Walnut Close, Eynsford, Dartford, DA4 0ES

Chain Free - The Den is not what you expect from the outside. Set within a quiet close in the village of Eynsford, this three bedroom home has been completely reimagined around a striking A-frame structure that houses one of the most arresting open plan living spaces in the area.

The layout is inverted in the best possible way. The ground floor holds all three bedrooms, arranged around a generous entrance hall that runs the full length of the plan. The principal bedroom is a well-proportioned room with fitted wardrobes and en suite alongside it. Two further double bedrooms and a family bathroom complete the sleeping accommodation, alongside a utility room that keeps the practical side of life out of the way. There are also the added modern benefits of underfloor heating, a heat pump, fully automated heating, lighting, windows and blinds.

The first floor is where The Den truly earns its name. The open plan kitchen, living and dining room spans over 30 feet in length and sits beneath the full height of the A-frame roofline, with Velux windows flooding the space with light from every angle. A floor-to-ceiling glazed apex at the far end frames the garden view like a piece of art, and wide sliding doors open the living area directly onto the deck beyond. The kitchen is fitted in shaker cabinetry with a dramatic black marble island, white metro tiling and twin pendant lights dropping from the vaulted ceiling. It is a kitchen that photographs well but, more importantly, works well. There is space for a large dining table alongside the island and still room for a generous sitting area looking out through the glass. A WC sits discreetly off the landing.

Outside, is a decked area perfect for entertaining and the garden sits beyond, with mature trees along the boundary giving it a sense of privacy and green depth that the photographs only partially capture. To the front of the house, there are parking spaces for two cars and a must these days of an electric charging point. For buyers who want something genuinely different. A home with real visual impact and a living space that is hard to forget once you have seen it. The Den stands apart from almost everything else available in the Eynsford village market.

Location Guide:

Eynsford is a picture postcard village set in the Darent Valley, part of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, surrounded by rolling hills, farmland, ancient woodland and low grasslands, with the River Darent running through the very heart of the valley. In the centre of the village is a ford over the river, with a picturesque hump-back bridge alongside, and the High Street is lined with timber-framed and white weatherboarded cottages that have stood here for centuries. Despite all of this, Eynsford is surprisingly only two to three miles from the M25, yet it feels like you are deep in the heart of Kent. It is the kind of village that tends to hold people once they arrive, drawn by the landscape, the community and a quality of daily life that is genuinely difficult to find this close to London.

Transport Links

Eynsford station provides National Rail services to London Blackfriars via Catford and to Sevenoaks, with the station situated at the southern edge of the village and within easy walking distance of Walnut Close. Journey times into London run to around 40 to 45 minutes, making it a practical base for those who commute regularly. The village is located on the A225 and can be accessed via junction 3 of the M25, placing Dartford, Sevenoaks and the wider motorway network within easy reach. Brands Hatch is just a few minutes by car, Bluewater Shopping Centre is accessible within around 20 minutes, and Gatwick Airport is within comfortable reach via the M25.

Education

The area is well served by schools at every level. At primary level, Eynsford has its own primary school in the village, and the surrounding area offers a range of well-regarded options across Farningham, Swanley and Sevenoaks. For secondary education, the Kent grammar school system provides access to Dartford Grammar School for Boys and Dartford Grammar School for Girls, both within a reasonable drive. Independent options are equally strong, with preparatory and senior schools across the Sevenoaks corridor accessible within 15 to 20 minutes. The railway station also offers direct access to trails and routes connecting the village to the wider area, making the daily school run in either direction straightforward.

Local Attractions

Most notably, the village is home to the Ford at Riverside, St Martin's Church, Eynsford Castle, Lullingstone Roman Villa and Lullingstone Castle, which draw visitors from across the county. Eynsford Castle is managed by English Heritage and is free to visit, offering wonderful views over the Darent Valley. Lullingstone Roman Villa, Lullingstone Castle and World Garden, and Lullingstone Country Park with its signed trails are all within easy reach, alongside Eagle Heights Wildlife Foundation and Castle Farm, the UK's largest lavender farm. The Darent Valley Path passes directly through the village, connecting it to a longer walking route through the valley floor that stretches from Dartford to Sevenoaks through open countryside. Brands Hatch racing circuit is also close by, adding a further draw for those with an interest in motorsport.

Entertainment and Leisure

The Castle Hotel is a friendly pub offering good quality food in stylish surroundings, and The Five Bells is a traditional pub favoured by locals with a large garden. The High Street also has an independent butcher, a general store stocking local produce and a handful of further independent shops that give the village a genuine everyday character. Sevenoaks town centre, around ten minutes by car, provides a fuller range of restaurants, independent retailers and the Stag Theatre and cinema, alongside Sevenoaks Leisure Centre with a pool and fitness suite. Bluewater at Greenhithe, one of the southeast's largest retail and leisure destinations, is within around 20 minutes, and the surrounding Darent Valley villages of Shoreham, Otford and Farningham each add their own pubs and riverside walks to the weekend offer.