Occasionally, a property comes on to the market that takes our breath away. From the historic Great Hall to the ornate garden topiary, Athelhampton looks like something from the pages of Cinderella. While the asking price of £7.5m is way out of reach for us mere mortals, those with deep pockets will get a surprising amount for their money. Let's step inside the gates of this enchanting stately home...

Set in a little under 30 acres of formal gardens and grounds, the Grade I-listed stately home could easily be the backdrop of a prime-time period TV drama. Perhaps it should come as little surprise then that Athelhampton currently operates as a visitor attraction and hosts many a fairy tale wedding.

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Showcasing an array of historic architectural styles, the earliest parts of the property date all the way back to 1485, while the resplendent gardens were created in the late Victorian period in an elaborate Arts and Crafts style. One of the highlights is the rather special Great Court, bedecked with yew tree pyramids.

A pair of gate piers open out to the home's dramatic driveaway, lined with sycamore and horse chestnut trees. Visitors pass by the expansive formal lawns and a Tudor-Gothic archway before reaching the home's palatial front door – talk about making an entrance!

Offering 15,000 square foot of living space, the property is no less spectacular inside. The Great Hall is the oldest part of the building and is one of the finest examples of domestic Tudor architecture in Britain. Impeccably preserved, it’s hard to believe that many of the features, including heraldic glass, linenfold panelling, and the huge timbered ceiling are more than 500 years old.

Also known as the Green Parlour, this delightful room is on the far side of The Great Hall. With period features including oriel windows and 16th-century carved beams, we can't imagine a better place to entertain guests before retiring to the drawing room next door.

Featuring an incredible carved ceiling, exquisite wood panelling, and an adjacent terrace, the drawing room is by far our favourite spot in this regal residence. We'd give anything to while away our time reading a good book by that open fire...

This gorgeous wood-panelled games room would be the ultimate hang-out spot after a banquet in the Great Hall, though sadly the stunning collection of Jacobean and Victorian antique furniture isn't included in the price.

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Well, what can we say? If we were to picture Henry VIII’s private boudoir, this would be it. The luxurious four-poster bed is crafted from the finest aged oak and adorned in a sumptuous green and gold silk canopy – worthy of the most regal royal resident.

If the State Bedroom would be our first choice of accommodation, then this elegant room comes a close second. It’s slightly more modest in its aesthetic, but no less romantic. The velvet chaise lounge is the perfect spot for a little rest between soirees, so we’d definitely try to negotiate that into the sale...

With a copper bath so gleaming you could use it as a mirror, this is the ultimate decadent bathroom. It’s one of many though – in total, there are eight bathrooms, eight receptions and 12 bedrooms. If this property isn’t designed for country house parties, we don’t know where is.

As well as the more formal grounds, there's a private walled garden where you can sip Pimm’s in the sun – in between croquet games on the lawn, of course.

The view of the yew garden, as seen from the gallery here, was immortalised in a painting by former resident Marvena – an artist and contemporary of Picasso – who lived here with her daughter and son-in-law.

In addition to the main property, the Coach House has been converted into a unique events venue. Once home to stables, kennels, a saw mill, and workshops, today there’s a commercial kitchen, gift shop and cloakroom – an added bonus for the business-minded.

The River Piddle, a small rural waterway, encircles the grounds. This romantic bridge across the waterway is currently a favoured backdrop for wedding photos.

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Athelhampton also comes with this pretty thatched cottage in the southwest of the grounds. Reached by bridge, it has three generous ensuite bedrooms to house a whole family quite happily.

Local-born writer Thomas Hardy was a regular at Athelhampton – his father was a stonemason who worked on the house. Indeed, it was while Hardy was at Athelhampton that he heard about the outbreak of the First World War, according to his diary.

With its expansive buildings and idyllic grounds, this west Dorset estate seems like a pretty good deal to us. But if you fancy snapping up a piece of aristocratic history you better act fast – we have a feeling that this magical manor won't be hanging around for long.

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