Coast Drive

The Grand Tour

A pebbled walkway leads to the front door, which opens to a well-lit porch with a built-in bench, where there is plenty of space to shed coats and shoes. Adjacent lies a separate entrance through to a useful boot room with ample storage, offering a practical place to transition from the beach.

This leads to the sitting room, an oasis of openness that seamlessly connects every corner of the house. The room is bookended by French doors and windows, allowing for beautiful far-reaching views. The back wall has been painted in the lime-based North by Bauwerk, and a Charnwood log burner is set in the fireplace, creating a focal point and warming the house in colder months.

Through a set of glazed bi-fold doors is the open-plan kitchen and dining room. Here, large windows and a glazed double door allow sunlight to stream in generously. The kitchen is fitted with a ceramic sink, unlacquered brass taps and wooden shelving extending along one wall, adding rustic charm and storage. The dining area is at the opposite end of the room, set in front of the windows, overlooking the terrace and the wilderness beyond. Next to the kitchen is a pantry with ample storage concealed behind fluted pocket doors.

The first floor is given over entirely to the main bedroom suite. Dual-aspect, French doors open out to a balcony overlooking the coast. On the opposite side, a freestanding roll-top bath sits under a window, the perfect spot to take in the rugged scenery. A timber door leads to a WC.

On the ground floor are three further bedrooms. Two of these bedrooms are en-suite and have windows that frame panoramic views of the sea. The third bedroom cleverly utilises space with built-in bunk beds that echo a ship’s cabin.

A utility room fitted with storage space and a sink leads to a study at the rear of the house. A further bathroom, with a bathtub and shower, can be found under the staircase.

There is also off street parking with space for two cars.

The Great Outdoors

French doors open from the kitchen and dining room to a decked terrace, a captivating outdoor haven. Spanning the width of the house, the space is gently demarcated by a low perimeter wall with perennial borders and is the perfect spot for eating alfresco. Beyond this is the rest of the pebbled-covered garden. The Dungeness miniature stream railway runs just beyond the back wall.

A separate deck leads off from the living area at the front of the house, with ample space for outdoor furniture. In the rest of the front garden, pebbles cover the ground blending the area with the beach across the road.

Out and About

Dungeness’ striking landsdcape has gardered it the title of Britain’s only desert. Its beautiful scenery has attraced a flourishing artist and architectural community. The beach is within such close proximity that occasionally, a sail can be spotted bobbing along the horizon from the house’s sunroom. The house is also only moments from Greatstone beach; two miles of sandy shoreline.

On Dungeness, there are two pubs on the peninsula, one at either end of the main road, as well as a fish hut and famous ‘Snack Shack’ selling freshly-caught fish and crab rolls. Nearby, New Romney has a Sainsbury’s and a useful high street. Most supermarkets deliver to the house. Further afield, the picturesque town of Rye has some excellent independent shops and good places to eat and drink, including The George, The Standard Inn and Knoops Chocolate.

Derek Jarman’s former home, Prospect Cottage, is within walking distance. Recently protected by The Arts Fund, its garden is famous for its wildflowers, sculptures made from beach-found objects and saltwater-loving flora. In nearby Hastings, The Jerwood Gallery has a world-class collection of artworks, including works by L. S. Lowry and Stanley Spencer.

The house is around 75 miles from central London (approximately 90 minutes from Greenwich). It lies around 20 miles from Ashford International, which is only a 38-minute journey to King’s Cross St Pancras. It’s also a 20-minute taxi ride (or a slightly longer bus journey) from Rye station, which runs trains to King’s Cross via Ashford in just over an hour.

The Dungeness Estate is an SSSI and thus covered by planning restrictions designed to protect its unique ecology for generations to come. Many buildings on the beach have been modified or demolished and replaced – but always in close collaboration with the local planning department.

Council Tax Band : D