Three romantic properties inspired by castles and medieval farmhouses

For some, the perfect romantic property is a quiet country cottage tucked away down a lane, for others it’s a garret flat in the heart of town. Some like it beamy and timeless, others bohemian and buzzing.

There appears to be a strong contingent, though, who feel their home is their castle, and love their property to look the part. The following properties are all reminiscent of castles; what they all have in common is two “wings” joined by a recess – what historically might have been termed a “curtain wall”.

None of these homes has a moat, a drawbridge or a dungeon – in fact they’re not even all that old – but their designs do all give a nod to the Middle Ages to greater or lesser extents.

Arguably the most romantic-looking of the three properties is Knox Hall, a Grade II listed early Victorian building that the agent compares to a “fairytale princess’s castle”. Perched on raised ground near Low Laithe, above the main road serving Nidderdale, the detached house does a rather impressive impersonation of a French château, but according to its official listing it was probably built for the owner or manager of Knox Mill, a rope and twine mill on the northern edge of Harrogate.

Now restored and enlarged, it has kept many of its original features, such as beams, stone floors and leaded lancet windows. It has five bedrooms, two bathrooms, utility room, study, kitchen, two reception rooms, and a beautiful conservatory, and all of the last four of these rooms enjoy stunning views across the dale. Outside, there are gardens with terrace seating areas and a pond, as well as a detached double garage and off-street parking. An extra £35,000 will even buy you four acres of “enchanted wood” behind the house.

Westfield in Green Hammerton seems to draw inspiration from the same sources. Pleasingly symmetrical, its façade presents a front door flanked by angular, single-storey “twin turrets”. Inside, beyond the reception hall, it has four bedrooms (one of them on the ground floor, in one of those turrets), a lounge, kitchen, and fantastic 25-foot-long conservatory. The house also has a detached single garage and 0.83 acres of gardens to the rear, where there is also a large brick outbuilding which could be converted, subject to the necessary consent.

Finally, Rosedale Manor is a large house whose half-timbered design owes more to “olde worlde” farmhouses than to medieval castles, but nevertheless exudes a strong whiff of romance. Its front door is also recessed between wings, and opens into a large, wide entrance hall supported by sturdy upright beams. Leading off this are the spacious kitchen/dining room (complete with central island), utility room, study, library, and two large reception rooms, one in each “wing”. Upstairs, there are five bedrooms and three bathrooms, all leading off a large landing.
The house stands on an unusually large plot, and has 0.6 acres of gardens, with terrace, gravel drive and triple garage.