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

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

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

These five standout properties have halls made for towering trees, sparkling decorations and Champagne-bright celebrations– festive magic that will practically begin before new owners move in

Christine Faughlin sings the praises of a converted chapel on the 30,000-acre Bolton Abbey estate in the Yorkshire Dales

With beehives and a garden on the roof, the countryside doesn’t seem so far away at this elegant London hotel that’s perfect for a festive stay