of character, and the kitchen has everything you could possibly need, including delicious homemade honey from their own bees — a lovely, thoughtful touch.

Grace

WOW!! What an incredibly beautiful house & grounds. The lovely owners Sarah & Angus were throughly helpful throughout our stay. We so enjoyed our weekend staying in this special home. There are lovely walks and pubs nearby but mostly we enjoyed spending time catching up as a group in the house. Highly recommend this home for a special occasion. Thank you for having us it was perfect!

Catherine Gamble

We had a friends trip away (10 in total) to celebrate a birthday and Sarah and Angus’ property could not have been more perfect for it!

The property was extremely spacious, with plenty of bedrooms and bathrooms. It was very comfortable even for a group of 10 (with bedrooms to spare). The kitchen was the best equipped kitchen we had seen for a property rental – it had everything you needed to cook for a big group. We even made a cake and porchetta roast, which is not something you can usually do at a property rental! The kitchen has an informal dining area which seated us all, and the formal dining room was a beautiful setting for dinners together. The drawing room and TV room were both big enough to seat many people for winding down and relaxing after daily activities.

The property is conveniently located near Newbury (which has short and direct trains from London Paddington). We were able to organise taxis easily from Newbury and the drive to the property was under 15 minutes. The property is also close to great pubs and walks.

Sarah and Angus were extremely kind and helped us organise clay pigeon shooting as an activity. Angus even offered to drive a few of us to the farm as we didn’t have cars. Sarah also showed us around the farm which was a real treat, as there were puppies, piglets and lambs. They were both very kind hosts and we all enjoyed chatting with them and hearing about the history of the property, family paintings and the farm.

The Wakefields

From the moment we arrived, every effort had clearly been made to go above and beyond to ensure our stay was comfortable and welcoming. The house itself is beautifully proportioned, perfect for a large family, with plenty of space for everyone to relax while still feeling wonderfully connected.

The kitchen deserves a special mention: it’s spacious, extremely well equipped, and designed in a way that makes cooking genuinely enjoyable and social. It quickly became the heart of the house for us. The heating and fireplaces also work superbly, which made our winter stay incredibly cosy and comfortable.

The grounds are absolutely stunning, and the tennis court is exceptionally well maintained. Although we visited during the winter months, we would love to return in the summer to fully enjoy the pool and outdoor spaces, which must be glorious in warmer weather.

Above all, Sarah and Angus are the kindest, most charming hosts. It was a real privilege to stay in their home, and we honestly cannot fault a single thing. We would return without hesitation and wholeheartedly recommend this property.

Joe Foley and Patricia O’Carroll

What a wonderful home!! Classic comfort in the country. We spent a very enjoyable weekend at the Old House. Sarah and Angus were delightful hosts. The location is perfect-between Basingstoke and Newbury near the village of Kingsclere. Highclere Castle nearby for fans of Downton Abbey. Beautiful landscapes and great for walking. A perfect taste of country life and break from the city. The house has everything you need and is not the least fussy or pretentious. It instantly feels like your own. The rooms are spacious, beds are extremely comfortable and the bathrooms brand new. In addition to the beautiful house, the gardens are lovely.We highly recommend this property and can’t wait to come back. Thank you Sarah and Angus!

Charlotte & Chris Gummer

We couldn’t have found a more ideal location for the family to celebrate our 70th birthdays than The Old House. A special and welcoming place enjoyed by the whole family from 6 months to 95 years. Plenty of room for hide and seek or just lounging by warm open fires. Sarah and Angus are the most wonderful, friendly hosts. A highlight for our grandchildren was spending time with them and their animals, especially Dotty and Tony. Thank you Sarah and Angus for helping to make this such a special weekend and giving all of us memories we will cherish forever.

Sophie Nicholson

We had a friends reunion at this beautiful house last weekend. It was the perfect place for 4 old friends and their families to unwind, catch up and have a giggle. Sarah and Angus were extremely welcoming and generous. The children loved exploring their farm, meeting the animals and playing in the pool. The gardens and the house are stunning and the spacious rooms have comfortable big beds too – my son described it as like sleeping on a cloud! We highly recommend a stay at The Old House. It is the perfect weekend retreat Thanks so much Sarah and Angus. We will be back!

Emily McWilliam

We had a girls weekend away at the Old House and it couldn’t have been more perfect. Beautiful fields and gardens surround the house where we enjoyed lots of walks and picnics. There was plenty to do and we especially loved the tennis court and swimming pool. The house was beautiful with big spacious rooms and had everything we needed. The Sladens were also on hand to help with anything. The perfect, relaxing weekend – thank you!

Clementine Morvan

We have been lucky enough to get married at this beautiful property, and we have the best memories ever. The property is simply stunning, the Sladens are so nice and helpful, they made our stay easy, helped us so much and treated us like family. The gardens and the house itself are incredibly well tended, we have also very much appreciated being able to stay on the property in the spacious and comfortable rooms. I highly recommend staying at The Old Rectory House. Thank you again and can’t wait to be back one day!

Location

Hampshire

The Old House

16 Guests
8 Bedrooms
5 Bathrooms

Weekends From £2,200

Weeks From £6,000

Note: Approximate location of The Old House.

The Old House