This charming Grade II-listed cottage is nestled in the pretty village of Rotherfield in East Sussex. Extending almost 1,900 sq ft internally, the house is also complete with a voluminous attic space currently used as a study area. Opposite a picturesque church, close to two lovely historic pubs, and a train station with direct trains into London, the beautiful house is in a fantastic and bucolic position.
Setting the Scene
This historic house in the High Weald Area of Natural Beauty comprises a south-facing timber-framed townhouse joined with a period vernacular cottage to its north end. The church-facing town façade would have been built without front gables, which would have been constructed later. The roof, clasped in purlin and wind brace construction, is generally considered to date between circa 1450-1600, meaning the house could have been built as early as the mid-15th century. For more information, please see the History section.
The Grand Tour
Nestled in the centre of the village, the house is set back from the road. Accessed via the gate into the garden, a brick path leads to the front door. This opens into the rustic kitchen with terracotta tiles and cream cabinetry. Adjacent is an open-plan dining and living room. This room has distinguishing original beams and three windows frame views of the garden. Below each window is characterful tongue and groove panelling; new oak floorboards run underfoot. A wood burner is set in an exposed brick chimney with a solid wooden lintel above. A second fireplace to the other side of the room has been blocked, creating space for shelving.
Upstairs on the first floor are three generous double bedrooms and a single, currently used as a study. All rooms are linked by a generous hallway lined with striped carpet. The bedroom at the far end is the principal bedroom, where a sash window has a picturesque view of the church. Here, a row of fitted cupboards provides storage. Neighbouring it is a smaller bedroom, currently used as a children’s room but could easily be a useful study. Next door is a family bathroom.
Further down the hall is a sunny room with protruding windows and a fireplace. This room is also clad in tongue and groove panelling and has a decorative wooden fireplace surround. A fourth bedroom sits at the end of the corridor. Throughout the house, distinctive exposed beams decorate high ceilings.
Above, running the length of the house is a useful attic space currently used as an office.
The Great Outdoors
To the side of the house is a courtyard garden comprising paved and gravelled terrace areas and thoughtfully planted borders, with daffodils, primroses and bluebells. West-facing, the garden is a real suntrap in the afternoon and is perfect for eating outdoors in the summer. A beautiful wisteria climbs this façade of the house, alongside a vine which grows over the doorway.
Out and About
Rotherfield is a pretty village with a good primary school, a doctor’s surgery, a corner shop, and a florist. It is also home to some brilliant pubs, including The Kings Arms – a Grade II-listed 17th-century coaching inn – with good food and a cosy atmosphere, complete with an open fire.
Nearby Crowborough, situated on the edge of the 6,500-acre Ashdown Forest, hosts a selection of independent and national retailers, including Waitrose. The general area is well-served by schools, both public and private, including Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Holmwood House, The Mead and Mayfield.
The spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells is a 20-minute drive north along the A26, offering a wide range of restaurants, theatres, coffee shops and supermarkets. Of particular note are The Pantiles, a Georgian shopping promenade of independent eateries and shops. There is also an excellent range of pubs in the town, including the Sussex Arms and Ragged Trousers.
Nearby, Sissinghurst Castle Garden is a fantastic place to visit all year round, a well-renowned garden designed by Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicholson in the early 1930s. The nearest swimming beach, a favourite of the current owners, is Seaford, a 45-minute drive from the house. Mayfield, on the East Sussex side of the border, is also close and has a striking medieval high street with more pubs, coffee shops and views.
The A26 provides access to the town of Lewes 17 miles south, which also sits just off the A27, providing a connection with the A23 London to Brighton road. Crowborough railway station, a four-minute drive from the house, located at the bottom of Crowborough Hill, provides a direct link to London Bridge with a journey time of around one hour.
Council Tax Band: D
History
Rotherfield is a conservation area with many buildings of particular quality and historical importance. This extends to the Grade I-listed St. Denys Church, a sandstone building in the village’s centre. Found at the top of a hill, the church’s 165-foot tall spire is a landmark for miles around. Built circa 1060, the oldest part of the church is on the northeast corner of the building. Known as Nevill Chapel, it is named after the Nevill branch of the Abergavenny family, who, from 1450, were the lords of the manor.
Originally a Saxon settlement, the area would have been covered with oak forest. Later, when the church was built, it would have been surrounded by cleared land. The areas on the valley bottom, where there was water, were farmed.
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