Raffle House: Win this £2.5m property once owned by Henry VIII

The luxury £2.5m Wiltshire property on offer in Raffle House’s latest competition is steeped in history, having been owned by one of England’s most famous Kings and also one of its most esteemed universities.

Originally built in the 1500s, the character-filled property was gifted by Henry VIII to Edward Seymour, the brother of the King’s third wife, Jane Seymour, in 1536.

It remained in the Seymour family for more than 100 years after Edward was executed, before being donated to Brasenose College at the University of Oxford.

The Grade II-listed property was extended in the 1700s to incorporate the Tudor-style Queen Anne wing, which takes the total floorspace up to more than 5,000 square feet.

The beautifully modernised home has six bedrooms, four reception rooms and three bathrooms. There is also a playroom, a cloakroom and a cosy upstairs study in addition to a larger downstairs office.

The heart of the house is a fabulous eat-in farmhouse kitchen, which boasts modern cabinets mixed with traditional wooden ceiling beams. This opens into the sitting room, which leads to the dining area in a semi-open-plan layout.

Underground, the house also has two cellars, perfect for a history buff who may want to recreate King Henry VIII’s famous wine cellar in London’s Whitehall Palace.

Though the house has been extensively renovated in recent years, it retains some of its original features, including the elm floors and main staircase of the property.

The detached home sits on 2.75 acres in a rural hamlet, with mature and beautifully landscaped gardens wrapped around a walled garden.

The luxury home comes fully furnished, and Raffle House also covers stamp duty costs and fees, so the winner will be able to move in without spending a penny.

An added bonus is that the property comes with a series of outbuildings, which include a 1,900-square-foot barn that has planning permission to convert to a four-bedroom house.

“We’re really excited by our latest Dream Home draw for so many reasons. It’s not only rich in history, but also full of potential,” said James Mieville, Executive Director of Raffle House.

“With the outbuildings ripe for development and the tranquil setting being in such close proximity to London, we could easily imagine the property being an ideal spot for a retreat or holiday rental business. The winner could even build a house in the barn and then sell off the main house. The potential here is endless.

“We always give our winners the chance to keep the property they win or take the cash equivalent instead. But this prize also offers development potential and a possible business opportunity, so the lucky winner will have even more options than usual.”

Though set in a quiet location, the house is less than 20 minutes from Swindon station, offering fast trains into London. It’s also only a 10-minute drive to Royal Wootton Bassett.

A portion of each entry into the draw goes to charity. Unlike many other prize competitions, rather than choosing one charity to support with each of its Dream Home draws, Raffle House allows players to choose one of 14 charities to direct the charitable donation portion of their entry to.

When buying entries, players can choose between Brain Tumour Research, Dogs for Autism, Dragonfly Cancer Trust, Felix Fund, Head Up, Infection Prevention Society, It Gets Better, Penny’s Ark, Phoenix Rehoming, Pipal Tree, Sense, Serve On, War Paws and When you Wish Upon a Star.

Paid entries to the draw can be purchased from £10, which gives players 15 chances to win, and there’s also the option to enter for free via post. Entries close on February 28, and the winner will be drawn on March 7.

Those entering before January 31 will also be entered into the bonus draw for a Mercedes AMG Coupe worth £55,000. See RaffleHouse.com.