Sussex House Farm, Cowden
A ringfenced Wealden grassland farm and substantial Tudor home that comes with extensive equestrian facilities, three cottages and a converted barn which provide rental income is on the market for the first time in over 20 years.
Sussex House Farm, which lies within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the Sussex, Kent and Surrey borders close to the picturesque village of Cowden, extends to approximately 229.23 acres in total and is being offered for sale as a whole, with a guide price of £6.5m, or in five lots.
The Grade II* listed house, which was once owned by the actor Sir John Mills in the 1960s and then, later, by Roger Hargreaves, best known for creating the Mr. Men and Little Miss books, was bought by the current owners in 2000 who undertook an extensive restoration of the property, resulting in the modern and beautiful family home it is today.
As well as retaining the original timber frame of the house, which dates back to 1580, it has also been extended, had its swimming pool renovated and a biomass boiler installed which heats the house, the barn and Garden Cottage.
Forming Lot 1 of the overall sale, Sussex House Farm House is set in landscaped gardens including a kitchen garden, lawns and a rockery, outdoor swimming pool and terrace, and a floodlit tennis court. Arranged over three floors, the five-bedroom home sits in the centre of 77.58 acres and includes a range of outbuildings including a gym and office, a converted barn which offers staff/guest accommodation and a cottage. Also included is extensive equestrian facilities comprising 12 stables, a horse walker, large indoor manège, outdoor manège and paddocks. The acreage is mostly pasture land and some woodland. The guide price for this Lot on its own is £4,150,000.
Available in separate lots, is Lot 2 — two-bedroom Hayley Cottage, with 10.86 acres extending north to and including Kent Water; Lot 3 — The Lodge, a 19th century Grade II listed lodge at the entrance of the driveway, which comes with seven acres of pasture and 0.6 acres of woodland; Lot 4 — just over 77 acres of farmland north of Kent Water, including 66.8 acres of Grade 3 pasture land and 9.3 acres of woodland; and Lot 5 — 55.71 acres of farmland south of Sussex House Farm, adjoining Sweetwoods Park Golf Club, with 44 acres of Grade 3 and two amenity blocks of mature broadleaf woodland known as Sussex House Wood and Little Heathersome’s Wood. There is an abundance of flora and fauna together with extensive wildlife habitats.
The farm is surrounded by open, rolling farmland, offering excellent riding country and a wide variety of country pursuits in the area. It is also very accessible with local amenities and an extensive range of shopping, recreational and business facilities in the nearby towns of East Grinstead (7.2 miles) and Royal Tunbridge Wells (8.6 miles). Cowden train station is serviced by Southern Rail and is on the London Bridge to Uckfield line. There is a regular service to London every house and the journey time is approximately 53 minutes.
There is a wide selection of schools in the area including Worth School, Ardingly College, Cumnor House, Brambletye, Lingfield Noter Dame and Holmewood House prep school.
Chris Spofforth, head of Savills south east farms and estates team says: “This is a hugely impressive lifestyle farm that comes with both a wealth of history and great opportunity. It enjoys the most fantastic setting too. While conveniently positioned for Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, excellent schooling and Cowden station, you are in a world of your own as soon as you head down the Sussex House Farm tree-lined driveway.
“Straddling the Sussex/Kent border, Sussex House Farm is the perfect family home for horse lovers with facilities and an indoor school that would be the envy of many an owner. The sale of Sussex House Farm provides a rare and exciting opportunity for buyers with a range of boxes to be ticked. There is clear potential with the existing buildings to generate revenue, not to mention the farm buildings which have planning consent for residential conversions offering even more scope.”
Guide price for the whole, £6.5million
For more information, contact:
Chris Spofforth, Savills head of farm agency in the south east, 01732 879050
Will Peppitt, Savills Country Department, 0207 409 5945
