Foster House, Brookland, Kent

This remarkable six-bedroom, New England-style house sits on the Kent/East Sussex border, close to Rye and Camber Sands. With an expansive total footprint of over 6,500 sq ft, it encompasses four converted outbuildings plus a self contained annex in addition to a cottage set within almost three acres of gardens and meadows. Far-reaching views of the countryside lend a bucolic, secluded feel, with the sea and the boutiques, cafés and pubs of Rye both a 10-minute drive away.



The Tour



Located just off a quiet country lane, there are two entrances to the grounds. The first is via a long, sweeping driveway that passes to the back of the house and provides ample parking. The second, for day-to-day use, is across a cobbled forecourt, with parking space just off the track beyond.



Entry to the house is through barn doors set into a clapboard wall, which leads to a luscious rose garden. Although its white-washed weatherboard face is typical of this part of Kent, it feels more Long Island, recalling Andy Warhol's Beach House complex in Montauk.



The house and its various outbuildings have been extensively used in photo and film shoots. When not used as a set, the home serves as a sprawling, generous space with plenty of overspill accommodation for relatives and guests, and creative spaces for art, yoga and the like.



A deck wraps Foster House with a verandah to one side, leading to an expansive, open-plan ground level with smoked oak floors, exposed beams and striking pitched ceilings. The kitchen rolls into the breakfast room, dining space and then living room, with a snug and a library just beyond.



The space of the main house measures over 3,000 sq ft and opens onto gardens and external seating areas from various points, creating a wonderful merging of inside and out. On the upper level of the main house are six bedrooms and three bathrooms, all beautifully decorated with white-washed walls, tongue-and-groove panelling and rustic period accents.



The self-contained barn is the largest of the outbuildings. Designed by an artist as a studio, it has an even, north-facing light. It is also largely open-plan, with soaring four-metre cathedral ceilings, white-washed floors, and enormous French doors that open onto a generous swimming pool with a meadow beyond. It has a kitchen centred around a vintage Aga and an en suite bathroom set behind engraved glass doors.



Just beyond and to the left of the pool are two cabins: The Beach Hut, currently used as a pool house/artist's retreat, and The Workshop, which serves as a creative studio and meditation space.



A picket fence and arching gates separates the main house from Willow Cottage, a beautiful, self-contained cabin with a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. It also has its own gardens, verandah and hot tub. Beyond is a rustic log cabin, constructed with rough-cut timber, and an adjoining timber-clad studios.



Within the grounds, there is also a 1950s caravan and a vintage Airstream trailer.



Outdoor Space



A beautifully tended meadow and expansive garden wraps around Foster House. Peppered with colourful wildflowers and fruit-bearing trees, there are many outdoor spots to sit and read, dine, entertain or sunbathe by the pool. An incredibly tranquil and peaceful atmosphere characterises the setting, which feels exceptionally private and remote.



The Area



Brookland is situated a short drive north-east of the historic town of Rye, which has great restaurants – the George in Rye, The Fig and Standard Inn are particularly notable. There is also an independent cinema alongside a growing number of independent boutiques. Camber Sands is only a ten minute drive with its vast, 3 mile stretches of sandy beaches while Dungeness also sits only ten minutes away in the opposite direction.



The Old Town in Hastings is around 30 minutes away by car and is home to the Hastings Contemporary, as well as a wide variety of shops and restaurants. Folkstone can be reached within a similiar time frame, with its bustling Harbour Arm. It is also home to Anthony Gormley's famed sculptures and hosts a Triennial; a prestigeous art festival featuring artists from around the world.



Nearby Pett Level marks the end of the Royal Military Canal, a defensive structure that runs for 28 miles to Hythe in Kent, built in preparation for a possible invasion by Napoleon. The shallow lakes and reed beds of Pett Pools attract an enormous variety of breeding and over-wintering wildfowl and waterbirds. The Saxon Shore Way footpath (running from Gravesend in Kent to Hastings) is easily accessed and there are spectacular walks across the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve. Pett Level Beach is also nearby and great for swimming, with a sandy cove which stretches towards Winchelsea and Rye Harbour.



Winchelsea Beach is a quiet seaside village and shingle beach, superbly positioned for easy access to the many highlights of the East Sussex coastline. Dungeness and the beaches and dune of Camber Sands are also close by.



Ashford International Station’s high-speed connection to London St Pancras is only 20 minutes away by car offering Foster House a door to door journey to central London of just over 60 minutes. Alternatively, Rye Station is approximately 10 minutes away and has excellent connections, with branch-line train services to Brighton and Ashford.



Council Tax Band: C