The property, which is now worth well over £1.5m, sold for just over £900k.
He said: “When I went through my injury period between 2004 and 2007, I just couldn’t stay fit and I was struggling.
“It was then I decided to extend the property to include space for a gym and a swimming pool.
“It kind of saved my career. My whole life was about doing rehab and gym work to try and stay fit and get back into my job. It became a bit of a a retreat almost.
“I could do what I had to do, but still have all the peace and quiet that comes with the house.”
He added: “The views go on forever. It’s that kind of thing that I’m going to miss. It’s that beautiful and that much of a privilege to live here.
“But at the same time, it’s one of the these things when suddenly your life takes shape in front of you and you have to move on. “The house is very special to me as it’s where I spent the mainstay of my rugby career.
The house dates from the late 1800s and has been updated throughout.
Daily Mail’s England Rugby team of the future from 2012 didn't age well… Where are they now 12 years on?
n 2012, the Daily Mail's website looked ahead and predicted which young talents might one day form the core of the England team.
While we usually wouldn't be overly critical of inaccurate predictions when looking back with perfect hindsight (we've certainly made our fair share of mistakes over the years!), it's hard to resist a bit of skepticism when it comes to the Mail. So, let's just shrug it off and move on!
#15.Ben Ransom
#14. Marland Yarde
#13.Jamie Elliott
#12. Manu Tuilagi
#11.Charlie Walker
#10.George Ford
Status : Active
Current club: Sale Sharks
Clubs : Leicester Tigers, Leeds Tykes, Bath
International? Injured
#9.Dan Robson
Status : Active
Current club: Pau
Clubs : Gloucester, Moseley, Wasps
International? 14 caps for England.
#1.Ross Harrison
Status : Active
Current club: Sale Sharks
Clubs : Sedgley Park
International? Played for England Saxons and U20
#2.Luke Cowan-Dickie
Status : Active
Current club: Sale Sharks
Clubs : Plymouth Albion, Exeter Chiefs
International? 34 caps for England and three for the Lions.