CROWN JEWELS

Hold court in a resplendent home with regal history. By Marie-claire Chappet

Reign supreme in palatial homes with Royal connections

CROCKHAM HOUSE, KENT £3,500,000

With its Tudor charm and surrounding 20 acres of sylvan splendour, this Grade Ii-listed country house was adored by the Queen Mother, who spent her childhood summers here when it was owned by her aunt, Alice Bowes-lyon. Contact Knight Frank (www.knightfrank.co.uk).

POXWELL MANOR, DORSET £3,750,000

While inspecting the naval fleet at Weymouth in the 1780s, George III stayed at Poxwell Manor several times, and it’s easy to see why: the Grade I-listed property contains a medley of mediaeval halls and ornate bedrooms. Its new owners will no doubt appreciate the addition of a tennis court and helipad. Contact Strutt & Parker (www.struttandparker.com).

ELSWORTHY ROAD, LONDON £28,500,000

A palatial mansion nestled in north-west London, this house was once favoured for its discretion: in the 1930s, Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII used it as a meeting place for their clandestine affair. Contact Knight Frank (www.knightfrank.co.uk).

YARNTON MANOR, OXFORDSHIRE £9,000,000

This majestic manor, with its intricately carved wooden walls and stained-glass windows, is steeped in history. During the English Civil War, it was used as a Royalist military hospital, and Charles I took refuge here when he was escaping the siege of Oxford. Happily, it now offers a more peaceful prospect for those seeking rural sanctuary. Contact Knight Frank (www.knightfrank.co.uk).