The English country house suffered the same price falls as London residential dwellings during the economic turmoil of the past few years but, unlike properties in the capital, out-of-town retreats have yet to recover the same value - offering plenty of bargain-hunting opportunities for those still unsure of how to best invest their bonus.

One of the few upsides to the recession was that prime real estate prices slid by up to a quarter - suddenly that penthouse in Holland Park was a bit more within reach.