Owning listed properties means stepping into centuries of craftsmanship and character, plus, perhaps, a few quirks, but buyers who truly love history wouldn’t have it any other way

Houses with good railway connections Kent: Palm Cottage, ...

Brimming with character, an inimitable Aga inevitably rules the roost and each of these houses boasts one–perfect for gathering and gossiping around and devouring whatever magic emerges from its cavernous ovens

Bucklesham Hall, Bucklesham, Ipswich, Suffolk. A renovated, 15th-century hall set in formal gardens with spring-fed lakes, including one with a Japanese-style bridge and an island. It has beamed ceili

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

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