There is little to confirm the famous story of how Sir Walter Raleigh spread his cloak across a puddle so that Elizabeth I could walk over it. Such stories, however, helped to fuel rumours of a relationship between the pair. Another rumour surrounds the Manor House in Downton, Wiltshire, above, which was let to the Queen by Winchester College in the early 17th century, at which point some members of the Raleigh family moved in. Sir Walter never lived there but was a frequent visitor; rumours abound that a meeting between him and the Queen took place in the house. It’s for sale through Cluttons for £1.6 million. 01962 760207.
Housebuyers seem to be taking Iron Maiden’s 1980s heavy metal classic cry of Run to the Hills literally. In a recent survey by www.houseprices.co.uk, 79 per cent of those asked want to buy property on higher ground to escape the predicted rises in sea levels and flash floods. With climate change experts giving warning that these could be the biggest dangers we face, property moguls are thinking ahead and investing in houses in the hills, which could mean the higher the property, the higher the price.
Fancy yourself as a bit of a wine connoisseur? With the French feeling the pinch from the soaring sales of New World wines, perhaps it’s time for the Isle of Wight to get in on the act. Adgestone Vineyard, near Sandown, is a working vineyard, selling 15,000 bottles of wine a year. It has a café, four-bedroom house, ten acres of countryside and offers regular tours of the vineyard and winery. But don’t be put off if you don’t know your sancerre from your sauvignon blanc: there’s a professional viniculturalist employed by the business. It’s for sale for £895,000. Contact Colliers Robert Barry: 02380 636333.
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With National Singles Week coming to an end, it is worth noting that a survey by Solo’s Holidays reports that money is still the biggest concern for British singletons, with 81 per cent of those polled feeling that finances are more difficult as a single person. And the top concern? Buying a property, of course.
lorna.blackwood@thetimes.co.uk