Alan Titchmarsh and his wife have been forced to cut £450,000 from the asking price of their historic Hampshire farmhouse after months on the market without a buyer
Alan Titchmarsh and his wife Alison (Image: scu)
Alan Titchmarsh and his wife, Alison, have had to reduce the asking price of their Hampshire farmhouse by £450,000 after the property struggled to attract buyers, according to reports. The 17th-century, five-bedroom Georgian home in Holybourne was originally listed last September for just under £4 million.
The couple, who have lived in the Grade II-listed property since 2002, decided to sell as they looked to be closer to Titchmarsh’s two daughters and grandchildren in Surrey. The Daily Mail’s Richard Eden has revealed that, despite the extensive publicity surrounding the sale, the home failed to secure a buyer at the original price, prompting the major reduction.
Titchmarsh, 76, has spoken candidly about the emotional difficulty of parting with the farmhouse, which he and Alison lovingly restored over two decades. The broadcaster and gardening expert described leaving the home and its four-acre grounds as “a wrench” but admitted he is approaching the move with optimism.
“So why go? Well… it’s time,” he wrote in BBC Gardeners’ World. “Time for a new challenge. Time to downsize — a little — as those of us of relatively senior years are regularly told would be wise to do.”
Alan has put the four-acre home that he shares with his wife, Alison, up for sale (Image: UK Press via Getty Images)
The couple invested years transforming the property into a quintessentially English sanctuary. Over the decades, the farmhouse became the backdrop for family celebrations, gardening projects, and countless moments watching their grandchildren explore the meadows. For someone whose career has revolved around gardens and domestic spaces, moving on was never going to be simple.
“To be honest, we had no plans to move. When you restore an old house and make a garden around it, you pour so much of your heart and soul into it that moving on is bound to be a wrench,” Titchmarsh admitted.
The broadcaster explained that practical considerations, including the challenges of maintaining a historic home and its extensive grounds, ultimately influenced the decision. “When you are knocking on a bit (which I refuse to believe, despite what the numbers tell me) age puts one’s muse on the future — a future which I hope will be long and fulfilling,” he said. “Looking after four acres and a Grade II-listed house has been — and still is — a treat beyond measure, but the day will come when it starts to be overwhelming and I’d rather move on to fresh pastures before that becomes the case.”
The couple’s daughters played a key role in finding their new home, which Titchmarsh described as “long, low, modern — a complete contrast to a Georgian farmhouse.” Even with the excitement of a new beginning, the decision was not without its emotional weight.
Alison and Alan Titchmarsh(Image: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
“After making the decision, I hummed and haa-ed about the wisdom of it all. But once sound reasoning convinced me this was not giving in and winding down, but simply taking on a new challenge — a challenge that was do-able in the long term — the apprehension was replaced by excitement,” he said.
Reflecting on his years in Holybourne, Titchmarsh expressed his deep affection for the memories the home holds. “I will look back on the years spent here as some of the best of my life; seeing grandchildren come into the world and grow up running through our meadow. It has enriched our lives beyond measure and I will never forget it.”
Alan Titchmarsh’s representatives have been contacted by The Mirror for comment.
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