Thatch me if you can

Despite their clichéd 'chocolate-box' description, thatched cottages are generally showstoppers. They tend not to remain on the market for long, so, for this quintet, it may be a case of he (or she) who hesitates is lost

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West Sussex, £1.2 million 'What I love most about Stone Cottage is its incredible character -you really feel the history in every room,' says agent Samantha Di Mond of this Grade II-listed, three-bedroom house that is reputed to have been built when Henry VIII was on the throne. Period details throughout include exposed beams and fireplaces, not least one made of brick in the dualaspect sitting room. On the ground floor, too, is a study, cloakroom, dining room and a music room, which equally could be turned into a library, reading room or studio. The large Aga in the beamed kitchen would certainly appeal to keen cooks. Stone Cottage, reached via a quiet country track and set in the hamlet of Greatham, sits in 12 acres and there is even riverside access to the River Arun. Pulborough is three miles away. Savills (01798 345994)