Keere Street, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7

Former family home of Asa Briggs (Lord Briggs of Lewes), eminent historian, academic and Bletchley Park code breaker.

The Caprons offers a once in a lifetime opportunity to purchase this superb, detached Georgian house right in the heart of Lewes, away from busy main roads. The house is Grade II* Listed and is understood to date from the early to mid-18th Century.

The front elevation is symmetrical with grey brick headers, red brick quoins, large sash windows and louvred external shutters on the ground floor windows. From Keere Street (a brick and cobbled no-through street) steps lead up to the central panelled front door with arched reveals and a gothic-glazed fanlight over.

The welcoming Entrance Hall provides a real sense of space with a polished wooden floor and impressive turned staircase to one side leading to the first floor. To one side of the Entrance Hall is the formal Drawing Room, which is a beautiful double-aspect room with an attractive fireplace with a carved wooden surround. On the other side of the Entrance Hall is the generous working Library with extensive Victorian built-in bookcases and two wide alcoves. Adjacent is the “Painted Room” which is currently used as a Card Room, with a feature octagonal window and a further large sash window. The well-proportioned vaulted Dining Room has a large arched window. The Kitchen/Breakfast Room is located to the rear of the house with a south facing, large sash window and is fitted with a range of wooden units with plenty of space for a breakfast table and includes a walk-in larder. A door gives access to a sheltered walled, courtyard. The ground floor accommodation is ideally arranged for formal and informal entertaining.

Arranged over the first floor is a spacious landing with a door which leads out onto a wide roof terrace with lovely views over Grange Gardens and the roof tops. Also approached from the landing is the principal suite with a very good-sized double aspect bedroom with lovely views over the roof tops towards the South Downs and an ensuite shower room. On the first floor there are also two further bedrooms and two bathrooms.

On the second floor, which is approached via a wide staircase are two additional bedrooms, a fourth bathroom and a room which has previously been utilised as a second kitchen (suited to live-in staff or a nanny). In addition to the accommodation arranged over the ground, first and second floor there is an extensive dry cellar, with a plethora of rooms and stores and includes a wine cellar.

The house has a wealth of period features throughout including large feature sash windows, panelled doors, wooden floors, attractive fireplaces and high ceilings.

The garden at The Caprons lies to both the rear and the side of the house and has been attractively landscaped over the years being divided into a series of ”outside rooms” and terraces. To one side of the house is a lawned area of the garden with a mature flowering cherry tree and a charming brick paved seating area to one side. Adjacent to the side of the house is a good-sized garden store.

A wrought iron pedestrian gate from this area of garden gives access to Keere Street. On the southern side of the house at first floor level, there is a wide southerly facing roof terrace with lovely views towards Southover Grange and its stunning public gardens. Steps lead up from the lawned area of garden to a series of terraces with various well stocked beds and some lovely old flint retaining walls.

The upper lawned terrace has superb far-reaching views over the town with the South Downs beyond. The lawn is bordered on one side by the medieval town wall and on the other by attractive wrought iron railings. To the far end of the lawn and built on the south-west corner of the medieval town walls is a beautiful Grade II Listed octagonal Gazebo with a hipped concave roof and 3 large windows which have been designed to maximise the fantastic views.

On the southern side of the house and adjacent to the kitchen/breakfast room is a sheltered brick paved courtyard with a pedestrian gate giving access onto a raised pavement adjacent to Southover Road. From this courtyard a path and steps lead round to the rest of the garden. The garden at The Caprons give a lovely backdrop to this important and much-loved house.

The Caprons lies in an elevated position well away from main roads within the conservation area and in the highly sought after and historic Southover area of the town. The house is just a short distance to the South of the High Street and is situated at the foot of Keere Street.

The historic county town provides an extensive range of coffee shops, restaurants and independent retailers. Recreational facilities include the award-winning Depot Cinema, known “As a place that brings people together to engage with art and ideas”. Nearby lies Charleston House which was home to the “Bloomsbury Set” and holds frequent exhibitions. Nearer still, 3.5 miles to the east of Lewes, is Glyndeboune Opera House famous for its summer season.

The South Downs Sport Club is a short walk and offers tennis, hockey and squash alongside a popular café and bar.

Across the road from The Caprons is historic Southover Grange House, a stunning public walled garden with a popular café open in the summer months. Lewes is well served by public transport and for the commuter Lewes mainline station is only 0.4 of a mile from the house with direct services to Central London (in about 64 minutes), Gatwick Airport about 33 minutes) and Brighton (about 17 minutes). Lewes is the largest town within the scenic South Downs National Park, and the surrounding countryside is easily accessed from the town by a network of footpaths and cycle paths.

All of the town’s schools are nearby, including Southover and Western Road primary schools as well as Priory School. There is also an excellent selection of private schools, including Lewes Old Grammar School, Brighton College, Lancing College, Eastbourne College and Hurst with many providing a minibus service from the town.

Lewes District Council and The South Downs National Park Authority
Council Tax Band H