Stonepit Close, Godalming, GU7

Low ceilings, thick walls and a settled air: Stonepit Close in Godalming is the home of this period cottage. The historic market town around it has half-timbered streets and a lively High Street.

Two reception rooms give the cottage more room than its frontage suggests. One suits an evening in front of the fire, the other a long table for friends. The period character shows in the exposed beams, the small-paned windows and the staircase that bends upward, giving the rooms an individual feel that new builds seldom match.

Three bedrooms on the upper level are served by two bathrooms, which is rarely a feature of a cottage of this age.

Step outside and the south-facing garden takes over, private and sunny, with space for beds and a bench. For anyone who has wanted a cottage with proper room to breathe, this one answers.