This period country house for sale has a “wealth of character” and includes its own tennis court. 

Old Timbers Estate, in Woodhill, was built in 1929 as a country home for businessman Colonel Ernest Gates, who was one of the owners of the Cow & Gate company. 

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The timbers throughout the home were originally part of a ship. (Strutt & Parker)

Throughout the home, there are character features, including timber beams that were originally part of a ship, decorative brickwork, and original fireplaces. 

Entering the home, the entrance hall features a wall of leaded light windows, with heavy oak doors through to the drawing room, which includes a character fireplace. 

On the other side of the hall is the dining room and the study, both of which also feature period fireplaces. 

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The drawing room of the property. (Strutt & Parker)

At the centre of the house, connecting the east and west winds, is a farmhouse kitchen and breakfast room, with French doors leading out to a patio area. 

Completing the ground floor is a large family room with a bay window, as well as a larder, two utility rooms, two cloakrooms and a storage room. 

Each wing of the house has its own staircase to the first floor, where the master bedroom includes a fireplace, a dressing room and an en-suite bathroom. 

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The master bedroom. (Strutt & Parker)

There are a further seven bedrooms on this level, two bathrooms, two shower rooms and a WC, while two lofts offer the potential for conversion. 

As well as the main house, the property comes with Old Timbers Cottage, a two bedroom home which could be used for multi-generational living, a rental opportunity, or domestic staff. 

The property sits in 17.33 acres of land, four of which comprise formal gardens, patios, orchards, a treehouse and a tennis court. 

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The tennis court, which sits in the 17 acres of grounds. (Strutt & Parker)

The rest of the grounds are made up of 13 acres of woodlands, fields and paddocks, along with stables. 

The property is being sold by estate agents Strutt & Parker for a guide price of £4,500,000. 

The agent commented: “Old Timbers Estate is an impressive family estate located near Guildford, comprising a grand eight bedroom period property, a separate two bedroom cottage, stables, garages, treehouse, tennis court and 17 mixed acres of formal gardens, woodland, fields and paddocks. 

“The setting offers the privacy of rural surroundings, whilst benefiting from easy access to the shopping, recreational facilities and outstanding schools of the area.”