Vicar of Dibley cottage for sale with £375,000 auction starting price
A 17th-century Buckinghamshire cottage featured in the much-loved BBC sitcom is heading to auction, with a starting price far below its previous £900,000 listing.
Fans of one of Britain's best-loved sitcoms have the chance to own a little piece of television history after a picturesque cottage featured in The Vicar of Dibley was put up for auction.
Church Cottage, in the Buckinghamshire village of Turville, is being offered with a starting bid of £375,000, although anyone hoping to snap up a bargain may face some stiff competition.
The Grade II-listed property stands next door to the cottage used as the fictional home of Geraldine Granger, the much-loved vicar played by Dawn French in the hit BBC comedy.
While the neighbouring house provided the famous front door seen in many episodes, wider exterior shots included both properties, making Church Cottage a familiar sight to millions of viewers.
The two-bedroom home, which dates back to the 17th century, is being sold by Liverpool-based auctioneers Town & Country North West on November 12.
And there's another reason why the guide price might turn heads. The same property was advertised through estate agents Savills in 2022 with a considerably higher asking price of £900,000.
However, the £375,000 figure is an auction starting price rather than a guaranteed sale price, and the eventual buyer could end up paying significantly more.
Inside the Vicar of Dibley cottage
Built using traditional brick and flint with a timber frame, Church Cottage has two bedrooms, one bathroom and plenty of period character.
The property has undergone some improvements but needs further renovation, giving its next owner an opportunity to put their own stamp on a home with a rather unusual claim to fame.
Estate agents describe it as a charming cottage with the potential to regain its "storybook charm".
The listing says: "Nestled next to the church, this Grade II Listed brick and flint cottage was used as the external film location for the Vicar of Dibley."
It adds: "A generous rear garden includes parking and a former lean-to car port, while the front approach through the church grounds adds historic charm."
The cottage sits beside St Mary the Virgin Church, which became St Barnabas Church in the fictional village of Dibley.
Although the exterior will be instantly recognisable to fans, the sitcom's interior scenes were filmed elsewhere.
A village famous for its television appearances
Turville, tucked away in the Chiltern Hills, has become something of a magnet for television and film crews thanks to its traditional cottages, village green and historic church.
As well as providing the backdrop for The Vicar of Dibley, the village has appeared in Midsomer Murders and the film Goodnight Mister Tom.
But it remains most closely associated with Dawn French's Reverend Geraldine Granger, whose arrival in a sleepy English parish provided the premise for one of the BBC's most successful comedies.
First broadcast in 1994, The Vicar of Dibley ran for three series until 2000, followed by a string of specials featuring its eccentric villagers.
For buyers with deep pockets and a fondness for classic British comedy, Church Cottage offers the unusual prospect of living in a genuine television landmark, even if owning a slice of Dibley history may come at a considerable price.