Alan Titchmarsh and his wife Alison have reduced the asking price of their Hampshire farmhouse by £450,000 after struggling to find a buyer, according to reports. The 17th-century, five-bedroom Georgian property in Holybourne was first listed last September for just under £4 million.
The couple, who have lived in the Grade II-listed home since 2002, are selling to be closer to Titchmarsh's two daughters and grandchildren in Surrey. Despite widespread publicity, the property has not sold at the original price, prompting the significant reduction.
Titchmarsh, 76, has spoken about the emotional difficulty of leaving the farmhouse, which he and Alison renovated over two decades. He described the move as "a wrench" but said he is approaching it positively, citing the need to downsize and the challenges of maintaining a period property and four-acre grounds.
In BBC Gardeners' World, he wrote: "So why go? Well... it's time. 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." He added that the decision was influenced by practical considerations, including age and the desire to move on before maintenance becomes overwhelming.
The couple's daughters helped them find a new home, described by Titchmarsh as "long, low, modern - a complete contrast to a Georgian farmhouse." Reflecting on his time in Holybourne, he said: "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."
