Tickerage Lane, Blackboys, Uckfield, East Sussex, TN22

A delightful historic small country estate, tucked away in this wonderful rural location

Description

A wonderful, smaller country estate, this former iron mill is set in an idyllic position at the end of a no-through country lane, with a long driveway, together with about 80 acres of gardens, paddocks, woodland, streams and a lake. Comprising three residential homes, all nicely spaced apart offering good privacy and seclusion from each other, the arrangement would be ideal for an extended family, or to provide additional accommodation for guests and staff.

History:
Believed to date from the 17th Century and listed Grade II, being of special historic or architectural interest, it is thought that Tickerage Mill originally had a furnace and a forge and its tall chimneys and the heavily wooded surroundings are an indication of this important industry that the Wealden area was once associated with. Over the years, Tickerage Mill has attracted many illustrious owners. The artist Richard Wyndham, who purchased the property in the 1920s, added what is now the kitchen as his artist’s studio with a large oriel window overlooking the mill pond. Sir Ronald Armstrong Jones (Lord Snowdon’s father) and Kenneth Letts the manufacturer of Letts Diaries were also previous residents. In 1961 Vivien Leigh sought refuge at Tickerage Mill after her divorce from Laurence Olivier. Here she entertained lavishly with many famous guests including Princess Margaret, Gielgud, John Merivale, Churchill and Robert Helpman who designed the walled garden. The marble fireplace in the master bedroom is a remnant of her occupation, having been shipped back from Venice by Vivien.

The current owners have been the custodian of this special home since 2015 and undertaken a sympathetic restoration, with the main house stylised throughout to a very high standard whilst retaining the wonderful character and many original features. The house enjoys a rural outlook, being surrounded by its own land in this wonderful setting, with an amazing view over the mill lake to the rear and extensive gardens and terracing.

Stand-out features include the original oak front door and the fireplaces in the key rooms, including a bespoke stone design with over mantel in the drawing room, a French carved marble surround in the dining hall, another in the principal bedroom, and an inglenook fireplace, fitted with a wood burning stove in the study. There is wide oak plank flooring to these rooms and limestone flooring into the kitchen/breakfast room/family room and the utility room.

The impressive Mark Wilkinson fitted kitchen, with its pretty fanlight feature window to the rear has Wolf and Sub Zero appliances and elegantly trimmed marble worktops. The adjoining family room and study area have bespoke built-in cupboards and shelving, there are recessed ceiling spotlights throughout and ceiling speakers fitted to various rooms. The dining hall, kitchen and drawing room open onto the extensive stone and lawn terracing overlooking the mill lakeand there is further terracing to the other side of the property, accessed from the family room.

Upstairs, there are four beautifully appointed contemporary bathrooms and shower rooms, fitted to a modern specification, but with hints to tradition. The principal bedroom is a stand-out suite comprising a separate bathroom and shower room, as well as two separate areas of bespoke fitted wardrobes. Finally, there is an immaculate cellar fitted with three Liebherr wine fridges.

There is a large double garage with two stores and electric doors. The imposing tall wrought iron gates from the main drive lead to the inner driveway and there is a separate pedestrian gate, both have entry phones. There is a further gravelled parking area to the front of the main house.

Tickerage Mill Cottage and Stable Cottage:
The two secondary properties offered at Tickerage Mill are also well finished and immaculate, being well placed away from the main house and each other, allowing for independence and privacy.

Tickerage Mill Cottage is well appointed, with a modern kitchen, shower room, en suite bathroom, and a combination of timber and stone flooring, with carpeting upstairs. There are built-in wardrobes to the bedrooms, exposed beams to the pitched roof in the sitting room and a brick fireplace fitted with wood burning stove. The upstairs bedroom is delightful, with extensive exposed beams to the pitch roof and French doors out to a beautifully designed private oak balcony. There is a terrace below and a further larger dining terrace to the other end of the house, with a fine country outlook.

The Stable Cottage is a clever single-story conversion creating a fine one bedroom house, with modern fixtures and fittings, a sandstone terrace and parkland views across the field toward the woodland beyond.

The Mill Building:
This adjoins the old mill race and has a studio on top, with separate access and suitable for a variety of uses, with exposed timber ceiling and upright beams, a window to one end power and light connected. There is a workshop to the middle floor with power, lighting, sink and windows, a store below and a farm store and dog kennel.

Outside:
The gardens and grounds are a particularly stunning feature of the property, surrounding the house to all aspects and being very well stocked with a number of mature trees and shrubs. The most striking feature of the grounds is the tree-lined mill lake with its central island. This extends away from the house to the north and can be enjoyed from an extensive Yorkstone terrace. External lighting has been installed around the gardens adjoining the house and on the island.

To the south east of the house is a very attractive, formal part-walled garden. The remainder of the garden stretches away from the house to the south and east and is largely laid to lawn, interspersed with shrub and flower beds and mature trees. The rest of the land comprises water meadow, paddocks and woodland, as shown on the site plan, with just over 80 acres in total.

The Tickerage Mill Estate is approached via a private lane which gently descends through an area of woodland to a garage building and parking area. The driveway continues over the bridge with a sluice gate to the cottages.

The property is available as a whole, or as three separate lots.
Lot 1: Tickerage Mill and Outbuildings in about 27.98 acres.
Lot 2: Tickerage Mill Cottage (two bedrooms), Stable Cottage (one bedroom), The Mill building in about 5.44 acres.
Lot 3: Tickerage Wood, about 46.09 acres of woodland.

Location

Tickerage Mill is situated in a beautiful quiet, rural location, between the East Sussex villages of Blackboys and Framfield, offering very quick access to Blackboys (less than a mile) with its village primary school and the well known Blackboys Inn.

Waldron is another pretty neighbouring village, known for its ancient church probably dating from the twelfth century and being right opposite the popular seventeenth century Star Inn.

Local smaller towns are within easy reach including Uckfield, Heathfield and Crowborough (about 4, 5 and 11 miles respectively) each offering supermarkets, including Waitrose, specialist shops, restaurants and cafes, as well as The Picture House Cinema in Uckfield and the Isenhurst private members health club at Cross-in-Hand, just north of Heathfield, where there is also a rugby club and tennis club.

The larger, character towns of Tunbridge Wells and Lewes are reached within 16 and 12 miles respectively, with Eastbourne and Brighton reached in approximately 20 miles.

There is a good variety of country pursuits in the area, including horse racing at Plumpton, Brighton and Lingfield, as well as golf at Piltdown and the East Sussex National. The world famous Opera at Glyndebourne, just this side of Lewes, is another key attraction in the area, whilst The South Downs National Park to the South-West is renowned for beautiful walking routes, picturesque villages and is home to the well-reputed English wine estate, Rathfinny at Alfriston. Along the coast, there are numerous beaches to explore, including; Bexhill, Pevensey, Holywell, Birling Gap and Cuckmere Haven.

Mainline stations: Buxted is approximately 3.5 miles (Southern Rail) with services to London Bridge from 1 hr 16 mins, or Stonegate, approximately 11.5 miles (South Eastern Rail) with services to London Charing Cross from 1 hr 11 mins). Tunbridge Wells is approximately 16 miles to the north (South Eastern Rail) with services to London Charing Cross from 55 mins).

Private and state schools: There are village primary schools at Blackboys and Cross-in-Hand, with secondary schooling at Uckfield and Heathfield Community Colleges. Skippers Hill Manor preparatory school at Five Ashes is approximately 5.5 miles, Vine Hall at Robertsbridge is approximately 17.5 miles and Battle Abbey, which also has a senior school, is approximately 17.5 miles. For senior schools, there are co-ed options at Eastbourne, Brighton, Sevenoaks, Hurst and Bedes in Upper Dicker, for girls at Mayfield and for boys at Tonbridge.

Square Footage: 3,707 sq ft


Acreage: 80.36 Acres

Directions

From Tunbridge Wells, proceed south on the A267, passing through Frant and Mark Cross and by-passing Mayfield. After passing through the village of Five Ashes, proceed further south and turn right onto Mayfield flat (B2102) before reaching the village of Cross-in-hand. Proceed on this road, turning right at the end junction, heading to Blackboys. On entering the village, turn right onto the Framfield Road (thereby continuing on the B2102), then take the third right hand lane in the village, just past the sports ground, which is Tickerage Lane. Follow this lane to the end, which is the entrance to Tickerage Mill.

Additional Info

Services: Propane gas central heating, mains water and electricity, private drainage.

Outgoings: Wealden District Council , Tickerage Mill tax band H, Tickerage Mill Cottage Tax band E.

Agents note: The lane that approaches the house is owned by the estate from the point at which the adopted road finishes. There are no vehicle rights of way over this track, although it is a public bridleway (marked in green) on the site plan which intersects with the Weald Way a long distance footpath. There is a further footpath traversing the field on the south east corner and one on the north east corner (both marked in purple.)

The photographs were taken in July 2022.