Pembury Road, Tunbridge Wells
One of the largest grand houses in Tunbridge Wells. An impressive Grade II listed sandstone villa with secondary accommodation set in a plot of near an acre.
Built in the mid-19th century of local sandstone on what was historically called the Calverley Fair Mile, Fernclyffe House is an imposing Regency-style Victorian villa set well back in mature grounds of just under an acre, situated within the Tunbridge Wells Conservation Area and within easy access of the town centre and mainline station. Calverley Fair Mile was designed to create an attractive entrance to Tunbridge Wells, mature trees lining the road concealing grand houses, many of which were constructed by William Willicombe, successor to Decimus Burton.
Benefitting from elegant proportions, with high ceilings and generous room sizes, Fernclyffe House has been sympathetically updated by the current owners to create a stylish and adaptable family home. Character features include timber-framed sash windows, many with period shutters intact, beautiful moulded cornicing, deep skirting boards, wooden floors, picture rails and numerous fireplaces.
The house is well set back from the road with mature front and rear gardens offering a delightful outlook from all principal rooms, the upper rooms on the front elevation enjoy far-reaching views to the southeast.
The porticoed entrance porch leading to an L‑shaped reception hall has oak strip flooring, a staircase leading to the first floor and an alcove housing a former ‘dumb waiter’.
The impressive drawing room features a highly decorative cornice, a herringbone pattern wood floor with coloured banding to the edges, floor-to-ceiling wide bay sash windows framing a wonderful view over the garden and a fireplace (not currently in use) with an ornately-carved marble surround and fluted slips
There are double doors from the drawing room to the morning room with full-height sash windows overlooking the front garden and an attractive painted wood fireplace (not currently in use) with a marble hearth.
The striking dining room, leads off a study, with tall sash windows to the rear garden and double French windows to a side veranda.
The fully-fitted Mark Wilkinson kitchen with limestone flooring comprises painted wood units under polished granite worktops, a double butler’s sink, an integrated dishwasher, an island unit with integrated microwave, a stainless steel dual fuel Falcon range cooker with concealed extractors above and a stainless steel Falcon fridge and a fitted wine fridge.
The door out to the side hall meets the secondary staircase and wine cellar.
The kitchen door opens out to the rear terrace and pool area and playroom/office adjacent to the kitchen has fitted storage and an outlook over the rear garden.
The large timber conservatory, currently arranged as a games room has a limestone floor and views over the front garden.
The very generous master bedroom has a lovely outlook through a wide bay window to the front and a well-appointed en-suite shower room and a separate fully-fitted dressing room.
The generously-proportioned double bedroom has views over the front garden. A further double bedroom also has an outlook to the side and rear and an adjoining bathroom. The large family bathroom has twin roll top baths, each with a view over the rear garden. There are five further double bedrooms mirroring the first floor rooms and two additional bathrooms on the second floor complete the principal accommodation.
Self-contained apartment
The rear garden level apartment benefits from its own independent entrance as well as access from within the house. Featuring a double bedroom with a dressing room and bathroom, a sitting room with fitted period cupboards and a kitchen/breakfast room, it is ideal for use by extended family or live-in staff
Outside
The property, hidden from view, is approached from Pembury Road through low wrought iron gates, the gravel driveway sweeping between mature rhododendrons and other evergreen shrubs, passing an elegant slate-roofed triple car port to open out into a generous parking and turning area.
The attractive mature front garden comprises an area of lawn with established borders planted for architectural form and seasonal colour and interest. Mature specimen trees, including oak, yew and cedar punctuate the lawn, with further trees and mature rhododendrons to the borders adding interest and effectively screening the property. A grassy bank leads up to a deep gravel terrace spanning the front of the house into which an outdoor chessboard has been set.
Wide steps lead from the kitchen to the rear garden with a swimming pool surrounded by a limestone terrace offering seating and dining areas. An area of lawn frames the pool terrace, with established rockery and borders and a mature leylandii hedge providing screening to the house and garden.
This property is on the market for £3,250,000. For further information contact Charles Lang, Savills Estate Agents, Tunbridge Wells on 01892 507060.
