Cranbrook Road, Benenden, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17

An outstanding and beautifully restored Grade II listed Wealden Hall House in sought-after village.

Description

Old Manor House is an important and magnificent example of a Medieval Hall House, located in the centre of Benenden, one of the most desirable villages in The Weald. This fascinating, partially-moated property has been the subject of extensive improvements in recent years and has been finished both sympathetically and to a high specification.

Understood to have been built on the site of an earlier manor house, it is mentioned in the Domesday Book and also in Nikolaus Pevsner's The Buildings of England, West Kent and The Weald. Old Manor House itself, is believed to date from the late 14th century, re-fronted in the later 19th century and had a further wing added in the 20th century. Previous owners include Viscount Rothermere, the founder of the Daily Mail and, in 1945, Sir George Wigham-Richardson, whose family owned it until 2004, during this time Sir George was keen to restore the timeless charm of the Wealden Hall House which is believed to be one of the earliest of its kind in Kent.

Old Manor House is a wonderful family home, exuding a wealth of charm and character, it benefits from over 9,000 sq ft of beautifully proportioned internal accommodation including a versatile attached two bedroom guest/staff cottage, together with over 6,000 sq ft of outbuildings, ranging from stables to garaging. The property boasts a total of six reception rooms, perfect for entertaining and including a library with a sixteenth-century minstrels’ gallery, a state of the art cinema with air conditioning, and a wonderful reception/dining room with the original doorways to what would have been 'the buttery' still in situ. The kitchen is fitted with an extensive range of cupboards by Neptune and some having been bespoke fitted, there is an AGA and Fisher & Paykel fridge/freezer. Over the upper floors there are five bedrooms, several with wonderful stone fireplaces, beautifully bespoke fitted dressing rooms and luxuriously fitted bath and showers.

Outside, the Old Manor House sits amidst over 16 acres of gardens and grounds, including a tennis court, a private fishing lake, beautiful woodland walks, a swimming pool, kitchen garden with orchard and greenhouses, extensive equestrian facilities and ample parking for the car enthusiast. And despite its privacy and extensive grounds, it is situated only a moment’s stroll from the village shop, cafe, post office, butchers and a popular 17th Century pub. Buses to the many local schools pick up in the village, and it falls within the favoured Cranbrook School catchment area.

The property provides a stunning family home as well as an enviable location for entertaining inside and out.

Location

Old Manor House is located in the quintessentially English and sought-after village of Benenden with its village shop, 17th Century pub, Post Office and butchers as well as the village green where during the summer months cricket matches are played, overlooked by the pretty St George’s Church. Midway between the vibrant coastal town of Rye and popular hub of Tunbridge Wells, Benenden provides an excellent position with access to the beautiful surrounding countryside, coast, London and airports (Gatwick Airport 40 miles) by road or rail.

Local and comprehensive shopping: Local shopping in Benenden, more extensive shopping can be found in Cranbrook, Tenterden and Tunbridge Wells.

Leisure facilities: A good variety of sports and leisure opportunities can be found in Goudhurst, Cranbrook and Tunbridge Wells with the coast lying to the south. Bewl Water offers a range of activities including sailing, rowing and walking whilst excellent local walks, cycling and riding can be found in Bedgebury Pinetum and Hemsted Forest.

Education: Excellent education opportunities exist within the area in both the private and state sector at all levels; these include Benenden, Cranbrook and Sissinghurst primary schools, Marlborough House, Dulwich and St. Ronan’s preparatory schools, Cranbrook School, Sutton Valence School, Benenden School, Kent College and public schools in Sevenoaks and Tonbridge.

Motorway links: The M20 can be accessed via J8 (16.4 miles) and the M25 via the M20/M26 can be accessed at J5, both providing links to Gatwick and Heathrow airport and other motorway networks.

Mainline rail services: Staplehurst (8.1 miles) and Headcorn (9.4 miles) have frequent services to London Charing Cross, via London Bridge & Waterloo East. Ashford station (17.3 miles) has a high speed link to London St Pancras in about 37 mins.

Square Footage: 9,171 sq ft


Acreage: 16.48 Acres

Additional Info

Tenure
Freehold

Local Authority:
Tunbridge Well Borough Council - Tax Band H

Services
Mains electricity and water, mains drainage to the house and cottage, private drainage to the stable yard and swimming pool overflow and oil fired central heating.