Despite their clichéd ‘chocolate-box’ description, thatched cottages are generally showstoppers. They tend not to remain on the market for long, so, for this quintet, it may be a case of he (or she) who hesitates is lost

Barnbarroch House, Barnbarroch, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland. A country house with views towards Urr Water estuary with two two-bedroom cottages in the grounds. It has period fireplaces and a kitchen

Fairy-tale dwellings

Whitney Court, Whitney-on-Wye, Hereford, Herefordshire. A manor built in 1897 with what was then state-of-the-art technology, including an electric bell system and ducted air central heating. It has a

There is nothing quite like a barn conversion with its characterful features and nod to an agrarian past to get the pulse racing, so who wouldn’t love one of these distinctive homes magnificently transformed for rural living

Cushnie House, Cushnie, Alford, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. This B-listed former Laird’s house comes with grounds that include five ponds and a vegetable garden. An additional 28 acres of land is availab