The Street, Adisham, Canterbury

Pond Cottage, Adisham - A meticulously restored & rarely available five-bedroom Grade II Listed village home.

Formerly part of the Goodnestone Park Estate—the ancestral seat of the FitzWalter family—Pond Cottage is an exquisitely restored Grade II Listed five-bedroom home, nestled in the heart of Adisham, one of East Kent’s most charming and unspoilt villages. Built in the early 17th century, the property was originally two cottages and has been thoughtfully and skilfully combined into a single, spacious family home.

In recent years, the current owner has undertaken a meticulous restoration of the property in collaboration with the esteemed conservation architecture practice Anthony Swaine Architects, whose founder was instrumental in preserving many of Canterbury’s historic buildings following WWII. The renovation honours the building’s heritage while incorporating modern conveniences, making Pond Cottage an exceptional blend of historical craftsmanship and contemporary comfort.

A Custodian of History

This is more than a home—it is a true piece of history. Pond Cottage is mentioned in the will of Bennett Austen, an ancestor of Jane Austen, whose connections to Goodnestone Park and East Kent are well recorded in her life and literature. By acquiring this home, the new owner will not only enjoy a beautifully restored property but also become the steward of one of the village’s most significant historical buildings.

The property offers over 2,600 sq ft of accommodation, including five double bedrooms, three reception rooms, and a large kitchen/breakfast room. The ground floor features a spacious living room with exposed beams, engineered oak flooring, and a magnificent inglenook fireplace housing a contemporary log burner. The sitting room benefits from a second, working log burner dating to 1910, and the separate dining room opens directly to the gardens, making it ideal for entertaining.

The kitchen has been finished to an excellent standard, with solid oak worktops, hand-crafted Sussex wall tiles, and 18th-century French terracotta floor tiles. Underfloor heating adds comfort. Integrated appliances include a Neff dishwasher, Bosch under-counter fridges, and a Kenwood Rangemaster cooker with a five-burner hob. The utility room near the back door provides a Bosch freezer, fitted storage, a butler sink, and a dedicated laundry area. Reflecting its origins as two separate cottages, Pond Cottage retains two staircases—one leading to the main landing and the other directly into one of the bedrooms—enhancing the home’s charm and flexibility.

Upstairs, five generously proportioned bedrooms with views over the garden are served by a family bathroom featuring a freestanding roll-top bath and a white suite. A smaller bedroom connects to one of the larger rooms, offering an ideal setup for a nursery, dressing room, or study.

Set within just over 0.2 acres, the exceptional gardens at Pond Cottage have been landscape-designed with a drought-resistant planting scheme, in keeping with the property’s historic character. The main garden to the rear is now well-established and features mature fruit trees—apple, pear, and plum—a handmade Cumbrian oak pergola with cedar shingle roof, and a double garden shed. There is scope (subject to planning permission) to extend the property to the north side, using the existing store and fuel shed as the basis for a new family room or studio. A delightful smaller front garden leads to The Street.

The home is accessed via a gravel driveway, with timed security lighting and off-road parking for up to three vehicles.

Adisham is one of East Kent’s hidden gems—an attractive village framed by countryside, with a picturesque cluster of period homes near the Church of the Holy Innocents. There are excellent road and rail links, including a direct train to London Victoria from Adisham Station, and the cathedral city of Canterbury is just six miles away. Families will find a range of village primary schools nearby and convenient access to Canterbury’s highly regarded grammar & private schools which remain a huge draw for this special part of East Kent.

Pond Cottage offers a rare opportunity to own an important piece of Kentish heritage—beautifully restored, historically significant, and perfectly suited to modern living.