Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Wales Online
Wales Online
Lifestyle
Joanne Ridout

TV's The Vicar of Dibley cottage is for sale and looks nothing like you expect inside

Some properties will forever be woven into television history. The house on North Gower Street, London that doubles for Mrs Hudson's house at 221b Baker Street, where Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson lived in the BBC Cymru Wales series Sherlock is instantly recognisable.

The huge and magnificent mansion where Downton Abbey was set, Highclere in Berkshire, is etched into every viewer's memory and, at the other end of the size scale, the Peckham tower block where Del Boy and Rodney Trotter lived is now a legendary address.

Closer to home in Wales, the Barry terrace house in Trinity Street is quickly remembered by Gavin & Stacey fans. And just around a few corners in the same town is 'Honolulu Heights' on Canon Street, where a vampire, werewolf and ghost lived in the cult classic supernatural drama Being Human starring Aidan Turner, that is a favourite with fans.

READ NEXT: Woodland house used as a retreat by Sherlock Holmes author is up for sale

Fictional Dibley is actually Turville (Savills, Henley-on-Thames)
Average house price in this quaint village is £1.2m (Savills, Henley-on-Thames)

And now there's a chance to buy a popular TV property, and it can genuinely be called a once in a lifetime opportunity as the sweet and picture-perfect period cottage from The Vicar of Dibley has come onto the market for the first time in over 60 years.

And now might be the time to bag it, as the property has just had a £200k price drop from the £900,000 listed price in September to a guide price of £695,000.

The brick and beam cottage, that so many viewers fell in love with, is where comedian Dawn French's title character Geraldine Granger lived. She was the local vicar and the front of the property featured heavily in the show, with the front door constantly being opened to the villagers calling round to share their problems and stories, and usually at inconvenient moments.

The Vicar of Dibley was one of the BBC's most popular TV comedies, running from November 1994 until January 2007. Other prominent cast members included Emma Chambers as the vicar's best friend Alice Spring Horton, Roger Lloyd Pack as Owen Newitt, Gary Waldhorn as David Horton and The Hobbit and Spooks actor Richard Armitage as the vicar's love interest Harry Kennedy.

Church cottage nestles in a prime spot by the village green and church (Savills, Henley-on-Thames)
Views of the village green and church from the cottage are classic, quintessential village views (Savills, Henley-on-Thames)

The famous village green is just opposite the cottage for sale, as well as the church that featured in the show, St Mary the Virgin Church that doubled as Dibley's St Barnabus. The village is no stranger to TV cameras, over the years it has appeared in films and TV shows including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Goodnight Mr Tom, Midsomer Murders and Killing Eve.

In reality the property is called Church Cottage and is located in the gorgeous and quaint village of Turville near Henley-on Thames, that is packed with equally picturesque properties, many dating back to the 16th century.

Surrounded by rural farmland and beech woods, with footpaths and bridleways offering beautiful countryside for walking and riding, the area is an idyllic place to call home, with the average house price in the village over the last year, according to Rightmove, up by 7% to the eye-watering £1.2m level.

But Church Cottage will forever be remembered as a prominent slice of the Vicar of Dibley's home. The house is a two-bedroom, two-storey home with a bonus cellar. The property achieved a Grade II listing from Historic England in 1986 for being 'a 17th century timber and later brick infilled house, once white-washed house, with the right gable rebuilt in flint and brick'.

Lounge has beams and a fireplace (Savills, Henley-on-Thames)
Bonus cellar (Savills, Henley-on-Thames)

The front door will not be opened by the vicar though when you knock, as there's no sign of Geraldine - the house has been occupied by the same tenant for over 60 years. Inside, there's no sign of the vicar's interior design choices - they have been left at the set inside the TV studio - and so a new owner may want to update the interior design to suit their style, from classic country cottage to minimalist and modern, whilst bearing in mind the listed status of the property.

Property agent Charlie Chavasse from Savills in Henley-on-Thames, summarises the accommodation on offer at the cottage. He says: "Accessed from the front via the grounds of St Mary the Virgin Church, the front door opens into the sitting room and enjoys a dual aspect and open fireplace.

Kitchen looking for an update (Savills, Henley-on-Thames)
The cottage is looking for an upgrade, including the bathroom (Savills, Henley-on-Thames)

"The kitchen can be found on the other side of the property and has access to a cellar, while to the rear of the sitting room is a lobby and ground floor bathroom. Stairs from the sitting room lead to the first floor, where there are two double bedrooms with views overlooking the village green, church and the hilltop up to Cobstone Windmill."

At the front of the cottage is the quintessential village green and church view from every window. Around the back of the property, the garden is predominantly laid to lawn with a hedge border and timber shed, and at the end of the garden is a path that leads to the carport, which can also be accessed from a rear lane.

Bedroom one has built-in storage (Savills, Henley-on-Thames)
Bedroom two can boast the most beams (Savills, Henley-on-Thames)

The owners of Church Cottage say: "It has been very exciting to own a property that has appeared in such a popular sitcom and its connection with the Vicar of Dibley has often proved an interesting talking point among friends and family. It was lovely to see the house on screen and I hope the new owners will be very happy here."

And while you're mulling over what you might do to the cottage to make it your own, both internally and maybe extending it subject to planning permission, the village pub is only just across the village green to welcome you, help you relax with your thoughts, and to find your property inspiration - just don't expect the Vicar of Dibley to turn up and offer to buy you a bag of crisps or pork scratchings.

Rear of the cottage (Savills, Henley-on-Thames)
Rear garden is a good size (Savills, Henley-on-Thames)
Access to the a handy carport is via a lane at the end of the garden (Savills, Henley-on-Thames)

Church Cottage is for sale with Savills, call their Henley-on-Thames branch on 01491 843000 to find out more. And don't miss the best dream homes in Wales, auction properties, renovation stories, and interiors - join the Amazing Welsh Homes newsletter , sent to your inbox twice a week.

READ NEXT:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.