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BUILT in 1896 as part of a Brakspear Brewery terrace,
2 Stag Cottages is a former off-licence that was once home to the same family for almost 90 years.

Brian Helweg-Larsen and his wife bought it in 2006 having seen past the peeling wallpaper and ancient plumbing to the character bones beneath.

With the help of a local architect and Hambleden tradespeople, the couple transformed it into a warm and efficient home that still feels rooted in its history.

The renovation was a major one — damp-proofing, insulation, underfloor heating throughout, a stylish new kitchen and bathroom and all the energy-saving touches a 21st-century cottage should have. The living room is light, with limestone flooring, fitted shelving, a wood-burning stove and spectacular views that stretch across the rolling Chiltern Hills.

The kitchen continues the natural palette with wood cabinetry, integrated appliances and access to the garden. Upstairs are two generous double bedrooms, one with twin front windows framing long views over the valley, the other with a vaulted ceiling and loft access with potential for conversion, subject to planning permission.

Outside, the west-facing garden catches the afternoon sun — ideal for a glass of wine as it dips behind the hills — and there’s off-road parking for up to three cars, with extra free spaces just 50 yards away on Bottom Hill.

A paved terrace gives space for summer dining and a small rear courtyard opens to the lane above.

Hambleden, a traditional, very English village, is very popular with cinema and TV studios. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Sleepy Hollow, 101 Dalmatians, Band of Brothers, Poirot and New Tricks have all borrowed its honey-stone backdrop.

Yet it’s far from a museum piece. The village hums with life. There’s a shop and post office, the Stag and Huntsman pub, tennis courts, cricket, football, a social club and bell-ringing at St Mary the Virgin, a church unusually large for its size, thanks to its medieval connection with St Thomas de Cantilupe, once Lord High Chancellor of England, all within a short walk from the cottage.

For walkers, cyclists and nature-watchers, there’s gentle riverside paths or, for the energetic, the infamous “Cardiac Alley” hill climb. Henley is only five miles away, Marlow six, with mainline trains to London Paddington and the Elizabeth Line and the M4 and M40 are within easy reach.

For anyone looking to downsize, start fresh in the countryside, or simply live somewhere that makes every weekend feel like a film set, this little corner of Hambleden is hard to beat.

l 2 Stag Cottages has a guide price of £425,000, freehold with no onward chain. For more information and to arrange a viewing, call Philip Booth Esq on (01491) 876544.