Rowntree Farms: Four houses and more land than Hyde Park for £5m

A well-to-do farmer's dream purchase, boasting two immense five-bedroom country homes and two comparatively quaint three-bedroom cottages, Rowntree Farms doesn't only have the properties, but also comes with a truly whopping 437 acres: the equivalent of Hyde Park with another 60 football pitches tagged on for good measure.

Grand, but still understated enough to give off a whiff of chocolate box charm, the farm's ancient principal home is called Windy Pike and just like its twinned farmhouse, Moorhouse, has more rooms than you can shake a stick at - you can get one from one of the 30 acres of mature woodland that flank the farm and try it out.

Gabled roofs, mullioned windows, and whitewashed facades mean that the properties - set amongst the numerous farm buildings - are all very classic in style, immediately promising cosiness, warm Lancashire hotpot, and cups of tea with rich tea biscuits on an Autumn evening.

With rolling views of Pendle Hill, the ring-fenced estate has been run and owned by the vendors’ family for over 70 years, rearing Ribble Aberdeen-Angus pedigree beef from a 500-strong herd. Far from being all work and no play, however, Rowntree Farms comes with shooting facilities included as well as fishing rights on the River Ribble for when the weather's nice and those views prove enticing.

Inside, Windy Pike's ample family kitchen and dining room areas are more than big enough to cater for a few of those Ribble Aberdeen-Angus bulls, meaning the only issue when it comes to having the extended family around for Christmas dinner is which cow to serve up to the in-laws before deciding who's staying in which cottage.

From open stone fireplaces in welcomingly large sitting rooms to bathrooms with stand-alone bathtubs, the houses are deceptively large, but have a smidge of countryside magic in that they have oodles of space without sacrificing any of that in-built snugness.

For more information, head to https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-59925913.html