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A unique property commands attention, which means you may find passers-by pointing cameras or chatting furtively as they stare at your home. There will be admiring glances and one or two raised eyebrows – so get used to it.

The Perchard family has lived happily in a four-storey water tower overlooking the village of Lutterworth, Leicestershire, since 2002.

It was pretty much love at first sight – and as Mick Perchard puts it: ‘Everyone in the village knows our house and who we are.’ Fine, if you don’t mind being a local landmark.

Striking: The Victorian Engine House in the village of Cleadon, near Sunderland, selling for £995,000

‘The tower formed part of the waterworks for local residents,’ says Mr Perchard, who lives there with his wife Kate and their two sons, aged 15 and ten.

‘Kate grew up in the village so for her the building has a lot of meaning. We love that it’s a unique property, and we have been so happy here.’

The renovation has made the most of the tower’s large top-floor water tank, which houses a lofty living room, with a wraparound deck offering views over the local area.

‘We sit and watch sunsets and people’s fireworks,’ says Mr Perchard.
The kitchen is one floor below and the bedrooms are on the lower floors.
‘The room arrangements are unusual as it’s a tall house with large internal spaces, but at least it has a lift,’ says Mr Perchard.

Number 1 The Thames, a 150-year-old sea defence just off the Isle of Grain, Kent, offers more than 2,300 square metres of space.

The Perchards are emigrating and their home is on the market with Strutt Parker for £549,950.
Of course, many unusual and historic homes are listed buildings, which means you may not be allowed to make major alterations, and adding an extension could be complicated.

Repairs must also adhere to the style and materials used in the original construction as much as possible, which can be an expensive business.
That hasn’t stopped Victorian industrial buildings becoming popular places to live, in part because of their size and character.

The combination of solid workmanship and fashionably industrial fittings is an enticing one.

ON THE MARKET: Oyster Pier is a development, close to Chelsea, Kensington and Battersea Village in London, of ten custom-built residential barges. Buyers can design their barge’s loft-type interiors. For sale through Savills (020 8877 4823, savills.com) – £1.5million

For estate agent Charlotte Thompson, the sale of the iconic Victorian Engine House in the sought-after village of Cleadon, near Sunderland, is bittersweet because it’s also her family home.

The heritage building is owned by her parents and is on the site of a preserved 19th-century pumping station that includes an impressive Victorian water tower. The huge four- bedroom house has lovely views and is selling through Bradley Hall for £995,000.

This pretty converted dovecote in Canterbury has four bedrooms and a separate cottage. The Grade II-listed home sits within 1.5 acres of grounds, including a walled garden and orchard. Fine Country (01227 479317, fineandcountry.co.uk) – £875,000

The house has been updated with bespoke furnishings, but its Grade II-listed status means it retains many original features, including the pump works in the basement, internal beams and narrow arched windows.

For sheer isolation, you can’t beat an island home, especially one with its own gun tower. Number 1 The Thames, a 150-year-old sea defence just off the Isle of Grain, Kent, offers more than 2,300 square metres of space.

Four-bedroom Walnut Burrow in Hertfordshire is a most unusual property – it’s subterranean, with the garden covering the roof of the building, which the agents say would appeal to those seeking seclusion. Savills (01923 773 171, savills.co.uk) – £2million

Cut off from the mainland at high tide, the Martello-style property was modified during World War II with the addition of an accommodation block, but has been untouched since.

It is in need of complete redevelopment and is on the market with River Homes for £500,000. The owner has plans that show how it could look when renovated – but here, you really can let your imagination run wild.

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