Old Valley Road, Barham, Canterbury

Grade II Listed perfection – one of East Kent’s landmark Georgian village houses in the heart of the Kent Downs National Landscape.

The Red House is set in about ¾ of an acre of mature gardens and is a rare opportunity to become the custodian of one of the most beautiful houses in the Elham Valley.

The Red House is an exquisite Grade II Listed Georgian house dating from the 18th Century. As the name suggests, the property is of red brick construction beneath a parapet roof with sash windows, clad with a beautiful and ancient wisteria. The current owner has carried out a sympathetic programme of upgrading and maintenance during his ownership with advice from a renowned local conservation architect.

The property has four elegant and spacious reception rooms typical of the era, with a bespoke library overlooking the gardens. In a side wing is a wonderful vaulted kitchen and family / breakfast room giving the house a very practical layout for family living or entertaining. The front of the house has an in and out drive behind restored metal railings and gates, set well back from Valley Road behind the Barham Village Green.

The gardens are a stunning feature of The Red House and include a mostly walled, south facing rose garden with a greenhouse, brick paths and a pergola. Adjacent is an enclosed courtyard with double wooden gates and the Annexe.

To the rear of the property are the principal gardens which are partly walled, sweeping away from the house with flagstone paths between high yew hedges and obelisks leading the eye to the foot of the garden. The lawns are flanked with densely planted herbaceous and shrub beds. Close to the house is an elevated paved seating area ideal for al fresco dining. The garden is home to specimen trees including a magnificent horse chestnut, yew and beech.

Surrounding Area and Local Amenities:
The property is set in the Elham Valley, in the Kent Downs National Landscape, approximately 6½ miles south-east of Canterbury. Barham has a community shop/post office and a public house. There is a great selection of farm shops, tea rooms, pubs and restaurants in the locality, some of which have national acclaim, making this part of Kent a very popular ‘foodie’ destination. Canterbury has an excellent selection of shopping and leisure facilities, with a wide choice of schooling for all ages and abilities in the area, with Barham Primary School rated ‘Good’ by OFSTED in 2023. Schools in the area include the Simon Langton Grammar Schools, King’s School, Kent College & St Edmund’s in Canterbury and Junior King’s in Sturry. The A2 is nearby, linking to the southern motorway network, the Channel Tunnel and the Port of Dover. The M20 is about 11 miles to the south. High Speed rail services from Canterbury West Station take approximately 56 minutes into London St Pancras International.