Rochester

Originating from the Georgian period, with substantial later Victorian additions, this eye catching and stunning Grade ll listed house of mellow brick construction under a Kent peg tiled roof, is set back from St Margaret's Street, in one of the most sought-after locations in Rochester. The house is flanked by two brick coach houses with peg tiled roofs, one now closed and used as a workshop, once used as the parish room. The house retains many period features, such as sash windows, some with shutters, stripped floorboards, fireplaces, high ceilings and the elegant staircase from the reception hall with quarter turn to the split-level half landing, continuing to the first floor. The drawing room has three full height windows and glazed doors, all with restored shutters, facing the garden and toward the River Medway. This large room has seen many musical and theatrical performances.

There is a sitting room with bay window, dining room leading to the garden and a bespoke fitted kitchen with under floor heating. There are eight bedrooms and three bathrooms over the upper two floors, the rear rooms enjoying excellent views across the River Medway. Beneath the original house there are four basement rooms, one used as a laundry room, another housing the gas boiler and there are steps and door to the side courtyard garden.

Thorndikes comes with a long and rich history. Built as a new vicarage for the next-door St Margaret's Church (first founded in the 12th century and a venerable building in its own right), was initially rented out by the church. One of the tenants was Bennet Langton, a mover and shaker on the London literary scene, and a protégé of the great Dr Samuel Johnson, the polymath and lexicographer. Dr Johnson came to stay here as a house guest for a fortnight in July 1783 and particularly enjoyed sitting in the garden admiring the view over the River Medway still a wonderful prospect, almost due west, with the ever-changing pattern of sunsets and tides.

In the 1890's, the Thorndike family arrived. Arthur Thorndike had been appointed as the new vicar of St Margaret's, and his children included his 10-year-old daughter Sybil, the future eminent actress Dame Sybil Thorndike, muse to George Bernard Shaw amongst others. She and her brother Russell put on plays in the Parish Room (one of the two outhouses). Sybil's son, John Casson, said that she and her brother and sisters had a happy vicarage upbringing, which 'installed in her an absolute belief that the universe, the whole bag of tricks, is essentially All Right'.

When the house was sold by the church in 1973, a columnist in one of the local newspapers wrote, 'The handsomest street in the City of Rochester is St Margaret's Street. And the handsomest home there, many would say, is St Margaret's Vicarage'.

The house lies within a conservation area and sits well with historic landmarks including the Cathedral, Chertsey Castle Gate, Rochester Castle and the restored, vibrant High Street with its independent shops, cafes and restaurants. Rochester is well known for its association with Charles Dickens and hosts a variety of cultural festivals during the year, such as Sweeps, Dickensian Christmas and Castle gardens concerts. The attractive High Street is lined with a selection of period buildings dating from Georgian and Victorian times. There are a range of schools, private and state, including Kings School, Rochester Girls Grammar School and the Mathematical school all within walking distance. The mainline station is within a few minutes' walk and has excellent services to London Cannon Street, Charing Cross, Victoria and a hi-speed service to Ebbsfleet (18min), Stratford and St Pancras (38 min). There are also excellent road links via the A2, M2, M20 and M25 to Maidstone, Canterbury, London, Bluewater shopping centre, Ebbsfleet International Station and Gatwick Airport.

GARDENS: FRONT COURTYARD Brick boundary wall, iron gate to stone paved courtyard, flower beds and shrubs. COACH HOUSE GARAGE: parking and workshop space, concertina panelled door to St Margaret's Street, windows to courtyard, power and light, door into house. COACH HOUSE WORKSHOP: originally the second coach house and the parish room, water supply, power and light, window to courtyard. WALLED SIDE GARDEN: Enclosed with a red brick wall, shrub beds, flint and cobbled walkways, doors to cellar. Gate to the west facing REAR GARDEN: superb views across the River Medway and Churchfields, paved path and patio, mainly laid to lawn with yellow brick walls and close boarded fencing, planted beds, mature trees, wrought iron fencing and pedestrian gate leading to Churchfields.