Reckless Reality |

In the rolling countryside of the North Wessex Downs, Linkenholt is the archetypal English village. Now, for a cool £22.5 million, it could all be yours, as the entire village – including every house in it – goes up for sale.

The historic village of 22 houses and cottages is part of a 2,000 acre estate which will go on the market later this month. t is located in the Test Valley, north Hampshire, near the borders with Berkshire and Wiltshire – a region officially designated by Natural England as an area of outstanding natural beauty

Among the properties included for sale are a cricket pitch and pavilion, which doubles as the village hall, a large three-storey manor house, and a village shop run from the front room of one of the homes.
Also included in the sale are two properties from which agricultural blacksmiths operate, a commercial shoot, farming land, and an educational activity centre for children.

The only property in the village not owned by the estate is its church, St Peters, which dates back to the 12th century but was rebuilt significantly in 1871. It still holds services, on the third Sunday of each month.

The estate is currently owned by a charitable trust, set up by Herbert Blagrave – a keen cricketer, racehorse owner and trainer and one time president of Southampton Football Club – and his brother, Peter. Herbert Blagrave, who owned the land, died more than 20 years ago.

The Herbert and Peter Blagrave Charitable Trust was set up to provide funds for organisations helping disabled children and injured jockeys. It also set up the activity centre on the estate to help children learn more about the countryside.

The Trust is selling the estate in order to reinvest the proceeds and will continue to function, as well as to run the activity centre at Linkenholt.

The village has around 40 inhabitants, all of whom will receive booklets from the estate, informing them of the sale plans.

The village is being sold through estate agents Jackson-Stops and Staff. A spokeswoman said: “The trust wants to reinvest in a more diverse portfolio. The estate will definitely be sold as a whole.”