A Country House Divided Offers Luxury on a Small Scale

The grand country estate of Albury Park, about an hour’s drive southwest of central London, is home to a 30,000-square-foot mansion with 63 chimneys and 5 acres of formal gardens. Over centuries, it has been owned by a series of dukes and earls. Today, for about $1.3 million, a buyer can own a piece of the home—but should take care not to disturb the neighbors in the property’s other 11 apartments.

Albury Park is one of a number of large country homes in the U.K. that have been split into luxury flats in recent years. Once the domain of the landed gentry, these estates, now divided, tend to attract international buyers seeking stylish seasonal, low-maintenance retreats in the countryside, as well as locals looking for luxury on a manageable scale.

“When houses get to 50,000 or 60,000 square feet, they’re just too big for British people. The value actually decreases,” said Robin Paterson, joint chairman of Sotheby’s International Realty in the U.K. Homes above the 20,000-square-foot mark can be a hard sell in Britain, he said.

For buyers, these apartments represent a more affordable way to buy into a very expensive market. Property prices in London’s prime country-house sector have been on the rise for 13 consecutive quarters, according to a 2016 report by real-estate agency Knight Frank. Although still down from their 2007 highs, prices for prime country houses were up 2.4% in the 12 months ending in March 2016.

Richard Thoburn, 58 years old, owns one of 11 apartments in Wyfold Court Mansion near Henley-on-Thames in the English countryside. The country home was built over a century ago for a wealthy cotton magnate, and redeveloped in the late 1990s into nearly a dozen luxury properties. Mr. Thoburn, who owns a financial public-relations and advertising agency, paid about $1.4 million for the property when he bought it in 2006. His primary residence in the U.K. is a rental in central London, close to his office.

“I once convinced a friend visiting that I owned the whole place when we arrived outside in my car,” said Mr. Thoburn, who has now listed his 3,300-square-foot slice of the mansion with Savills SVS 0.00 % for $2.7 million. “It was pretty obvious once we got upstairs and there was another door to unlock that that wasn’t the case.” Now, he says, he travels abroad so much that he wants to downsize.

Agents say there is typically no application process for buying an apartment in one of these properties; anyone with the money can buy. Because many of these buildings are historically listed, renovations need to fall in line with the rules of English conservation authorities, as well as the terms of the purchase agreement, says Stephen Christie-Miller, head of Savills office in Henley-on-Thames.

Most agents say the large, sturdy nature of these homes, as well as the fact that many are only seasonally occupied, reduces the feeling that residents are living on top of each other in the country.

The conversion of Albury Park was designed with a view toward international buyers who might only want to live in the property for a few months out of the year, said Cheryl Prime of Sotheby’s U.K. country-property division. When they’re not there, she said, they benefit from year-round caretakers, who mind the gardens and other common spaces. Many units also have private roof terraces, she said.

Inside the Apartments of English Country Estates

A look at some of the luxury flats inside historic English country homes like Albury Park, Wyfold Court and Apley Park

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The grand country estate of Albury Park, about an hour’s drive southwest of central London. It is one of a number of large country homes in the U.K. that have been split into luxury flats in recent years. Vanessa Berberian for The Wall Street Journal …

A view of the front entrance of Albury Park. Once the domain of the landed gentry, these estates, now divided, tend to attract international buyers seeking stylish seasonal, low-maintenance retreats in the countryside, as well as locals looking for luxury on a manageable scale. Vanessa Berberian for The Wall Street Journal …

A reception area, one of the common spaces at Albury Park. Vanessa Berberian for The Wall Street Journal …

Over the centuries, Albury Park has been owned by a series of dukes and earls. Here, an example of the ballroom. Vanessa Berberian for The Wall Street Journal …

Wyfold Court Mansion, near Henley-on-Thames in the English countryside, was built over a century ago for a wealthy cotton magnate. Vanessa Berberian for The Wall Street Journall …

In the 1990s, Wyfold Court was redeveloped into nearly a dozen luxury apartments. Here, a communal staircase. Vanessa Berberian for The Wall Street Journal …

Most agents say the large, sturdy nature of these homes, as well as the fact that many are only seasonally occupied, reduces the feeling that residents are living on top of each other in the country. Here, a communal corridor. Vanessa Berberian for The Wall Street Journal …

For buyers, these apartments also represent a more affordable way to buy into a very expensive market. Property prices in London’s prime country-house sector have been on the rise for 13 consecutive quarters, according to a 2016 report by real-estate agency Knight Frank. A communal sitting room is shown here. Vanessa Berberian for The Wall Street Journall …

“When houses get to 50,000 or 60,000 square feet, they’re just too big for British people. The value actually decreases,” said Robin Paterson, joint chairman and chief executive of Sotheby’s International Realty in the U.K. Here, the kitchen of an apartment at Wyfold Court. Vanessa Berberian for The Wall Street Journal …

“I once convinced a friend visiting that I owned the whole place when we arrived outside in my car,” said Richard Thoburn, a 58-year-old who owns a financial public relations and advertising agency, and owns one of 11 apartments in Wyfold Court Mansion. Vanessa Berberian for The Wall Street Journal …

Mr. Thoburn has now listed his 3,300-square-foot slice of the mansion with Savills for $2.7 million. He says he is selling his place because he travels too much and doesn’t spend enough time there. Vanessa Berberian for The Wall Street Journal …

Tim Wentworth is selling his apartment at Apley Park, in a Gothic mansion seven miles from where he grew up on his grandfather’s farm near the River Severn in Shropshire, a county some three hours northwest of London. Vanessa Berberian for The Wall Street Journal …

Mr. Wentworth’s six-bedroom apartment, set over three south-facing floors, is one of 17 units on the property and located in the main building, called Library House. Vanessa Berberian for The Wall Street Journal …

The apartment at Apley Park includes the house’s former library, as well as a dining room fashioned out of a former chapel. Vanessa Berberian for The Wall Street Journal …

Mr. Wentworth, now 69 years old, says he is looking to move into a home without so many stairs. He has listed his home with Savills for $1.4 million, but says it’s hard to envision life outside of an estate home. Vanessa Berberian for The Wall Street Journal …

The grounds at Apley Park. Many country homes have manicured gardens, cared for by groundskeepers. Agents say this is helpful for residents who don’t want to worry about working in the yard because of frequent travel plans. Vanessa Berberian for The Wall Street Journal …

Tim and Claire Wentworth on their lawn at Library House, Apley Park. They are looking to downsize and move out of the large estate where they currently live. Vanessa Berberian for The Wall Street Journal …

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Tim Wentworth, a retired banker who spent many years in London, says he doesn’t mind having close neighbors. He was excited to be living at Apley Park, in a Gothic mansion 7 miles from where he grew up in Shropshire, a county some three hours northwest of London near the Welsh border. Mr. Wentworth paid $1.2 million for his home in late 2004 and moved in in 2006 after doing substantial renovation work.

His six-bedroom apartment, set over three south-facing floors, is one of 17 units on the property and located in the main building, called Library House. The apartment includes the house’s former library, as well as a dining room fashioned out of a former chapel; the estate is still owned by trustees of the fifth Lord Hamilton of Dalzell.

Mr. Wentworth, now 69 years old, says he is looking to move into a home without so many stairs. He has listed his home with Savills for $1.4 million, but says it’s hard to envision life outside of an estate home.

“I’m finding it very difficult to contemplate anything less than 20-foot ceilings,” he said.

Write to Charlie Wells at [email protected]