House For Sale £2,950,000
A heavenly house, hidden in the South Downs
Description
<b>Ground floor:</b>
Entrance hall, kitchen/breakfast room, utility, dining room, study, drawing room, sitting room, conservatory, downstairs wc
<b>First floor:</b>
Principal bedroom with adjoining dressing room, principal bathroom, 2 further bedrooms (one en suite)
<b>Second floor:</b>
2 double bedrooms, bathroom
<b>Outside:</b>
Wood store, coal shed, machinery store and potting shed, swimming pool
<b>Wood Barn:</b>
3 bedroom cottage with separate access
The Old Rectory, which is Grade II listed, is thought to date from the eighteenth century, with the current façade added in 1850. The property was home to the rector of Folkington and was in the ownership of the church until 1951. In 1957 the house was bought by Walter Monkton, Viscount Brenchley, who lived at The Old Rectory for the rest of his life. He is perhaps best known as being a close adviser to Edward VIII through the abdication crisis and constitutional advisor to the last Nizam of Hyderabad. He was also Chairman of Midland Bank and of the MCC and Chancellor of the University of Sussex. A mural on the wall of the study, is reported to depict places of importance to Viscount Brenchley, including the Houses of Parliament and The Old Rectory.
The house has been in the ownership of the current family since 2006. It has three characterful reception rooms, a study, conservatory and a kitchen/breakfast room. The drawing room has sash windows and a wood burner. The dining room and sitting room have open fireplaces and there is a wood burning stove in the breakfast room. The kitchen has an oil fired Aga, a dining/breakfast area and a utility room. On the first floor, the master suite occupies the easterly end of the house and has a dressing room and bathroom. There are 4 further bedrooms and two family bathrooms. Outside there is a log store, coal store and an outbuilding housing used as a store for garden machinery and potting shed.
The Old Rectory sits in approximately 4.36 acres of gardens and grounds, including an orchard and a paddock. On the south side, there is a raised lawn with an outdoor swimming pool and pool house. There is a gravel parking area to one side of the house.
Accessed via a separate driveway and well screened from the main house is Wood Barn, a three bedroom cottage with first floor kitchen/sitting room.
Location
The Old Rectory occupies a magical setting, opposite the 13th century church of St Peter ad Vincula, at the end of Folkington Lane, where the lane meets the Wealdway footpath. The hamlet of Folkington sits at the foot of Folkington Hill in the South Downs National Park, which affords a dramatic rural backdrop with superb opportunities for hiking, cycling and horse riding. The Wealdway runs for 83 miles, crossing Kent and East Sussex, and links to the South Downs Way. From Folkington, the Wealdway to the west leads past the mysterious guardian of the South Downs, The Long Man of Wilmington, believed to date to at least 1710. The coast is about 5 miles distant.
The neighbouring villages of Jevington, Wilmington, Litlington and Alfriston are well known for their rural charm and beauty, as is the nearby Firle Estate. There are numerous country pubs in the area and the Rathfinny Wine Estate is a sought after location for fine dining in addition to The Star at Alfriston. Glyndebourne opera house is approximately 11 miles away. Polegate and Berwick offer rail services to London Victoria and London Bridge from 1hr 22 mins. There are several supermarkets in Hailsham, including Waitrose and Tesco. Popular coastal spots include Beachy Head, Birling Gap, Cuckmere Haven and Holywell, which have beaches and coastal walks. There is a superb view point and access to the South Downs Way from Bopeep Car Park. Lewes (12 miles), Eastbourne (8.7 miles) and Brighton (20 miles) provide a more extensive range of shops, restaurants, leisure facilities and schooling options, including Brighton College (which operates a bus service with a collection and drop off nearby) and St Andrews Prep School, Bedes Prep School, Eastbourne College, Bedes Senior School, Lewes Old Grammar School, Northease Manor School, Rodean School, Brighton Girls, Battle Abbey School, Eastbourne Academy, Gildredge House, Alfriston Primary School.
Square Footage: 4,799 sq ft
Acreage:
4.36 Acres
Additional Info
<b>Utilities:</b> Mains water, mains electricity, private drainage via septic tank, oil fired central heating and hot water.
<b>Energy Performance Ratings:</b> The Old Rectory = Exempt and Wood Barn
Description
<b>Ground floor:</b>
Entrance hall, kitchen/breakfast room, utility, dining room, study, drawing room, sitting room, conservatory, downstairs wc
<b>First floor:</b>
Principal bedroom with adjoining dressing room, principal bathroom, 2 further bedrooms (one en suite)
<b>Second floor:</b>
2 double bedrooms, bathroom
<b>Outside:</b>
Wood store, coal shed, machinery store and potting shed, swimming pool
<b>Wood Barn:</b>
3 bedroom cottage with separate access
The Old Rectory, which is Grade II listed, is thought to date from the eighteenth century, with the current façade added in 1850. The property was home to the rector of Folkington and was in the ownership of the church until 1951. In 1957 the house was bought by Walter Monkton, Viscount Brenchley, who lived at The Old Rectory for the rest of his life. He is perhaps best known as being a close adviser to Edward VIII through the abdication crisis and constitutional advisor to the last Nizam of Hyderabad. He was also Chairman of Midland Bank and of the MCC and Chancellor of the University of Sussex. A mural on the wall of the study, is reported to depict places of importance to Viscount Brenchley, including the Houses of Parliament and The Old Rectory.
The house has been in the ownership of the current family since 2006. It has three characterful reception rooms, a study, conservatory and a kitchen/breakfast room. The drawing room has sash windows and a wood burner. The dining room and sitting room have open fireplaces and there is a wood burning stove in the breakfast room. The kitchen has an oil fired Aga, a dining/breakfast area and a utility room. On the first floor, the master suite occupies the easterly end of the house and has a dressing room and bathroom. There are 4 further bedrooms and two family bathrooms. Outside there is a log store, coal store and an outbuilding housing used as a store for garden machinery and potting shed.
The Old Rectory sits in approximately 4.36 acres of gardens and grounds, including an orchard and a paddock. On the south side, there is a raised lawn with an outdoor swimming pool and pool house. There is a gravel parking area to one side of the house.
Accessed via a separate driveway and well screened from the main house is Wood Barn, a three bedroom cottage with first floor kitchen/sitting room.
Location
The Old Rectory occupies a magical setting, opposite the 13th century church of St Peter ad Vincula, at the end of Folkington Lane, where the lane meets the Wealdway footpath. The hamlet of Folkington sits at the foot of Folkington Hill in the South Downs National Park, which affords a dramatic rural backdrop with superb opportunities for hiking, cycling and horse riding. The Wealdway runs for 83 miles, crossing Kent and East Sussex, and links to the South Downs Way. From Folkington, the Wealdway to the west leads past the mysterious guardian of the South Downs, The Long Man of Wilmington, believed to date to at least 1710. The coast is about 5 miles distant.
The neighbouring villages of Jevington, Wilmington, Litlington and Alfriston are well known for their rural charm and beauty, as is the nearby Firle Estate. There are numerous country pubs in the area and the Rathfinny Wine Estate is a sought after location for fine dining in addition to The Star at Alfriston. Glyndebourne opera house is approximately 11 miles away. Polegate and Berwick offer rail services to London Victoria and London Bridge from 1hr 22 mins. There are several supermarkets in Hailsham, including Waitrose and Tesco. Popular coastal spots include Beachy Head, Birling Gap, Cuckmere Haven and Holywell, which have beaches and coastal walks. There is a superb view point and access to the South Downs Way from Bopeep Car Park. Lewes (12 miles), Eastbourne (8.7 miles) and Brighton (20 miles) provide a more extensive range of shops, restaurants, leisure facilities and schooling options, including Brighton College (which operates a bus service with a collection and drop off nearby) and St Andrews Prep School, Bedes Prep School, Eastbourne College, Bedes Senior School, Lewes Old Grammar School, Northease Manor School, Rodean School, Brighton Girls, Battle Abbey School, Eastbourne Academy, Gildredge House, Alfriston Primary School.
Square Footage: 4,799 sq ft
Acreage:
4.36 Acres
Additional Info
<b>Utilities:</b> Mains water, mains electricity, private drainage via septic tank, oil fired central heating and hot water.
<b>Energy Performance Ratings:</b> The Old Rectory = Exempt and Wood Barn
