Historic homes: bought for thousands, sold for millions

Gilston House (pictured left), an un-modernised house in Chelsea's celebrity-strewn Little Boltons neighbourhood, was bought in 1958 for £5,000 and after 'sealed bids' last week was sold via agent Knight Frank for an undisclosed sum likely to be close to £10 million.

So was this extraordinary leap in value a one-off? We found six other houses which have been in the same ownership for decades but are for sale or have been recently sold for much, much more.

Highland Lodge, near Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire

1. A gorgeous five bedroom 1930s Cotswold stone house in need of modernisation with four reception rooms. It’s very private, protected by woodland and with lovely views. The house has stone fireplaces and Orangery with bamboo and jasmine. In the grounds, there are three cottages, stabling, garaging, a tennis court and swimming pool.

Sold for: £40,000 in 1964
On the market now: £3 million, Strutt & Parker - Moreton-in-Marsh

Liverpool Road, Kingston-upon-Thames
A Victorian family house in the Liverpool Road conservation area backing onto Richmond Park. It has seven bedrooms, a double reception room on the first floor and another reception room on the ground floor. With off-street parking, garden, garage, old coach house and room for refurbishment.

Sold for: £1,750 in 1950 (although son bought it off parents for £30,000 in 1978)
On the market now: £1.75 million, John D. Wood - Wimbledon Village

New Farm House, Chievely, near Newbury, Berkshire
An 18th century four bedroom village house with three reception rooms and surrounded by mature gardens. The main house, which was extended in the late 1800s, has a large conservatory and study. The Granary, which is a separate one-storey cottage, has two bedrooms, two living rooms and a conservatory.

Sold for: £90,000 in 1968 
Sale just agreed: £1.25 million, Strutt & Parker - Newbury

Buckingham Road, Newbury, Berkshire
A 1920s four bedroom house, in one of the town’s most desirable roads, with three reception rooms, breakfast room, single garage, store room and workshop. The house has many period features, but needs some modernisation and decoration. It has off-street parking and front and rear gardens, the latter with summerhouse, pond and fruit trees.

Sold for: £8,500 in 1961
On the market now: £585,000, Carter Jonas - Newbury

Swallowcliffe Manor, Swallowcliffe, Wiltshire
A stunning Grade II listed 16th century stone house with eight bedrooms, three reception rooms and study. The house has many fine period features but is in need of refurbishment and modernisation. In the 17.5 acre grounds, there are outbuildings, garaging, formal and vegetable gardens, swimming pool, paddocks and woodland.

Sold for: £20,000 in 1969
On the market now: £3.15 million, Knight Frank Sherborne.

Brookside Cottage, Preston, Wiltshire
A Grade II listed thatched cottage with four bedrooms, vaulted drawing room and three more reception rooms, plus study. In the grounds, which are just over 6 acres, there are outbuildings, garage, summer house, a tennis court, garden and paddocks. There is also large games room, which comes with a full sized snooker table.

Sold for: £40,000 in 1977
On the market now: for £875,000, Hamptons International Marlborough.