4 bed detached house for sale

Tile Barn, Woolton Hill RG20

The coach house


Tile Barn • Woolton Hill •

Designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott (1811–1878)

Architect of the Albert Memorial • St Pancras Midland Grand Hotel • Surveyor of Westminster Abbey 1849

A rare country home of remarkable provenance

Tucked away in the middle of one of Woolton Hill’s most exclusive private lanes, The Coach House, Tile Barn is a home of extraordinary character, history and atmosphere. Originally designed as part of the Tile Barn estate by Sir George Gilbert Scott, one of Britain’s most celebrated Victorian architects, this remarkable former coach house has been thoughtfully adapted over the years into a beautiful and highly individual family home.

Set amongst mature gardens and approached via a tree-lined private lane, the house combines architectural significance with warm, practical living spaces designed for family life. Behind the striking patterned brick and flint elevations lies a home full of volume, light and personality - where high ceilings, original features and carefully proportioned rooms create a sense of quiet and homely grandeur without feeling overly formal.

For those seeking a country house with soul, privacy and genuine architectural pedigree, The Coach House is something truly rare.

First impressions

When you imagine days gone by with coaches pulled by horses, there is something wonderfully cinematic about arriving in Tile Barn. The private lane winds gently through mature trees before revealing a collection of distinguished homes hidden quietly within.

The Coach House immediately stands apart. A detached residence with the Gothic-revival features - the archway for the coaches, patterned brick and flint details on the walls, curved tiles on the high roof and beautifully detailed elevations speak of Sir George Gilbert Scott’s unmistakable hand. Originally built as the coach house and stables to Tile Barn House, the architecture was designed not simply to serve a function, but to complement the grandeur of the wider estate - and that attention to detail remains evident today.

Despite its significance, the house feels welcoming rather than imposing. Gravel crunches beneath your tyres, mature planting softens the approach and the gardens wrap naturally around the house, creating privacy and calm from every angle.

Inside the Coach HouseThe entrance hall and dining room

Step through the front door and the character of the house reveals itself immediately.

The entrance hall feels warm and inviting, with natural light, practical storage and period detailing setting the tone for the accommodation beyond.

The dining room is one of the home’s standout spaces. High ceilings, elegant proportions and soft muted tones create a room equally suited to large family gatherings or intimate candlelit dinners. There is a quiet sense of occasion here - the kind of room that naturally draws people together.

Beyond, the orangery offers a wonderful contrast: Light-filled and relaxed, with views across the gardens and seamless access outside. Whether used for morning coffee, evening drinks or simply somewhere peaceful to sit with a book, it becomes an extension of the garden for much of the year.

A useful cellar below provides excellent additional storage and could serve equally well as a wine store.

The drawing room

The principal reception room sits inside the original coach arch itself - an architectural feature that gives the room symmetry, scale and character.

Large windows flood the space with natural light, while the fireplace and open Jetmaster fire create warmth and atmosphere during the winter months. This room feels comfortable and deeply liveable; a space equally suited to quiet evenings or larger gatherings with friends and family.

Heart of the homeThe kitchen and family room

Like many family homes, daily life at The Coach House naturally centres around the kitchen.

Filled with natural morning light, the kitchen combines practicality with charm. There is ample room for cooking and relaxed family breakfasts, while glimpses of the gardens keep the room connected to the outside.

Adjacent sits a more informal family room with vaulted ceiling and mullioned window - a relaxed space for films, reading, games or simply escaping the pace of busier parts of the house.

Together, these rooms create a wonderfully sociable heart to the home.

Flexible living

One of the most interesting aspects of The Coach House is the flexibility of its accommodation.

The current owners acquired the adjoining single story ancillary building known as The Pumping House (although it is thought this additional was more to do with electrical installations for the main house) and this was thoughtfully incorporated into the main home. Today, this additional space provides a series of highly adaptable rooms currently arranged as bedrooms, bathroom, utility room and a potting shed.

With its own entrance and proximity to the second driveway and double garage, this area could work beautifully as guest accommodation, for multigenerational living, consulting rooms or a home office suite, subject to any required consents.

Upstairs

The staircase rises to a split landing where natural light pours in through large windows overlooking the surrounding gardens and neighbouring Tile Barn House. Reminiscent of a stately home setting, it is a gentle reminder of the history of your surroundings.

The principal suite is calm and beautifully proportioned, with a dressing area, walk-in wardrobe and modern ensuite shower room creating a genuine retreat from the rest of the house.

Three further bedrooms offer excellent flexibility for family and guests alike, each enjoying high ceilings, plenty of light, lovely outlooks and plenty of character.

The family bathroom serves the remaining bedrooms and continues the home’s blend of period charm and practical modern living.

The gardens

The gardens at The Coach House have been lovingly tended by the current owner, and feel wonderfully established and private, shaped over many years with care and understanding of the setting.

Mature trees and layered planting create enclosure without restricting light, while different seating areas allow you to follow the sun throughout the day - from morning coffee on the terrace to evening drinks overlooking the lawn.

There is a timeless quality to the grounds that perfectly complements the architecture itself; informal yet elegant, peaceful yet highly usable for modern family life.

A double garage with workshop provides excellent practical storage alongside ample driveway parking.

The setting

Tile Barn is one of those rare addresses that manages to feel hidden while remaining incredibly convenient. Situated in the heart of Woolton Hill on the Berkshire and Hampshire border, the setting offers a wonderful balance of countryside living and day-to-day practicality.

The village itself is thriving and well connected, with a genuine sense of community that has become increasingly hard to find. There are excellent local infant and junior schools within very short walking distance, a village shop and Post Office, doctor’s surgery, tennis club, playground and sports field and popular village pub, The Rampant Cat.

For independent and secondary schools, there is a plentiful choice, and many school buses run from the village.

Beyond, miles of footpaths and bridleways stretch across the North Hampshire Downs and surrounding countryside. Walks through woodland, open farmland and gallops used by some of England’s finest racehorses begin virtually from the doorstep. The Malverleys loop is a favourite for locals, a pit stop for coffee and a croissant, or a 3 course dinner should you prefer. A sturdier walk is to The Jack Russell at Faccombe or The Crown and Garter at Inkpen, and the open space of Greenham Common is a short drive away.

For commuters, Newbury station is approximately six miles away, providing direct services to London Paddington in around 50 minutes, while the A34 and M4 are easily accessible.

A home with history

Very few private homes can claim a direct connection to one of Britain’s greatest architects.

Sir George Gilbert Scott was responsible for many of the Victorian era’s defining buildings, including the Albert Memorial, St Pancras Midland Grand Hotel and extensive works at Westminster Abbey. His influence on British architecture remains profound.

The Coach House forms part of that legacy.

What makes the property particularly special is that Scott’s architectural thinking is still so clearly visible here - not in the grand civic scale of his public buildings, but in the craftsmanship, proportions and detailing of a beautifully conceived country estate building.

The patterned brickwork, Gothic arches, rooflines and careful use of materials all carry the hallmarks of Scott’s work. This is not simply an attractive period house; it is a home with genuine architectural significance.

And yet, despite that pedigree, The Coach House remains first and foremost a deeply comfortable and welcoming place to live.

The lifestyle

Life here moves at a different pace.

Children walk to school through the village. Dogs head out onto woodland trails from the garden gate. Friends gather around the dining table after weekends at Newbury Racecourse or long lunches at local pubs.

London remains comfortably within reach, but daily life feels rooted in countryside rhythms - quieter, slower and more connected.

The Coach House offers that increasingly rare combination: A house of real beauty and substance, set within a genuine village community, surrounded by landscape and history, yet entirely suited to modern family living.