5 bedroom house

Delightful Grade II Listed family home of immense charm and character, on the outskirts of historic Penshurst and with beautiful gardens.

Location

South Lodge is conveniently located on the outskirts of the historic and picturesque village of Penshurst, within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Penshurst is famous for its impressive 14th Century stately home, Penshurst Place, which was once owned by Henry VIII. The village is surrounded by beautiful countryside and boasts a thriving community spirit. Amenities include a Church, village hall, tea room, post office, garage, the Leicester Arms public house and a monthly Farmers market. There are beautiful countryside walks and cycle paths and Penshurst cricket pitch is one of the oldest in the country, lying within the grounds of Penshurst Place.   There are two popular local country pubs, The Spotted Dog and The Bottle House Inn.

Comprehensive shopping: Penshurst enjoys the enviable position of being within convenient reach of the facilities of three large towns; Tunbridge Wells (just over 6 miles), Tonbridge (about 5 miles) and Sevenoaks (about 10 miles).

State and private schools: Penshurst has its own highly-regarded primary school, with further primary schools in nearby Fordcombe and Chiddingstone. There are a number of other well-regarded schools in the area, including the sought-after Kent grammar schools in Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells and private schools including Holmewood House Preparatory School in Langton Green and Sevenoaks and Tonbridge at secondary level.

Mainline rail: Commuter services from Penshurst (about 2.3 miles) to London Cannon Street and to London Victoria. Hildenborough (about 4.7 miles) to London Charing Cross/Cannon Street.

Description

South Lodge is a charming Grade II Listed property, of immense character, believed to date in part from the 16th Century with later additions. Internally, the beautifully presented, versatile, accommodation is arranged over three floors, together with a generous cellar.

A wealth of period features remain intact, including mullion windows, an abundance of exposed/painted timbers and beams, painted panelled internal doors with brass fittings and wood flooring to some areas.

The two principal reception rooms provide ideal areas for entertaining, comprising a superb well-proportioned reception/dining hall with oak flooring and a wood-burning (multi-fuel) stove and an attractive drawing room which features an open fireplace with marble surround and enjoys direct garden access. The family room is currently used as a gym with a utility room off.

The well-designed fitted modern kitchen breakfast room with its stone flooring and Matt black granite work tops contrasts well with the aged exposed oak beams and is complete with a four-oven Aga. Appliances include integrated fridge drawers, a Fisher & Paykel integrated fridge and freezer, a built-in Miele oven and Neff induction hob. There is larder storage, a bench seat for a breakfast table and built-in book sheves. French doors open out to the rear terrace dining area and offer a lovely garden outlook.

A fine carved oak staircase (and a secondary staircase) lead to the split-level first floor where there are two generously proportioned bedrooms, one with an adjoining dressing room and a bathroom off the stairs and one with en suite shower facilities and a useful study, as well as an impressive, family cinema room.

There are three additional bedrooms on the second floor and an attractive bathroom fitted with a white suite, including a free-standing bath. One of the bedrooms provides eaves storage access.

South Lodge is approached via a shared driveway through impressive Victorian gate posts. There is a private driveway with parking for multiple cars and a triple open bay garage with power and light connected, benefiting from generous secure first floor loft storage. The timber sheds provide further storage for gardening implements.

The delightful gardens are a superb feature of the property, lying predominantly to the side and rear of the house with various seating areas and comprising expanses of lawn, lavender edged pathways, a circular feature rose garden, a vegetable garden with raised beds and an attractive pond with mature landscaping, an abundance of mature trees and an apple and plum orchard.

Square Footage: 3227 sq ft

Acreage: 1.5 Acres

Directions

From the M25, head south on the A21 and take the Weald/ Sevenoaks/Hildenborough roundabout onto the B245, sign posted towards
Hildenborough and Tonbridge. Continue along this road and turn right sign posted to Leigh and Penshurst. Proceed through the village of Leigh, bearing left on leaving the village, signposted towards Penshurst. Continue for about 1.2 miles and the entrance gates to South Lodge will be
found on the right-hand side.

Marketed by: Savills, Tunbridge Wells