Most popular UK homes: Phil Neville's penthouse and 'Carroll Castle' among most-viewed properties for sale this year

The most-viewed property on Rightmove this year has been revealed as “Carroll Castle” in Chigwell, Essex, where Newcastle striker Andy Carroll and his TOWIE star fiancee Billi Mucklow used to live — and where the most surprising feature is a huge mirror installed on the ceiling above the bed in the master bedroom.

With an impressive number of views — 145,700 since first being listed in January — the home and its suitably dazzling features have been a huge hit with the property portal’s audience.

We're a nation of property obsessives, taking to listing sites to explore or snoop on — depending on your point of view, of course — the quirkiest and most interesting homes on the market.

Out of the thousands of properties featured on the site this year, the five with most online visitors range in size from a four-bedroom city penthouse in Manchester's most iconic residential tower to a 16-bedroom Scottish castle in 133 acres that includes two islands.

Dubbed “Carroll Castle” when former West Ham footballer Andy Carroll and his TOWIE star fiancée Billi Mucklow lived here, this nine-bedroom house in High Road, Chigwell, has an eye-catching surprise in one of the bedrooms: a huge mirror on the ceiling above the bed.

Other mega-mansion must-haves include a home cinema, two dressing rooms and an annexe with a games room and a fitted bar.

Carroll listed the property for sale for just under £5 million in January and, soon after, bought the 25-acre estate in Epping, Essex, that belonged to Sir Rod Stewart and his wife, model Penny Lancaster.

Rocker Rod was forced to slash the original £7.5 million asking price to £4.1 million over three years to find a buyer.

Carroll and Mucklow, who have two children, wanted to add a large gazebo to the Grade II-listed property but plans for the "alien" structure were rejected by Epping Forest district douncil last month.

The second most-viewed home of 2019 is a 16-bedroom Scottish baronial mansion which is for sale for £3.75 million.

Located in the landmark Beetham Tower in Manchester, a four-bedroom triplex penthouse owned by former footballer and England women's head coach Phil Neville is for sale for £3.5 million.

First listed for £4 million in 2013, it was then taken off the market and reportedly rented out for £15,000 a month to Morgan Schneiderlin, then a midfielder for Manchester United. Now it's on the market again, with a £500,000 price drop.

Across the 44th, 45th and 46th floors of the 47-storey skyscraper, which is the UK's tallest residential tower outside of London, the recently refurbished penthouse offers unrivalled skyline views from all sides.

It comes with five parking spaces, three private terraces and a home cinema.

On the edge of one of Britain's most exclusive villages, where residents have included footballer Wayne Rooney and comedian and TV presenter Paddy McGuinness, this Arts and Crafts mansion is for sale for just under £4 million.

The detached house, in Macclesfield Road, was listed for sale in November last year. The master bedroom has a large balcony overlooking the rear gardens, and there are six further bedrooms.

A gym overlooks the indoor pool area, and there's also a games room and home cinema.

Thirty minutes' drive from Exeter airport, Canonteign Manor dates back to the 16th century.

Set in 10 acres of countryside, the Grade I-listed house was restored in the Seventies and has been further modernised in the decades since.

With grand reception rooms, ornate four-poster beds and delicate wood-carved details throughout, the home is for sale for just under £4 million.