High Street, Winchelsea, East Sussex TN36 4EA

ROOMS Reception hall, Drawing room, Sitting room, Garden room, Open plan kitchen/breakfast room & dining room, Cloakroom, Medieval cellar, Landing, Three first floor double bedrooms, Utility room, Three large attic bedrooms, Three bath/shower rooms (one en suite), Large Old English walled garden. 

LOCATION Periteau House is in the Conservation Area of the Ancient Town of Winchelsea, one of the few examples of a bastide town in England based on the grid-iron street plan with wide, regular streets arranged around a giant square and the incomplete cathedral type church of St. Thomas the Martyr. Local facilities include the Little Shop convenience store, together with a primary school and public house. For more comprehensive facilities there is the Cinque Port of Rye (3 miles) with train services to Eastbourne and to Ashford International, from where there are high speed connections to St. Pancras, London in 37 minutes.  

DESCRIPTION Periteau House is an important Grade II* Listed L-shaped house of high status fifteenth century origin with fine beams, ceiling features of the period and originally two tiers of continuous jetties extending along its two street facades, now clad with Flemish bond and blue header brickwork, an eaves cornice and fenestration in a Georgian style which dates from changes made in the 1760s. The name of the property derives from the time of occupation by a Huguenot family fleeing persecution in France. The well-proportioned accommodation is of generally very good ceiling height and is arranged over three levels, as shown on the floor plan. 

GROUND FLOOR The property is approached via a doorway decorated with fluted Doric columns, broken pediments, a semi-circular fanlight and a front door of six fielded panels opening into a spacious reception hall with exposed studwork, moulded ceiling beams and a beautiful eighteenth century turned staircase with panelling to the first floor.

The double aspect drawing room has tall sash windows with shutters, a magnificent ceiling with moulded timbers including a dragon beam, panelling to the walls and a massive inglenook fireplace with a gas real flame stove. The double aspect sitting room has two sash windows with shutters overlooking Castle Street, a marble fireplace, a built in demi-lune display cupboard and glazed double doors to an Arts and Crafts style garden room with arched glazed doors opening out to the rear terrace and garden. The open plan kitchen/breakfast room and dining room, which has has a terracotta tiled floor, has windows to the front and rear and an extensive range of classic Georgian style painted cabinetry comprising a dresser unit and cupboards and drawers beneath wood work surfaces with an inset sink and mixer tap, built-in oven and electric hob, below counter space for a dishwasher, space for a fridge freezer and a two oven Aga.
From the kitchen, steps lead down to a large medieval cellar with a flagstone floor. A cloakroom with modern fitments completes the ground floor accommodation. 

FIRST FLOOR On the first floor, bedroom 1 has the original panelling to one wall and enjoys far reaching views across the garden to the sea. A dressing area links the en suite bath/shower room with twin wash basins, a close coupled wc, panelled bath and a shower enclosure. There are two further double bedrooms, a box room and a family bath/shower room with modern period style fitments including a roll top bath, shower enclosure, high level wc and wash stand. In addition, there is a utility room with a sink and space for a washing machine and tumble dryer. 

SECOND FLOOR On the second floor, there are three further large attic rooms, an inner landing with book shelving and a bath/shower room with modern fitments. 

OUTSIDE Very much a particular feature of the property is the fine garden which has often been open under the National Gardens Scheme. Immediately to the rear of the house is a flagstone terrace leading onto an extensive area of level lawn, enclosed by a Grade II Listed eighteenth century stone wall using partly medieval materials and stepped in red brick coping, with a lavender lined serpentine paved path, an ornamental pond with a tier fountain, a pergola covered in wisteria, a three hundred year old yew which is clipped in a massive boule, over one hundred varieties of rose including pink floribunda, burgeoning flower beds and borders planted with hydrangeas, geraniums, iris, verbena, olive trees, acers, etc. To one corner is a greenhouse with an adjoining garden store and a work area with compost bins. From the garden there is a private pedestrian access to the High Street. 

SERVICES Services: Mains water, gas, electricity and drainage.
Local Authority: Rother District Council. Council Tax Band G
Predicted mobile phone coverage: Vodafone and 02
Broadband speed: Superfast 48 Mbps available. Source Ofcom
Rivers and Sea Flood risk summary: Very low risk. Source GOV.UK