Dee Hills Park, Boughton

***Available to rent on a short term basis from April until October 2024*** A remarkable feat of architecture along the River Dee, so captivating is Uffington House with its handsome stone mullion windows, castellated turrets, and lead finial accented spires, it is affectionately referred to by locals as 'the castle'. Nestled between two turrets, and flanked protectively by a pair of carved stone lions, there is more than an air of regality to this majestic Chester home.

Designed by Edward Ould, pupil of renowned Chester architect John Douglas, Uffington House was built in 1885 for Thomas Hughes, author of Tom Brown's Schooldays, and named after the village in which he was born.

Its Grade-II listing is evident in the architectural triumphs presenting themselves even before setting foot across the threshold. With or without its listing, there is a clear sense of duty and responsibility felt by its owners to respect, maintain and preserve this unique home for generations to come.

Identifying the 'star quality' of Uffington House is an impossible task, instead the elements work in harmony to create a home impossible to recreate. Turrets that diminish in size as the home rises up; the magnificent central solid oak staircase, intricately carved, ascending through all three floors; ornate plaster ceilings; the contemporary entertaining kitchen where oversized stone mullion windows frame views over the River Dee and the peaceful Meadows. Beauty abounds at every turn.

Given its wealth of features, perhaps it is surprising to note the internal shifts at Uffington House. In recent years the kitchen, the modern-day hub of the home, has been cleverly relocated to maximise the river views. In the penthouse level, a master bedroom, a dressing room and ensuite occupies the whole of the third floor, whilst the slipper bath in the ensuite drinks in views over the river and Meadows.

Yet for all its its grandeur and size, Uffington House remains to all intents and purposes a practical and embracing home. Eclectically dressed, flow from formality to fun, classic to contemporary throughout the rooms at Uffington House, whose large walls offer a blank canvas upon which the custodians can imprint their own personality. Like a fashion model, whatever Uffington House is dressed in, it simply serves to enhance its natural beauty.

A glass of wine is best enjoyed from the upstairs drawing room, where two large sets of doors lead out to a double wrought iron balcony, offering remarkable vistas over the river, set 250ft above its steady flow.

Outside the garden offers a tiered approach to the river, where moorings allow for swift access to the river and Meadows. Embracing river life is part and parcel of Uffington House, from witnessing the rowers strike out across the water, ducks bobbing by and the occasional triathlons.

A focal point for tourists on the pleasure boat tours, pockets of privacy in the garden provide peace in this outdoor oasis.

Unequivocally unique, Uffington House is more than a quirky feat of architecture, it is, by admission of those privileged to care for it, the most beautiful, tranquil and peaceful home imaginable. Inimitable, original and historic, Uffington House is a bastion of serenity in the city.