Homes made in heaven

Once the places of residence for Victorian clergy, these three grand former vicarages blend historic charm with modern luxury-and now they're seeking new custodians

- Penny Churchill

CHURCHES in towns and villages across England became hives of building activity during the 19th century, as eminent Victorian architects, among them Augustus Pugin, William Butterfield and George Gilbert Scott, dedicated much effort to designing, constructing and renovating these ecclesiastical edifices. These architects, together with others, also ensured that the clergy, keen to meet the needs of their local parishioners, weren't left out in the cold, with hordes of vicarages and rectories also springing up during this period. These impressive buildings were designed to last and many were later acquired, extended and transformed by wealthy Victorians into high-status private houses, three of which have recently come to the market.

For sale through Hamptons Private office (020-3151 0357) at a guide price of $4.5 million, Monks Bridge is a restored and renovated former vicarage set in 14 acres of formal gardens, parkland and woodland. It is situated in the charming south Warwickshire village of Butlers Marston on the banks of the River Dene, a mile from Kineton in prime Warwickshire Hunt country and 10 miles southeast of Stratford-upon-Avon. For many of today's London buyers, Butlers Marston is seen as the perfect rural location, being a 35-minute drive from Worcestershire's Cotswold gem, Broadway, and a similar journey from both Daylesford and Soho Farmhouse.

Originally built in 1837 as the vicarage to the neighbouring Grade II*-listed village church of Saints Peter and Paul, Monks Bridge, which is unlisted, was extended with the addition of two wings in the 1890s. Previously owned by Eleanor Wharton, the last surviving granddaughter of chocolate manufacturer George Cadbury, who bought Monks Bridge for $9,000 in 1952 and lived there until her death, aged 94, in 2013, the property was acquired in 2014 by the current vendors.