Grand homes at Connaught Park

Few properties set the heart racing as much as grand homes carved from architecturally magnificent buildings, including listed colleges, hospitals and historic monuments in the leafy commuter belt. One such project is Royal Connaught Park, right, in Bushey, Hertfordshire, originally the Royal Masonic School for Boys.

Its splendid Victorian buildings and setting have made it a location for Indiana Jones and Harry Potter films — with the dining hall and courtyard doubling for Hogwarts school — along with numerous TV productions.

Devonshire House, the latest phase, comprises 17 townhouses, pictured, arranged, Oxbridge-like, around cloisters, quadrangles and formal gardens. Each house has a different layout, with up to four bedrooms and 3,498sq ft of space, plus a lift and Gothic-style architecture including arched windows, vaulted ceilings and ornate stonework. Two of the houses incorporate the original parapets and have vast roof terraces with views across 100 acres of private parkland.

Contemporary interior design works well against the heritage features. The grand dining hall can be hired by residents, who also have a gym, swimming pool and a free shuttle bus to Bushey station, from where trains to Euston take 20 minutes. The homes start at £1,107,889. Call 01923 222 292