Location

Chipping Campden is perhaps among the most beautiful and unspoilt of all the Cotswold market towns and the High Street was described by Nikolaus Pesvner as "the best piece of townscape in Gloucestershire, arguably one of the best in England". Much of the prosperity and wealth associated with the town came from the wool trade which is highlighted by the great perpendicular church of St James' dating from the thirteenth century and subsequently transformed in the fifteenth century into a complete unity.

The nearby Court Barn is now a museum celebrating the rich Arts & Crafts tradition of the area. Chipping Campden is situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and lies within comfortable driving distance of the main centres of Cheltenham, Worcester and the important town of Stratford-upon-Avon which benefits from a recently opened Waitrose. There are fast train services to London Paddington from nearby Moreton-in-Marsh station. Chipping Campden itself offers a very good range of shops and other services catering for most day-to-day needs. There is a highly rated secondary school in Chipping Campden which has built a deserved reputation over the years and in addition there are several preparatory and independent schools in Cheltenham and Stratford-upon-Avon for both boys and girls. There is a doctor's surgery and library.

The world famous Dover's Games, or Robert Dover's Cotswold Olimpicks, have been held annually on the outskirts of the town since 1612 and are believed to be the roots of the modern Olympic Movement. For those interested in country pursuits the general area provides excellent riding and walking within countryside designated as a Special Landscape Area. There are excellent sporting opportunities in the region, including golf at nearby Broadway with further courses at Naunton Downs, Stratford-upon-Avon and Cheltenham. National Hunt Racing at Cheltenham, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick and Worcester and Polo at Cirencester. Other sporting venues include Premiership rugby at Worcester and Gloucester, County Cricket at Worcester and a first class cricket festival at Cheltenham is held annually in July. Stratford-upon-Avon is home to the world renowned Royal Shakespeare Company and the Memorial Theatre. There are many historic houses and gardens in the immediate locality including the internationally famous Hidcote Gardens, in the ownership of the National Trust, and the highly acclaimed Kiftsgate Court Gardens.

Description

In the early twentieth century, the market town of Chipping Campden became a centre of the Cotswold Arts & Crafts Movement after Charles Robert Ashbee relocated there from London in 1902. Artists and writers settled locally and founded the Campden Trust, initially to protect Dover's Hill from development. The Movement's legacy has fostered appreciation for the conservation of traditional Cotswold ideals, materials, and craftsmanship.

A full history of the property can be viewed at the Gordon Russell Museum in Broadway.

In 1924 Sir Gordon Russell bought land on the outskirts of Chipping Campden and commissioned architect Leslie Mansfield to design a family home using traditional methods. Kingcombe is built of locally quarried Cotswold limestone with classic Cotswold roofs of graduated stone tiles and swept valleys. Mullioned windows, solid chimney stacks, fine doorways and porch heads reflect the region's architectural heritage. The house and garden became Sir Gordon's passion; it was enlarged in 1935 and continued to evolve into a substantial country residence. Standing alone in an elevated position, it enjoys glorious south-easterly views across rolling countryside towards Chipping Campden. In 2025, Kingcombe marks a century of craftsmanship and Cotswold heritage.

Accommodation is arranged over three floors, with room layouts detailed on the floorplans. Internally, the property retains exceptional original detailing. Oak panelling, staircases, bookcases and wardrobes designed by Sir Gordon express the Arts & Crafts ideals of simplicity and craftsmanship. In recent years, the house, gardens and grounds have been sensitively restored to create an exceptional country home.

A sweeping drive leads to a striking entrance hall.
The partly panelled hall features a graceful staircase and picture window overlooking an internal courtyard garden.
The elegant drawing room includes a fine chimneypiece, original cabinetry, marquetry-inlaid double doors and French windows opening to a stone terrace.
A comfortable triple-aspect sitting room retains numerous original features.
The dining room has sliding doors opening onto a covered balcony with magnificent views over Chipping Campden.
There is also a charming study and a well-proportioned music room.
The kitchen/breakfast room connects to a laundry and pantry.

Kingcombe has been thoughtfully modernised with an open-plan family kitchen/breakfast area and an enclosed balcony, blending modern comfort with its Arts & Crafts character.
A double-height atrium features a staircase and lantern window to the upper courtyard.

The first floor offers two exceptional bedroom suites with dressing rooms, plus three further double bedrooms and two additional bathrooms.

The second floor includes two attractive bedroom suites with elevated views.

There is also a wine cellar.

Close to the house on the west side is a large stone terrace and lawn with box-edged beds. An open loggia stands in the corner, with an elevated path bordered by climbing roses and stone benches. The formal gardens extend westwards, where topiary, stone walls and a mature beech hedge divide the grounds into a series of "rooms."

Secret openings reveal unexpected vistas, some hidden behind high hedges. Stone steps flank raised troughs forming a cascading waterfall. From these steps, an enclosed vine-covered space with a stone table offers summer shade. Straight allées lead the eye towards the informal gardens, where borders of herbaceous planting and a whimsical topiary bird create a sense of discovery. Modern design appears in the Art Deco–style natural swimming pool, lined on one side with repeated arches.

Near the pool stands a stone folly with battlements resembling a small castle. The informal gardens include interlinked spring-fed ponds and notable mature trees. Beyond the gardens is an excellent hard tennis court, followed by a sheep-grazed pasture meadow of about four and a half acres.

In total, the grounds extend to approximately 11.14 acres.

Directions

From London take the M40 to Junction 8 at Oxford and then the A40 Oxford Ring Road to the A44. Proceed past Chipping Norton to Moreton-in-Marsh. In the centre of Moreton continue on the A44 through Bourton-on-the-Hill and continue several miles passing the turning for Chipping Campden. At the next right hand turn, also signed Chipping Campden, take the B4081. Continue along this road for several miles and immediately after the crossroads, Kingcombe will be found on the right hand side. The principal drive to the house is via electrically operated metal gates.