Chelwood Vachery

A rarely available and beautifully presented portion of a former country house enjoying a fabulous location high on Ashdown Forest, set back from the A22 via a long driveway, in enviable private grounds.
Entrance Porch - Dining Hall/Family Room - Kitchen/Breakfast Room - Laundry/Utility Room - Family Dining Hall - Cloakroom - Cellar - Store Room - Master Bedroom Suite with En Suite & Dressing Room - Large Balcony with Stunning Views - Six further bedrooms - Four further bathrooms - Large Attic Space - Gardens & grounds of 1.75 acres - Car Parking for Four Vehicles
 
LOCATION:  Situated high on Ashdown Forest between Forest Row and Nutley.  Nutley is about 1.5 miles south and offers a village shop, pub, church and primary school.  Less than 4 miles north is the quaint village of Forest Row with excellent facilities including courtesan shops, cafes and eateries.  Approx 7 miles to the larger towns and main shopping centres of East Grinstead to the north and Uckfield to the south.  Trains to London (Victoria, Clapham Junction or London Bridge) from East Grinstead, Uckfield or, for the shortest journey time of 45 minutes,  Haywards Heath 10 miles away.  Tunbridge Wells, Lewes, Crawley and Brighton are all easily accessible, as is the M23 and Gatwick Airport (17 miles).
SCHOOLS:  The area is well served by some highly-regarded schools, both state and private, including Cumnor House, Brambletye, Michael Hall, Ardingly College and Uckfield Community College.
HISTORY:  Chelwood Vachery lies within ground originally called Vachery Wood which was Royal land until the late 17th Century, by which time it had become part of the estate of the Earl of Dorset, ancestor or the Lords de la Warr.  The land was sold to Sir Stuart Samuel, a banker and Liberal MP for Whitechapel and by 1906, Sir Samuel had employed William Lockhart to build a new mansion and Leonard Rome Guthrie to landscape the grounds.  In 1925, the property was purchased by Mr N J Nettlefold, a rhododendron enthusiast who extended the collection.  Many of the rhododendrons are now over 30 ft in height.  The property was subsequently owned by British American Tobacco and used as a conference centre until it was divided in 1996 and returned to private ownership.
No.3 is the principle portion of the original house which has been sympathetically refurbished and tastefully updated by the current owners who have retained the original features of the structure whilst creating a luxuriously appointed modern home.
Externally, the garden and grounds remain a feature of the Vachery and are divided into separate ownership amongst the various properties.
POINTS OF NOTE:  Solid wood double entrance doors provide the perfect security for lock-up and leave.
Handsome dining hall or family room featuring a beautiful Chinese slate floor, large fixed and framed wall mirrors and two ceiling roses.
Hallway with trap door leading to a barrel-vaulted cellar comprising a store room with natural light and a shelved wine store.
Superbly appointed kitchen/breakfast room fitted with a range of painted, solid wooden units complemented by black granite worktops, a central island and a Travertine tiled floor.  Range of integrated appliances including a Neff double oven, touch-controlled ceramic hob with extractor over, refrigerator, Neff dishwasher & microwave.  Lying off the kitchen is a utility room, also with a range of units, Corian worktops and space for laundry appliances.
Spacious hallway/casual family dining area with serving hatch from kitchen.  Access to cloakroom with toilet and basin.
Magnificent double-aspect drawing room, formerly the ballroom of the original mansion and still with sprung English oak parquet floor, ornate cornicing and ceiling roses.  Handsome Lancashire stone fireplace.  French doors opening to the terrace, lower terrace and garden to the south.
First floor master suite accessed via its own hallway and comprising a bedroom with restored original wooden floor and double glazed doors to a private balcony enjoying fantastic vierws over the gardens to the Ashdown Forest beyond.  Ensuite bathroom tiled in natural tumbled travertine with underfloor heating, contemporary white suite with double basins set in oak standing.  Large bath and walk-in shower with drencher rose, matching toilet and bidet.
Stunning dressing room finished in black gloss & walnut.  Units include fitted dressing table and range of wardrobes, shelving and drawers, all with soft-close doors and drawers.
Elegant double aspect guest bedroom with ceiling rose, restored original pitch pine floor and wide bay window overlooking the front aspect.  Adjacent to the bedroom is a spacious guest bathroom with Victorian patterned tiled, under-heated floor, a classic suite including a 'claw & ball' roll top bath, ornate twin pedestal basins and separate shower cubicle.  Original fireplace is a further feature (non-working).
There are five further bedrooms - one on the first floor, three on the second floor, one with self-contained ensuite bathroom and access to an extensive floored attic storage space.
The arrangement of the top (third) floor with bedroom beneath offers an ideal suite of rooms suitable for au pair, teenager or secluded accommodations for guests.
OUTGOINGS:  An annual charge of £400 is payable to the Residents' Association.  This covers drainage costs and driveway maintenance.  The property has mains electricity and water, private drainage and an oil-fired central heating system.  The property is served by super fast fibre broadband.
 
VIEWINGS:  Strictly by appointment.  If there is any point of particular importance to you, we invite you to discuss this with the vendor prior to arranging to view the property.
 

Tenure: Freehold

Council Tax: F

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