luxury houses with terrace for sale Mayfield, United Kingdom

There could be few more beautiful places to enjoy the rural idyll that this simply stunning country residence nestling in  9.45 acres of grounds and fields surrounded by a five hectare vineyard in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The property was originally two barns and was built in the 1980’s and offers some stunning period features such as a Kent ragstone exterior and impressive exposed beams. However it was recently converted and extended by the current owners, so not only does it have the character of a bygone era but also incorporates a contemporary high end design, focusing on modern family life with leisure and pleasure in mind. It also includes a detached annex, additional outbuildings and a heated swimming pool.   The property is approached through a charming automated white wrought iron gate with the name emblazoned on the entrance. The gate opens onto a long private drive flanked by lawns interspersed with trees and shrubs that leads to a vast parking area and an attractive pitched roof three vehicle carport and to the front entrance. It is at this stage you can take in the house’s external appeal with its steep Kent peg tiled roof, delightful pitched roof dormers, high chimneystacks, multi-pane casement windows and impressive oak front door.   This opens into the awe-inspiring, partially double height 30ft reception hall where you need a minute to take in everything. There is the beautiful oak staircase, oak panelling and a galleried landing, attractive slate tiled flooring, a plethora of exposed beams, feature brick walls and a fireplace with a log burner. You will also find a cloakroom and a coat room as well as sliding doors to a walk-in wine cellar and double doors to an inner hall with a second cloakroom and also double doors opening into the superb triple aspect drawing room. Guests will be delighted to be entertained in this large and well-proportioned room with its historic beams, inglenook fireplace and delightful oak fitted cupboards and shelving as well as French doors to the wraparound terrace. Doors from the spacious inner hall open into a charming central courtyard that can also be accessed from the breathtaking 53ft L shaped garden style sitting/dining room. This has windows on all sides including to the inner courtyard and two sets of bi-fold doors to the terrace as well as a limestone fireplace with an open fire, engineered oak flooring and the original external stone walling. The dining area includes tall windows providing stunning views over the grounds, the vineyard and the countryside beyond.   In line with the emphasis on leisure and pleasure there is also a cinema room, while the superlatives continue when you see the kitchen/breakfast room. For anyone who enjoys catering and entertaining the kitchen has everything you might want including an enormous walk-in pantry, stainless steel units housing a Gaggenau built in oven and steam oven, an American style Subzero fridge, a dishwasher and a Quooker boiling water tap. There is also a large central island/breakfast bar with wood units and polished concrete worktops incorporating a Gaggenau induction hob, a built in grill and teppanyaki plate  with an impressive extractor system. You will never have to queue for the bathroom in this house since, as well as the two downstairs cloakrooms, upstairs there is a family shower room and four double bedrooms that surround the reception hall and the courtyard and three if these have ensuite facilities. Two have fitted cupboards and an ensuite bathroom with a bath and separate shower another includes an ensuite shower and a dressing room and a third has French doors to the fabulous roof terrace.  While the luxurious principal suite includes a very large dressing room and the ultimate in contemporary bathrooms with a superb stand-alone oval bath and a raised decked double shower as well as French doors to the roof terrace. Here you can enjoy your morning coffee revelling in the panoramic views across the grounds, the vineyard and the countryside as far as the eye can see.   A secondary driveway provides access to outbuildings and the detached annex. This was originally the stables and has been beautifully converted to provide a spacious single storey dwelling that includes two double bedrooms and a single that could make an excellent study, a shower room and a spacious living room/kitchen. It is currently in use as a successful air b and b but could be ideal for elderly relatives or adult children if you have multi-generational requirements. There is also a garage, storage facilities and a first floor studio. Much of the garden is laid to lawn and surrounds a delightful swimming pool with a decked terrace, ideal for enjoying the far-reaching views. There is also the main terrace that wraps around half the property and is just the place for outdoor entertaining and relaxing in the sunshine. Beyond the lawns the grounds create a park like atmosphere with impressive trees and a small lake bordered by two large fields.   What the owners say: We moved here about 10 years ago because we fell in love with the wonderful location and the character of the property. It is very quiet, peaceful and private with fabulous views. During our time here we have extended the property and completely refurbished and updated the house to provide everything needed for contemporary living. We also created the annex and built the swimming pool as well as planting the vineyard and developed a highly successful winery. Although we live in a country paradise, we are not far from the delightful Eridge village with a mainline station where the direct train to London Bridge takes just under an hour or you can drive to Tunbridge Wells for faster trains to London. There is also a gothic style church, a village hall with a variety of activities as well as two good pub/restaurants. The village grew up around the Grade II Listed  Eridge Park and mansion, which has been the seat of the Earl and Marquess of Abergevenny since 1448. We are also only 2.5 miles from the famous Pantiles in Tunbridge Wells as well as the town centre and the station where trains to London Bridge only take 44 minutes.    Tunbridge Wells or, more formally Royal Tunbridge Wells, became a famous spa town in Regency times when it was frequented by the aristocracy who came to take the waters and enjoy the entertainment organised by Beau Nash. Much of this historic town was developed during that time including the Pantiles that now offers a delightful mix of independent shops, bars and restaurants. While the rest of the town includes high street stores, a variety of eateries, individual shops, hair and beauty salons and a number of hotels as well as retail parks. Entertainment facilities include a nine-screen Odeon cinema, the Trinity theatre, the well-respected Assembly Hall Theatre and exhibitions in the Amelia Scott cultural centre.      With regards to education there are a number of primary and secondary schools rated Outstanding by Ofsted including St James and St Peters’ C of E primary schools and secondary schools including Bennett Memorial Diocesan School, the St Gregory’s Catholic School as well as Tunbridge Wells Girls Grammar School and Skinners Grammar School.  Claremont primary has also been judged Outstanding in various categories. You will also find excellent private schools in the area including Rosehill, The Mead, Kent College, Holmewood House and Beechwood prep and secondary school while in Tonbridge there is the famous Tonbridge School founded in 1553. For sporting aficionados you have the Neville Golf Club and Tunbridge Wells rugby, tennis and cricket clubs as well as the indoor sports and tennis centre and a swimming pool.   Agent’s note: The Busi Jacobsohn vineyard and additional acreage is available by separate negotiation.

Setting Oldlands Corner Cottage sits on the edge of the charming village of Fairwarp, with direct access to the six and a half thousand acres of the enchanting Ashdown Forest; an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty offering superb walking, cycling and riding across open heathland and ancient woodland. The village itself is anchored by the characterful Foresters Arms, a beamed inn dating from 1898 which serves real ales and food and is a firm favourite with walkers and locals alike, alongside Christ Church and a thriving village hall hosting regular events and a monthly farmers' market. For more comprehensive day-to-day shopping, the nearby towns of Uckfield (approximately 4.5 miles) and Crowborough (approximately 4 miles) provide a good range of supermarkets, shops, restaurants and leisure facilities, whilst the historic county town of Lewes and Royal Tunbridge Wells are within comfortable reach for broader retail and cultural pursuits, including world-class opera at Glyndebourne. Locally there is a good choice of state schools including Bonners CE Primary at Maresfield and Nutley CE Primary, whilst further afield are a number of well-regarded independent schools serving the area. Buxted Station, just a short drive away, provides Southern Rail services to London Bridge with a journey time of approximately one hour fifteen minutes, with East Croydon also served en route. For golfers, the area is exceptionally well served with East Sussex National Golf Club at Little Horsted, home to two championship courses that have hosted the European Open, Piltdown Golf Club with its historic heathland course carved from ancient Sussex heath and the beautifully situated Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club at Forest Row, all within easy reach. For equestrian enthusiasts, the Ashdown Forest Riding Centre at Duddleswell and Misbourne Riding Centre at Nutley are virtually on the doorstep, offering riding across some of the finest countryside in the South East.

East Grinstead has a good range of shops and restaurants. For a more extensive range of shopping there is Tunbridge Wells. There are a number of sports clubs around the town including rugby, hockey, cricket, netball, tennis and football. Golf is available at Chartham Park, Royal Ashdown, Sweetwoods and Holtye. Horse racing at Lingfield Park. There are railway stations at East Grinstead, Lingfield and Cowden providing services to London Bridge/Victoria. The A22 gives access to East Grinstead which in turn leads to M25.

The position of this delightful, detached period home is quite superb and offers the best of both worlds in that it is tucked away and yet provides good access into the village and to the popular station to London with the additional benefit of backing onto open fields.   A long driveway from the Tonbridge Road leads up hill to the large block paved parking and turning area and a detached double garage and your first glimpse of this delightful home surrounded by gardens that lend a feeling of calm that comes with being far from the madding crowded. A few steps up past a fabulous pond takes you to the terrace which makes the most of its elevated position and affords you far reaching views beyond the village to the distant horizon.   In order to make use of this sunny aspect and delightful view a large conservatory has been added to the front elevation of the house to create a much used and much-loved space for sitting or entertaining whilst maximising the benefit of the view. From here a large reception hall makes a superb study area or reading nook with its pretty bay window, brick fireplace and parquet floor.   A large single storey addition has created a very generous living room, maximising the natural light with its triple aspect and views out over the gardens. The charming kitchen is linked to the dining room via a conservatory that currently serves as a utility area and would make a fine breakfast room. A doorway leads past the wine store to a traditional dining room with a fireplace and pretty side bay window. This is another large room and is ideal for seating large gatherings and makes a superb entertaining space.   Upstairs there are four double bedrooms, two of which are en-suite to shower rooms, with a family bathroom and separate toilet.    A formal garden fronts the property with a large terrace, a pond garden and lawn. A further large lawn wraps around the house and is ideal for garden sports or if you prefer to be left as a natural wildflower garden. To the rear of the house is a pretty little painted brick outbuilding under a pitched tiled roof that has plenty of scope to be your home office, children’s den summerhouse or potting shed.     This has been an amazing house in a brilliant location. We always loved the fact that you come up a long driveway before you get to the house, so you feel like you are so tucked away and as the driveway is uphill you have a lovely, elevated position with superb far-reaching views. Having said that you are perfectly situated for easy access to Hildenborough village, the station with services into London, as well as to Tonbridge Town and Sevenoaks.   The village has two state primary schools, Stocks Green School, and Hildenborough cep school as well as the independent Fosse Bank, and the independent Sackville school. Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks offer a brilliant choice of schooling in both the state sector including superb grammar schools like The Judd School and TOGGS, and the private sector including Tonbridge and Sevenoaks schools, Hilden Grange and the schools at Somerhill.

What the owners say: This impressive four storey country residence forms part of a magnificent Victorian manor house surrounded by half an acre of delightful private gardens in the charming hamlet of Golden Green. It backs onto farmland with far-reaching views across the Medway Valley and is approached through a pair of solid wood automatic gates that open onto a private driveway leading to a spacious parking area is flanked by an avenue of trees and shrubs bordered by a large lawn.  Wonderful external features give this property such a special character including very high chimneystacks, differing roof lines with attractive barge boards, patterned brickwork, pitched roof dormers, bay and windows and an arched entrance. The period features continue internally with high coved ceilings, picture and dado rails, wall panelling and ornate ceiling roses as well as beautiful fireplaces. At the same time the property has been superbly but sensitively updated by the current owners to provide everything needed for modern day living and is beautifully presented and maintained. The front door opens into a long L-shaped hallway with a cloakroom, a stained-glass door to the courtyard, a staircase to the lower ground floor and upper floors as well as Amtico herringbone flooring that flows through to the spacious, modern dual aspect kitchen/breakfast room and hallway. This has views over the courtyard and features a range cooker, a central island and shaker style units housing a fridge freezer, wine fridge and dishwasher, while still leaving plenty of space for a table and chairs. There is a very elegant dual aspect lounge with an attractive bay window, a wood burning stove surrounded by a charming slate fireplace and solid oak flooring that continues into the spacious dining/sitting room. This also includes an attractive sandstone fireplace with a log burner and fitted shelving and is currently in use as a family room/second sitting room. However, it would be ideal for those more formal occasions where you could seat at least a dozen guests. On the lower ground floor, you will find the utility room which comfortably accommodates several large appliances whilst providing essential hanging and drying space. In addition to this there is also a large boiler room and substantial private office with varied and versatile bespoke storage. An L-shaped galleried landing on the split level first floor includes an airing cupboard with access to three double bedrooms and the large stunning family bathroom that all have wonderful countryside views. The bathroom features a modern stand-alone oval bath where you can sit and enjoy the views, a separate double shower and twin basins. One of the bedrooms has a charming original fireplace while the large and well-proportioned principal bedroom is dual aspect and includes a plethora of fitted cupboards as well as a staircase leading up to a superb ensuite dressing room/shower room. While there is access to the rest of the second floor accommodation from the dressing room there is also the main staircase that leads to the second floor landing and a contemporary shower room serving two double bedrooms that provide a panoramic rural vista or could perhaps a bedroom and sitting room for a teenager wanting a little independence and private space. Outside, as well as the courtyard with access to the garage, there is a nearly 19ft long workshop with a pine boarded ceiling, windows, electrics and lighting so could always be converted into a games room/bar or offices for anyone working from home who needs peace and quiet. In order to provide complete privacy and security the beautifully landscaped garden is surrounded by six-foot-high fencing and hornbeam hedging so is completely secure for children and animals. It includes a truly charming and relaxing sunken garden seating area with delightful, raised lily ponds bordered by well-manicured lawns and shrub beds overlooking farmland as well as a large terrace for outdoor entertaining and barbecues.

If the ultimate in unique properties is your idea of home, then look no further than the magnificent Hadlow Tower – or ‘May’s Folly’ as it is less reverently named by the locals. Once part of a Romantic Gothic style 18th century castle, the 175ft eight storey tower stands six foot higher than Nelson’s Column and is visible from Bidborough to Sevenoaks. Having fallen into disrepair and severely damaged in the 1987 storm, it was restored in 2013 at a cost of £4.2 million with grants provided by English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund. Its impressive restoration won multiple Historic England Angel Awards as well as the Lloyd-Webber Angel Award.   Now a fabulous private home it is accessed through the fantastic triple arched and castellated Romantic Gothic entrance on Hadlow village high street. There is a long and winding private road that passes a few individual properties and stunning countryside as far as the eye can see and ultimately leads to the spectacular tower, a parking area and the impressive walled courtyard. This includes additional buildings and a fabulous external window in what was thought to be the original castle entrance. The ancillary buildings have now been converted into six private dwellings and, together with the tower custodian, the owners of these six properties are responsible for the wonderful communal grounds that include sweeping lawns interspersed with impressive specimen trees and a beautiful lake encircled by a plethora of colourful shrubs.   As soon as you see the iconic tower with its octagonal shaped exterior, arched windows, ornate mouldings and fantastic lantern you will almost be transported into a fantasy world and may perhaps wonder why Rapunzel is not looking out of an upstairs window. However once inside, while there are stunning original and historic features, it has been designed as a one-of-a-kind modern family home.   There are three entrances to the tower and the main double height arched front door leads to a lobby with an original brick floor and a fascinating octagonal reception hall with interesting displays, terracotta flooring and, fortunately, a contemporary lift to the first four floors. There is also a utility room, cloakroom, boiler room and boot cupboard, a pair of original oak external doors and access to the main circular staircase and an outer secondary circular stone staircase.   Opening the lift door on the first floor you are immediately confronted by a superb octagonal dining room where guests will be queueing up to be invited to a meal as this characterful room includes full height circle top arched windows providing far reaching views, a beautiful polished wood floor, a unique arched recess and sculptured oak doors that come from the original castle. These open into a small corridor with the main staircase and a second set of old oak doors that lead to the triple aspect kitchen/breakfast room with fantastic stained glass windows that were also rescued from the castle, access to the secondary staircase and shaker style units housing various appliances.   The octagonal drawing room on the next floor is something to behold with its gothic casement windows, polished wood flooring, exposed beams and amazing brick arched fireplace with a log burner but is also cosy enough for the family to enjoy relaxing and spending time together. There are steps down to a double bedroom that also has a charming stained glass window from the castle, lovely views over the grounds, an en suite bathroom and access to the secondary staircase.   You can take the main stone staircase up to a dual aspect double bedroom with a central beam and oak flooring, while oak steps lead to the principal suite with exposed beamed, storage facilities and a contemporary en suite. On the fourth floor there is a fascinating double bedroom with an octagonal inner frame surrounding the bed, an octagonal dressing room with a walk-in wardrobe, oak stairs leading to a superb bathroom and a door to a castellated roof terrace offering excellent views over the surrounding countryside.   The next floor includes a useful study area and external access while open staircases lead to the additional floors. There are original six inch square vertical beams, interesting billboards showcasing the history of the tower and doors to the external castellated parapet with 360 degree views as far as the eye can see. At the very top of the tower is an exact replica of the original lantern that was destroyed during the Great Storm of 1987.   The Tower also owns an area of woodland and grounds beyond the communal lake area and this is basically a blank canvas so new owners can create whatever they like. It includes a large shed that houses the remains of the original lantern that were retained to provide a reference point for the replacement.   What the owner says: This has been a very exciting and unique home that I have been privileged and proud to own for the past few years. I and my family have thoroughly enjoyed our time here in this peaceful and tranquil environment, but my business is taking me abroad so I feel it is time to hand the baton over to new custodians who will appreciate the uniqueness of this amazing place in such an incredible setting.   Although where we are is private and peaceful, Hadlow high street is at the end of the lane. This charming village is in a Conservation area and includes many attractive period properties and a variety of shops, pubs, hairdresser, restaurant, church, library and a medical centre. For the more energetic there are cricket and bowls clubs as well as a good primary school and the renowned Hadlow College of Agriculture and Horticulture that includes the Broadview Gardens complex that has a tearoom and florist and where you can enjoy wandering around the grounds.   Other facilities are available in nearby Tonbridge including excellent grammar and private schools, independent shops and high street stores, pubs, restaurants, a theatre and the station where trains to London take around 30 to 40 minutes. There is the Tonbridge School leisure club while for golfing enthusiasts there are numerous golf clubs and courses within a radius of nine miles around Hadlow including the local Poult Wood Public Golf Centre.   Historical Note: Hadlow Castle was built in the 18th century in the then fashionable Strawberry Hill Gothic style. It was extended in the 19th century and the owner Walter Barton May at the time built the Tower (May’s Folly). Local lore has it that he had it built so he could spy on his estranged wife but it was probably because he wanted to show off his wealth.