Against a backdrop of overseas conflict and domestic economic uncertainty, the London market has faced challenges in the past 12 months. But rare and ‘best in class’ homes will always win, Zoe Dare Hall discovers, as the capital’s top agents reveal their deals of the year

Three historic country houses in Yorkshire, a stone’s throw from the most northerly of Britain’s 16 white chalk horses, offer comfortable contemporary living and fascinating backstories

Dray House, Dyrham, near Bath, Gloucestershire. A detached family home next to the historic grounds of Dyrham Park. It has a terrace with pizza oven, an electric-car charging point, and a wooded area

Comfortable seclusion is on offer at three historic houses, each beautifully presented and set in glorious landscapes worthy of God’s own county

Shop of the month Open Tuesday to Saturday, ...

The Water Tower, Aldeburgh, Suffolk. A Grade II-listed ,1870s former water tower with a roo- top pavilion and far-reaching views of the River Alde. It has a double-height drawing room that retains its