It's not always calm in the Cotswolds – this 18th-century cottage was once scattered with piles of rubble, but now oozes rustic charm and warmth

Exterior of bricked cottage house with lots of greenery in the front garden and a wooden door.

If you have ever imagined a dream cottage, tucked just-so into the English countryside, then Clacks Cottage might just be it. With its caramel-coloured Cotswold stone façade and blooming wraparound garden, this 18th-century gem has become the anchor for a former city-dwelling family’s new, slower-paced life.

For homeowner Emma Le Geyt, moving to the countryside wasn’t about escaping, it was about finding a new rhythm and an appreciation for a simpler way of being. ‘I’ve lived in London since my university days and loved it for all its energy and the opportunities it’s given to me,’ she explains, ‘but we craved a less hurried lifestyle and wanted to feel part of a village community.’