A FABULOUS Cotswold farmhouse which was fit for an Emperor in waiting has gone on the market in Ascott-under-Wychwood.

Emperor Naruhito of Japan, who acceded to the Chrysanthemum throne in May following the abdication of his father Emperor Akihito, lived at Yew Tree Farmhouse in the early 1980s.

He came to the UK to study history at Merton College. He completed a thesis called A Study of Navigation and Traffic on the Upper Thames in the 18th Century and this later became a book: The Thames and I: A Memoir of Two Years at Oxford which was translated into English in 2006.

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The book reveals that, during his time here from 1983 to 1986, he visited 21 historic pubs and, at his college, joined the Japan society, the drama society and became honorary president of the karate and judo clubs. He also played inter-college tennis and took golf lessons.

Owned by the Chaundy family for more than a century, Yew Tree Farmhouse also had another famous visitor. T E Lawrence, also known as Lawrence of Arabia, would arrive on his motorbike to help Dr Theo Chaundy, a former tutor at Christ Church, Oxford, with researching the history of his family.

Witney Gazette:

Five-bedroom Grade II Listed Yew Tree Farmhouse, in the High Street, is steeped in history going back to 1698 and this handsome family home offers spacious and bright accommodation with good ceiling heights and large windows over three floors.

Downstairs there is an entrance hall, a double-aspect family kitchen with AGA and built-in dishwasher and fridge/freezer, a vaulted breakfast area with original bread oven and wooden flooring throughout, a drawing room featuring an inglenook fireplace with woodburner, exposed beams and stonework, a second reception room, library area and study. There’s also a utility room, cloakroom and integrated double garage with electric doors.

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On the first floor is a bright and spacious master bedroom with en-suite bathroom and built-in wardrobes, two further double bedrooms - one of which is en-suite - family bathroom, and on the second floor, two further double bedrooms.

Outside is a courtyard with two outbuildings and a large terrace to the south-west for al fresco dining. The garden features mature fruit trees, flowers, shrubs and a pond with rockery, and is surrounded by Cotswold stone walls on two sides.

Located in lovely countryside midway between Soho Farmhouse and Daylesford organic farm and spa, Yew Tree Farmhouse has an attractive setting in a village complete with community shop and pub. Shopping and leisure facilities are available in the nearby towns of Charlbury, Chipping Norton and Burford and the train station at Charlbury has regular services to London Paddington.

Yew Tree Farmhouse is on the market with Butler Sherborn at £1.5m, call 01993 822325, www.butlersherborn.co.uk