Withyham Road, Groombridge, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN3

A beautiful circa 16th Century period property with flexible family accommodation across three floors

Description

Florance House is an attractive character property of some scale at about 5,000 square feet, set over three floors and the original part of the house is believed to date from the 16th century. However, while the house benefits from this character, it is also well adapted to modern day living, with good reception rooms as well as a large kitchen and with three bathrooms serving up to a maximum of eight bedrooms; one of these on the first floor would make for a splendid home office.

The delightful entrance hall has oak floors and a brick fireplace with the main staircase rising to the first floor. Three further doors lead from the entrance hall into the drawing room, dining room, and hallway. The drawing room has fitted bookshelves with cupboards below and a large brick fireplace with a wooden surround and stone hearth. A door from the drawing room opens onto the decking area with pergola above.

The spacious dining room has a decorative fireplace with an etched Tudor rose wooden surround and a display recess on either side. The generous kitchen/breakfast room is fitted with bespoke hand-painted shaker units with a granite worksurface and upstands. There is a double Belfast sink, four-oven AGA and a large central island with an attached crescent table seating five people. There is also a walk-in larder and a separate utility room with a Belfast sink with space for a washing machine, tumble dryer, and freezer/fridge. There is a secondary entrance from the front garden which acts as a boot room, with a store room housing the boilers and separate WC.

The main hallway leads to the family room which has a pretty brick fireplace and doors opening to the patio, with a second door opening onto the decking area. The study has a fitted bookshelf and a bay window with a bench below. A secondary staircase and cellar can also be accessed from the main hallway.

From the entrance hall, the main stairs lead to a wide landing with a roof light. The spacious principal suite has been updated by the current owners and comprises full-length windows that open to views of the garden, recessed built-in wardrobes and en suite with a freestanding bath, shower, and twin sink units. There are five further bedrooms on this floor, three of which enjoy fitted wardrobes. The owners currently use the largest bedroom as a secondary sitting room.

On the second floor, there are two further double bedrooms enjoying a wonderful outlook across the neighbouring fields, together with a family bathroom; the second floor lends itself to a teenager suite, with the option to use one bedroom as a reception room; similar to the current owners "granny suite" setup.

The current owners have made a range of improvements to the property including the installation of a new roof and the replacement of all first and second floor front and side windows in 2011, as well as adding a bay window to the study in 2016 and updating the downstairs cloakroom. Additionally new coping stones were added to a rear flat roof and the fascias and soffits were redecorated in 2022.

The front garden has some evergreen hedging to the perimeter with a gravel turning circle around a rhododendron and an area of lawn.

The rear garden is mainly laid to lawn, with a mature oak tree, a paved terrace, and a newly installed decking area with feature lights and a pergola. A reclaimed brick wall marks the boundary to one side with timber fencing and a brick wall to the other side. Two gates give access from the garden onto Florance Lane.

Location

Florance House is set in a semi-rural location on the outskirts of Groombridge village which straddles the Kent/Sussex border. In addition, there are excellent other amenities in the village, including a post office and a general store, as well as a highly regarded bakers and the area is superb for walking and cycling. The nearby towns of Crowborough and Tunbridge Wells offer more extensive shopping and leisure facilities. The bus stop is located opposite the property with regular connections to Tunbridge Wells.

Schools: Groombridge has its own highly-regarded primary school, graded as “Outstanding” overall in the most recent Ofsted report, and there is the Beacon Acadamy secondary school in Crowborough, which has been rising in status. Tunbridge Wells offers alternative secondary schooling, including the Grammar Schools, but where entry from East Sussex is more restricted. In terms of private schools, there are many highly regarded options, including Holmewood House preparatory school in Langton Green and public schools in Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Eastbourne, Brighton, Mayfield and Upper Dicker.

Mainline Rail: Eridge (approximately 2.8 miles) with journey times to London Bridge from 54 minutes, Tunbridge Wells (approximately 5 miles) to London Charing Cross and Cannon Street from 54 minutes and Ashurst (approximately 3.6 miles) with journey times to Victoria from 1 hour 2 minutes.

Communications: The A21, accessible just to the North of Tunbridge Wells, provides access to the M25 and thereby the national motorway network, Gatwick and Heathrow airports, the Channel ports and Channel Tunnel terminus.

Square Footage: 5,058 sq ft



Directions

From the Savills office in Tunbridge Wells, proceed out of the town on Langton Road (A264). Continue through Langton Green and down Groombridge Hill, taking the second exit at the roundabout onto Withyham Road. In approximately 0.3 miles, Florance House can be found on the left-hand side just before Florance Lane.

Additional Info

Services: Mains water, electricity, gas and sewage.

Outgoings: Wealden District Council.

Agent comment: There is a right of way granted across land owned by Florance House to The Grove and Ashburton House.

The current owners have made a range of improvements to the property including the installation of a new roof and the replacement of all first and second floor front and side windows in 2011, as well as adding a bay window to the study in 2016 and updating the downstairs cloakroom. Additionally new coping stones were added to a rear flat roof and the fascias and soffits were redecorated in 2022.