Cowden, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8

Stunning period house with secondary accommodation and extensive equestrian facilities

Description

Sussex House Farm House comprises a superb Grade II* listed, 16th century country house overlooking its own land with beautiful gardens.

Approached by a long, tree lined drive, Sussex House Farm House sits in an elevated position at the heart of the farm, looking north over beautiful gardens and pasture land running north to Kent Water. The House provides a wonderful family home with beautiful interiors.

The property has a wonderful combination of original period features throughout blended with modern, comfortable space and design, achieved through sympathetic improvements and extensions. The accommodation flows beautifully over three storeys and extends to 6,665 sq. ft. including the cellar.

The principal porch entrance opens into a grand reception hall at the heart of the house. The hall includes a wealth of original features including flagged stone floors, timber beams, carved timber panelling and the oak staircase rises from the hall to the first floor.

Leading off the hall are the drawing room, study, playroom and dining room. Both the well-proportioned dining room and drawing room feature magnificent open inglenook fireplaces and each have a door which leads out to the gardens beyond. The double aspect drawing room also features beautifully carved inset bookshelves and the double aspect windows give benefit of light throughout.

The dining room leads through to an informal sitting room with a large open inglenook fireplace. From the sitting room a series of hallways, including a second entrance hall, leads through to the family living room which was previously used as the kitchen.

From the family room a wide corridor leads down steps to the oak framed glazed extension housing the modern kitchen and breakfast room. The kitchen, modern in style and design, provides ample space for cooking and storage with a large island, electric AGA, wall cabinets, fitted units and an electric cooker. The double French doors open onto the terrace and overlook the swimming pool and pasture land beyond.

The cellar is utilised as a useful laundry room and accessed from the corridor off second entrance hall.

On the first floor there are four bedrooms, four bathrooms and a dressing room which could be used as another bedroom. The second floor consists of the master bedroom with ensuite bathroom.

To the rear of the house there is a log store housing the biomass boiler.

There are a range of outbuildings including gym and office and a biomass boiler for fuel efficiency. There is also a converted barn providing staff/guest accommodation and a cottage.

The landscaped gardens form a fine setting for the house; extensive lawns with stone terraces bordered by established flower and herbaceous beds including roses, lavender and privet hedging. Stone steps lead down to the newly refurbished heated swimming pool and surrounding terrace with adjacent pool house providing changing rooms and housing the filtration system. Steps lead down to the pasture land and pond.

To the west of the main house is the kitchen garden with a potting shed, greenhouses and raised beds growing an array of flowers, fruit and vegetables.

To the east of the house is a well maintained, floodlit, hardcourt tennis court with a timber pavilion.

Situated to the east of the farmhouse is a converted timber clad barn with a tile roof. The Barn offers excellent additional guest accommodation and comprises two/three bedrooms, two shower rooms, kitchen and a large open plan living room.

To the rear of the barn is a raised terrace with an enclosed yard area beneath, which leads into a building housing a gym and sitting room area, before leading through to the stables tack/dayroom.

To the west of the main house, overlooking the kitchen garden, Garden Cottage is a single storey dwelling built of brick under a tile roof with accommodation comprising of a kitchen, sitting room, two bedrooms and a bathroom.

The property includes extensive modern and traditional equestrian facilities including 12 stables, tack rooms, hay barn feed rooms, a horse walker, an indoor manage and an outdoor menage. The indoor menage is impressive in size at approx. 42 x 30m. The grass paddocks provide ample grazing for horses and the local area has excellent riding. The plots also includes an oast roundel and outdoor menage.

There are a range of modern farm buildings with consent for Change of Use to two residential dwellings (WD/2021/2253/F).

The land extends to about 26.5 acres and includes pasture land for turn-out.

Location

The farm lies within the rolling countryside within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, on the Sussex, Kent and Surrey borders, one mile south east of Cowden, a quaint rural village which enjoys an unspoilt charm and is well catered for by a public house and train station.

The farm is situated within an extremely accessible and desirable location. Local amenities and an extensive range of shopping, recreational and business facilities are available in the nearby towns; East Grinstead (7.2 miles) and Royal Tunbridge Wells (8.6 miles).

Cowden train station is serviced by Southern Rail and is on the London Bridge to Uckfield line. There is a regular service to London, every hour, and the journey time is approximately 53 minutes. The M25 provides motorway access to London (38 miles) and Heathrow, the A264 to Gatwick (16 miles) and the A22 or A21 provide access to the south coast.

There is a wide selection of schools in the area including Worth School, Ardingly College, Cumnor House, Brambletye, Lingfield Notre Dame and Holmewood House prep school.

The farm is surrounded by open, rolling farmland, offering a wide variety of country pursuits in the area. Recreational pursuits include; Riding - Over its own land, local bridleways or nearby Ashdown Forest. Racing - at Lingfield, Plumpton and Brighton; Golf - at Sweetwoods Park Golf Club (a par 72, 18 hole, championship standard golf club adjoins the farm), Royal Ashdown,Hever and Holtye; Polo - Polo can be played or spectated at Ascot Park, Cowdray Park and Hurtwood Park; Sailing & Watersports – Bough Beach, Wierwood Reservoirs, Bewl Water and along the south coast.

Square Footage: 6,439 sq ft


Acreage: 26.53 Acres

Directions

From London proceed south to the M25. Leave the M25 at J7 onto the M23 south towards Gatwick. Continue south and exit the M23 at J10 and proceed eastbound towards East Grinstead.

Continue into East Grinstead and take the A264 to Tunbridge Wells. Continue along the A264 for a few miles and turn left towards Cowden. Drive through the village of Cowden until reaching the B2026. Turn right and the entrance to Sussex House Farm can be found after about 1⁄2 mile on the right-hand side.

What3Words location for the entrance of the driveway: notes.crass.skill.

What3Words location for the principal House: poetic.notes.beats.

Postcode:
TN8 7DX.

Viewing: All viewings must be accompanied and arranged through Savills. In keeping with the nature of the property, we advise that all viewers bring sensible footwear and clothing to view the property and grounds.

Additional Info

The Tudor house dates back to 1580 and has an interesting and rich history. The original timber framed house remains at the core. The house has been restored, modernised and extended by the current owners to make it into the beautiful family home it has become today.

The house was owned by the actor Sir John Mills in the 1960’s, and then later by Roger Hargreaves, an English author and illustrator of children's books best known for creating the Mr. Men and Little Miss series. The current owners bought the property in 2000 and have improved and beautifully renovated the house and swimming pool over the last 22 years. A Biomass boiler has been installed, which heats the house, the barn and the garden cottage.

Method of Sale: The property is offered for sale by private treaty.

Listings: Sussex House Farm House is listed as a Grade II* listed building.

Services: The main house, Garden Cottage and barn are connected to mains electricity and water. They use a biomass boiler for heating. Drainage is by way of a private system.

Tenure and Possession: Vacant possession will be offered on completion subject to the existing tenancies and licenses.

Employees: There are no employees to be transferred under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations.

Sporting, Timber and Mineral Rights: Rights over the property are included in so far as they are owned.

Wayleaves, Easements and Rights of Way: The property is offered for sale subject to and with benefit to all rights including, rights of way, whether public or private, light, support, drainage, water and electricity supplies and other rights and obligations, easements and quasi-easements and restrictive covenants. Sale includes existing and proposed wayleaves for masts, pylons, stays, cables, drains, water and gas and other pipes.

Designations: The property is within the High Weald National Landscape.

Local Authorities: Wealden District Council: and East Sussex County Council: