Jackson Stops & Staff's Newbury office has just brought to the market a lovely property that was the former home of the celebrated English composer Gerald Finzi. Church Farm is situated in Ashmansworth and lies on the Hampshire Downs, about 8 miles south of Newbury. This small, charming village which has the distinction of being the highest in Hampshire, is surrounded by unspoilt, undulating downland, forming part of The North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The house lies on the southern edge of the village, opposite the small Grade 1 Listed 12th Century church of St James. The 10-bed property also includes period outbuildings, garden, orchards and paddocks - in all 15.89 acres (6.432 hectares) of land. Says Sales Negotiator James Dawson: "The musician built Church Farm in 1939 to replace the original farmhouse which had fallen into disrepair. It was during his time ahere that Finzis reputation grew as an important English composer of the 20th Century.

Regular visitors to the house included the composer Ralph Vaughan Williams who was a great friend of the family and later the renowned cellist Jacqueline du Pr who stayed frequently at the house. "Church Farm has continued to retain strong links with English music and this is celebrated by an engraved glass window by Whistler in St Jamess church opposite. Gerald Finzi was also a keen orchard keeper and planted many rare varieties of apple trees and other fruits here. He was in fact responsible for rescuing several old English apples from extinction and it is likely that many of these remain at the property.