The Close, Eastbourne, East Sussex

The Gate House is a charming attached period property that offers four bedrooms and plenty of character features, including exposed timber beams, leaded windows, panelled walls and original fireplace. The main reception room is the 30ft sitting room, with its part-vaulted ceiling and exposed vertical and ceiling timber beams. There is also terracotta tiled flooring, a grand open fireplace, French doors opening to the main flint-walled garden and space for both a seating area and a dining table. In addition, the ground floor has a study for home working, while the kitchen has shaker-style units, wooden worktops, a central island and integrated appliances, as well as French doors. There is one bedroom on the lower ground floor, with doors opening onto the lower courtyard area. Three further bedrooms are located on the first floor, including the generous principal bedroom with its dressing room and en suite shower room. The fourth bedroom is currently used as a second dressing room. There is a family bathroom on the first floor, with the ground floor including an additional shower room.

The outside space of this property is superb and a truly enduring feature. There is a gravel parking area at the front, with space for several vehicles, and at the side, a further driveway provides access to the detached garage with additional parking or home storage and workshop space. The generous gardens are beautifully presented and very well cared for, being sectioned into individual segments each with their own interest, which includes an enclosed courtyard at the front acessed through the kitchen which is ideal for al fresco dining, while at the rear, there is the walled garden, paved and gravel terracing, a gazebo, an area of lawn and colourful, well-stocked border beds plus a stunning folly. There is also a separate wild garden with raised railway sleeper beds, which are ideal for growing seasonal vegetables. These areas of garden are arranged in three different rooms, with the centre garden being gated with flint walls. There is also a separate gated flintwalled orchard with a large brick-built patio. The orchard can also be accessed from the lower ground floor bedroom or by an external stone staircase leading down from the study. There is an access gate leading to a neighbouring communal garden to which The Gate House has full access for a nominal annual fee (further details available with the selling agent).

The property is in the much sought-after Ratton area of Eastbourne, two miles from the centre of the town. Eastbourne is a lovely English seaside town with a traditional seafront parade and pier. The town provides all manner of day-to-day amenities, including excellent shopping and plenty of pubs, cafés and restaurants. There are plenty of excellent schools in the town with, with several good or outstanding rated primary and secondary schools. For enthusiasts of the outdoors, the magnificent Beachy Head cliffs are close-at-hand, with the beautiful rocky beach of Birling Gap within easy reach.