With their heart in the country but needing to be near schools for their children, the double fronted Georgian stone house which Fi and Patick found on the edge of a pretty Cotswold town, was a perfect location and perfect in every other way. Set on a steep incline, tucked away in a rural oasis and overlooked by a majestic Wellington with one and a half acres of terraced garden, there was room for a tennis court and a pool, and two small guest cottages were included in the sale. Fi’s heart missed a beat as she drove down the drive for the first time and glimpsed the fine stone double fronted façade with four large bay windows. ‘ Even before I was through the front door, I knew it was the house for us. It had a happy atmosphere. ‘ The other features she approved were the high ceilings, large rooms and tall sash windows. ‘We were living in a tiny cottage at the time, great for two but not for five of us, so the contrast was dramatic and liberating. We could hardly wait to move in.’