Escape to the Country Couple Amazed by £1.25m Somerset Home Once Owned by Famous Star

In the latest episode of Escape to the Country, presenter Sonali Shah helped couple Sharon and Jeremy in their quest to find the perfect countryside retreat. After 22 years together, having met in New York, the pair were ready to swap city life for tranquility, searching for a charming home in Somerset.

With a generous budget of £1.3 million, their wish list included a period property featuring four bedrooms, a spacious garden, and excellent transport links. Sonali first showed them properties in Cossington and Cannington, but promised a “bonus property” that would truly captivate them.

That bonus home, located in the picturesque village of Blackford near the Mendip Hills National Landscape, turned out to be a Grade II listed treasure dating back to the 16th or 17th century. Sharon immediately expressed her delight: “This is a darling! It’s an absolutely darling garden.”

The property’s current owner, a publisher, is notable for having brought a very famous boy wizard to life through his books, adding an enchanting layer to the house’s history. Inside, the couple marveled at features like exposed cobbles in one room, which Jeremy likened to walking on an old Roman road, and ancient beams throughout.

The home was listed at £1.25 million—right between Sharon’s guess of £1.3 million and Jeremy’s estimate of £1.2 million. Jeremy praised its character, saying, “Of all the properties we’ve seen, this is definitely the one with the most character and the greatest sense of history. You can tell it has been lived in for many centuries.” Sharon added they were considering how best to live within its unique space.

Despite the charm of the Blackford house, the couple ultimately decided against revisiting any of the homes shown, citing certain deal-breaking factors in each. Nonetheless, their tour of the Somerset countryside revealed some truly exceptional properties full of history and character.