Clays Hill, Bramber, Steyning

Why We Love Burletts House

Beautiful Burletts - an elegant grade II listed Regency former rectory sitting in the centre of approximately 8.9 acres of private gardens and grounds, within a short walk of The South Downs Way

Burletts House has only changed hands twice in the last 79 years and been in the current owner’s family for nearly 50 years, testament to its appeal as a superb family home. The house itself has excellent proportions and handsome rooms throughout. The main reception rooms are dual aspect and have beautiful decorative plasterwork, parquet and hardwood flooring, and floor to ceiling sash windows which make this a particularly bright and airy house. 

Burletts is accessed via a discreet gateway and drive, which curves up around a bend and leads up past the front of the house and on to a courtyard with parking and garaging. The house is in an elevated position and centrally sited within its own generous plot, allowing for both privacy and lovely views.

Downstairs

The front door opens into a porchway, with Minton tiled floor, hooks for visitors’ coats and hats, and glazed doors through to a long entrance hall with reception rooms fanning out to either side. The drawing room has pretty Robert Adam style plasterwork to walls and ceiling, dual aspect windows facing South and East, which open onto the back South facing terrace, and a stunning neoclassical chimneypiece with open fire. The large dining room next door is an equally impressive room and an excellent entertaining space. It has a sprung floor, South and West facing floor to ceiling windows leading onto the back terrace.

The library with its extensive inbuilt bookcases, ornate marble chimneypiece with open fire, and unusual plasterwork frieze depicting naval scenes, provides a cosy retreat. The study provides further separate quiet space, with 17th century style plasterwork and bow-shaped end, well suited for accommodating a large desk.

The kitchen is an airy room with high ceilings traditional fitted kitchen, and plenty of space for a large family breakfast table. There is extensive further adjoining storage in the form of an adjoining pantry, a utility and laundry, and a downstairs loo next to the back door. The large cellar includes wine storage, and a strong room is accessed from a door in the kitchen.

Upstairs

An elegant, curved staircase with mahogany rail and surmounting lightwell leads up to the first floor. The spoiling principal bedroom enjoys some of the best views from the house with dual aspect windows facing South and East and has an adjoining dressing room with built in cupboards, and an adjoining bathroom with bath. There are four further generous double bedrooms, two family bathrooms (one with shower and one with bath), a linen cupboard, and an additional separate upstairs loo. The second floor is currently used as storage but could be turned into additional accommodation subject to planning.

The Cottage 

Burletts House comes with a separate brick cottage ideal for ancillary use or additional accommodation. The cottage has its own front garden and comprises a sitting room with fireplace and separate kitchen downstairs, and two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs.

Garaging and Outbuildings

Extensive well-appointed garaging, previously used for storing the owner’s car collection

There is extensive well-appointed garaging and a tool store arranged around a courtyard with pretty clocktower.  Some of the garaging has heating and poured painted floors, as it has previously been used to store the owner’s car collection.

Storage space above the main garage currently functions as a studio space but could be converted to additional accommodation subject to planning.

In addition there is a beautiful Sussex Weald timber-framed barn with soaring ceilings and trailing roses growing up the side, and a roundhouse used for storage. The barn has vehicular access from a gate on Clays Hill.

Glorious Garden and Grounds

Substantial gardens and grounds wrap around the house, providing uplifting green views and a perfect setting for unwinding and entertaining.

The front and East sides of the house overlooks expansive formal lawns bordered by clipped beech hedges and a variety of shrubs, with an orchard beyond. A South-facing outdoor terrace at the back of the house makes the most of the sun in summer months and overlooks further lawns,  a pergola with trailing roses, and mature trees, including a particularly large Holme oak. Paddocks and outbuildings sit to the West of the house, along with a greenhouse with separate coldframes. 

Living in West Sussex

Burletts house sits between the ancient village of Bramber and the historic market town of Steyning, with green views across to Steyning Common and within easy walking distance of ameneties and 5 miles from the coast.

Steyning is a small and pretty town with Saxon origins and a traditional high street with a mix of brick and tile buildings and old flint walls. The town has a good selection of shops, pubs, cafes, and restaurants, including the award-winning Sussex Produce Café, accessible on foot over Steyning Common. Ameneties include a Post Office, parish church, local doctor's surgery, denists, pharmacy, library, local history museum, and sports clubs including a tennis club and cricket club. The town also hosts an award-winning farmers market (held on the first Saturday of every month) and various events and festivals throughout the year. The Wiston Estate Winery and Chalk Restaurant is a 12-minute drive away, and holds food and wine based events championing local produce. Nearby Brighton offers a vibrant selection of further restaurants, independent shops and cultural ameneties. 

Burletts House sits just outside the South Downs National Park (the house borders the park’s boundary), and therefore benefits from protected views over stunning chalkland hills. The South Downs National Way is a short distance to the South of the house, giving access to mile upon mile of stunning walking over chalkland downs, there are plenty of other local footpaths including routes along the river Adur. The South coast with its expansive beaches is a 10-minute drive away with the nearest beach at Shoreham-by-Sea.

Transport

The closest train station is in nearby Shoreham-by-Sea, about 5 miles away, offering direct rail services to London Victoria (from 1 hour 15 minutes), Brighton, and other destinations.

Fantastic Schools

There is a fantastic choice of both state and private schools locally. Steyning itself has Steyning Grammar School and a primary schools within walking distance. There is an outstanding rated primary in the neighbouring village of Upper Beeding Davison Church of England High School for Girls and Shoreham Academy are outstanding rated state secondary schools.

Well-regarded local independent schools include Shoreham College, Lancing College, Windlesham House, Brighton College, Hurstpierpoint College, Ardingly College, Slindon College and Burgess Hill Girls.

Shoreham-by-Sea 5 miles, Brighton 13 miles, Worthing 6.5 miles, London 55 miles

London Gatwick Airport 28 miles

Shoreham-by-Sea Railway Station 5 miles (Trains to London Victoria from 1 hour 15 minutes)

(All distances and times approximate)

Chapters Past

Burletts House was built in the early 19th century and is a classic example of Regency architecture. The house was originally called Bramber Rectory, reflecting its original purpose as the residence of the vicar for the parishes of Bramber and Botolphs.

The manor of Bramber was granted to William de Braose by William the Conqueror shortly after the Battle of Hastings. William de Braose built a castle at Bramber Castle which was held almost continually by his descendants from 1073 until 1450 (with the exception of a small interlude when the family fell out spectacularly with King John). Remnants of the castle ruins stand proudly above the landscape next to the Church of St. Nicholas, still with its original Norman South doorway.

The village’s rich ecclesiastical heritage is also visible in St Mary's House, a rare late 15th Century pilgrims inn with origins in the 12th century and links to the Knights Templar (William’s son, Philip de Braose, was part of the first crusade to Jerusalem in 1099 and on his death left this site to the order). The de Braose family also patronised the monks of Sele Priory who were gifted many livings and properties in the area, some of which were subsequently acquired by Magdalen College, Oxford (possibly gifted by the college’s founder William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester). Documents at Burletts House show that the house was previously owned by Magdalen College before it passed into private ownership in the late 19th century.