Winchet Hall, Goudhurst
Winchet Hall forms the principal part of an elegant unlisted country house, understood to date from the Georgian and Victorian eras, retaining many lovely period features and enjoying beautifully landscaped gardens of about 1.64 acres with a heated swimming pool, garaging and outbuildings.
Located in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the property lies about 2.4 miles from the village of Goudhurst with its 13th century church, village store, bakery, newsagents/Post Office, Pharmacy and ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted primary school. Marden village is about 2.4 miles to the north, with its various shops, excellent Cricket and Hockey Club and mainline station with frequent services to London and Ashford.
The orientation of the house is such that it enjoys both the morning and evening sun. Internally, a wealth of period features remain, including high ceilings with intricate cornice work, large sash windows with working shutters, panelled internal doors with decorative fingerplates and oak flooring to a number of rooms.
The ground floor accommodation, accessed via grand double doors into a welcoming entrance vestibule with original floor tiles, includes a most impressive drawing room of wonderful proportions with a glazed door opening to the pool area and the gardens beyond; a formal dining room with wide window seat enjoying a southerly aspect; a study with an ornamental fireplace and book shelving, and an appealing modern kitchen/breakfast room fitted by J & M Interiors with hand painted cupboards, central island and various integral appliances. There is an original period fireplace with gas fire and French doors open to a charming courtyard with external lighting, landscaped by Kate Ball Garden Design.
Two staircases lead up to the first floor where there are five attractive bedrooms, each with individual period features and several with hand wash basins. The principal bedroom is a beautiful light filled room with a bank of fitted cupboards and a stylishly appointed en suite shower room by Fired Earth. A family bathroom with clawfoot bath and en suite wet room serve the remaining bedrooms.
Winchet Hall is approached through electric double gates and via a sweeping private gravel drive flanked by lawn and mature shrubs, which passes the double garage and culminates at the gravelled parking area to the front of the house. A secondary drive continues passing a pond and leading to a timber gate with a right of access over the neighbouring drive.
A particularly lovely feature of the property are the gardens which extend mainly to the south and west with expansive lawns interspersed with an array of evergreen and deciduous trees and seasonal shrubs, including yew, Scots pine, rhododendrons, azaleas, rambling roses and copper beech trees. The outdoor Roman ended swimming pool is partially screened by established yew hedging and at the far end of the garden there is a decked terrace with trellis clad in wisteria, the perfect spot for outdoor entertaining.
Outbuildings include the pool house with shower room, a summerhouse, a garage/mower store, all with power and light connected.
Duncan Petrie, property agent for Savills in Cranbrook, says: “This elegant family home with its wonderfully proportioned rooms has such a great feel about it with its light and airy accommodation and stunning garden.”
Education opportunities exist within the area in both the private and state sector, at all levels. The property falls within the Cranbrook School Catchment (2022) and Bethany School is nearby. A popular pre-school (Harpers) is moments away and grammar and state schools in Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Maidstone are all within easy reach.
Winchet Hall is being marketed by Savills with a guide price of £1,750,000. For more details contact Duncan Petrie on 01580 720161.
