Lower Stoneham House
Lower Stoneham House is an elegant and impressive house set in a wonderful walled garden just outside the South Downs National Park. The house, which is detached, is believed to date from the late 17th century with later additions, and is in the Georgian style, with a graceful, wisteria-clad white front under a slate tiled roof, high ceilings, well-proportioned rooms and plenty of light throughout the house.
All the principal ground floor rooms have the benefit of French doors leading to the garden, creating an excellent flow between the indoor and outdoor living spaces. The property has recently been refurbished and offers beautifully presented accommodation arranged over three floors; it is ideally suited to meet the needs of modern family life, with plenty of space for both day-to-day life and formal entertaining, and for working from home if required.
Points of note include the formal dining room, which has a working fireplace with a marble mantelpiece, and a large adjoining storage cupboard. Opposite lies a study, with an internal fanlight and connecting door to the drawing room, which is a double aspect room with a marble mantelpiece and Barbas wood burning stove. This connects in turn to the garden room, a superb space for day-to-day family life, which also has access to the entrance hall and the kitchen/breakfast room. This room has been recently reconfigured with the addition of French doors to the rear, and the kitchen refitted with contemporary units under marble effect worktops, providing a counterpoint to the Aga with its period tiled surround. There are three Miele ovens and a Bosch dishwasher, and there is an adjoining utility room to the kitchen, with space for the usual appliances.
The principal bedroom suite on the first floor comprises a bedroom, dressing room with fitted wardrobes and a large bathroom with a freestanding roll top bath and a walk-in shower. There are three further bedrooms and a recently refitted bathroom with walk in shower and separate bath on this floor. On the second floor are two further bedrooms and a refitted bathroom with contemporary suite.
Lower Stoneham House is approached via secure, electronically operated wrought iron gates opening into a wide driveway, which sweeps around the edge of the front lawn, leading past the annexe and on to the house. The annexe is a detached, timber-framed building offering an open plan living room and two bedrooms, with an attached carport and secure store. The house, which is clad in climbing roses and wisteria, sits centrally within its gardens and grounds, which are entirely enclosed by a tall brick and knapped flint wall. The gardens offer a wonderful sense of space and are mainly laid to lawn, with mature shrubs and espaliered trees in raised beds near the wall.
At the rear of the house is a raised stone terrace, with wonderful views towards Hamsey and the Downs. Beyond the terrace is the enclosed pool area, offering a sheltered spot to enjoy the heated outdoor pool and a paved surround for sun loungers. A gate opens to the side courtyard and the pool machinery store and there is a potting shed to the front. In total, there are about 1.57 acres.
Lower Stoneham House is in a tucked away position, as one of a small group of properties on a private road in a semi-rural position one-and-a-half miles from the centre of Lewes, just outside the South Downs National Park.
Lewes is the county town of East Sussex and offers a comprehensive range of high street and independent shops, supermarkets and leisure facilities, including an independent cinema and a station with direct trains to London, Brighton and along the south coast.
Sussex is excellent for leisure and sporting facilities, with walking – in particular in the South Downs – and equestrian pursuits locally, golf at Lewes, Piltdown and East Sussex National, and sailing on the coast. There is a thriving cultural scene with world-class opera at Glyndebourne and the annual Brighton Festival presenting a huge programme of theatre, dance, classical music and literary events. In addition, there is an excellent range of schools in the area, both state and private.
Hannah Riches of Savills Haywards Heath says: “This superbly presented period house is set in beautiful grounds in a wonderful semi-rural setting with views to the surrounding countryside.”
Lower Stoneham House is being marketed by Savills for a guide price of £2,500,000.
