Garden of delight

One of the oldest squash courts in the country could tempt buyers in Surrey, as Thames river frontage and Sussex sea views offer havens for water babies

These four glorious properties need only a modicum of tender loving care and offer great rewards to the far-sighted

Mellow September sunshine filters through the slopes and terraces of the gardens at Iford Manor, painting the curated collection of plants, statuary and ornate details with a warm golden glow. Buttery

Everingham Park, East Riding of Yorkshire The home of Philip and Helen Guest

These three East Anglian houses include a medieval moated manor once owned by the inspiration for Shakespeare’s Falstaff, the home of a sculptor and a converted watermill

Buying a property that includes a ruin carries undoubted romance, but there are caveats, reminds Lucy Denton, who advises on the help at hand