HENDEN PLACE WOODCHURCH, KENT

HENDEN PLACE 15 The Green, Woodchurch Kent TN26 3PF

An exceptional Grade II* Listed early fifteenth century Wealden house with fine features of the period beautifully situated overlooking the picturesque village green in gardens and grounds of about 1.7 acres.

Reception hall n Drawing room n Living room n Dining room n Garden room kitchen n Utility room n Cloakroom n Useful cellar Family room/study

Master bedroom with en-suite dressing room & cloakroom Four further bedrooms n Three bath/shower rooms (2 en-suite)

Gas central heating & Gas AGA

Detached double garage n Off road parking for several vehicles Various outbuildings n Garden & grounds of about 1.7 acres

These particulars are intended only as a guide and must not be relied upon as statements of fact. Your attention is drawn to the Important Notice on the last page of the text. Henden Place is situated on the north-eastern edge of The Green just to the west of the parish church in the Conservation Area of the favoured village of Woodchurch and within walking distance of the local amenities including general stores/Post Office/ newsagent, butchers, 2 car workshops including MOT, a primary school, public houses, museum, white smock windmill and a doctor’s surgery with dispensary. The historic town of Tenterden, 5 miles, offers Tesco and Waitrose supermarkets, schools and leisure amenities. The market town of Ashford, 8 miles, provides major retail outlets, access to the M20 motorway at Junctions 9 & 10 and the International Station with high speed rail connections to London St Pancras (37 minutes) and The Continent via Eurostar. The area is well served by an excellent range of schools from primary through to secondary both in the state and independent sectors along with grammar schools for both boys and girls.

A beautifully preserved Grade II* Listed early fifteenth century close studded timber frame Wealden with plaster infilling and a jettied upper storey to one end with the wide overhanging eaves carried across on braces, all beneath a very steeply pitched hipped Kent peg tiled roof with end gables and a massive stack. Interior features include a massive crown post, a dragon beam, a dais beam, , chamfered beams and some original window openings. Provenance: Adam de Hendenne was recorded as living in this house. Edward Hasted, in his History and Topographical Survey of Kent (1758) said “the Hendens originally resided on an estate bearing its name (Hendenne) in the parish of Woodchurch but afterwards removed to Benenden in its neighbourhood, where they were clothiers of great repute.” The versatile accommodation, which is of generally good ceiling height, is arranged over three levels, as shown on the floor plan.

An panelled front door opens into a hall with an old brick floor, dais beam, exposed , an original oak newel post staircase leading to the upper floors plus a walk in cloaks cupboard with a door and brick steps down to a medieval cellar with bee boles. The well-proportioned double aspect drawing room has a shallow window to the front overlooking The Green. A wide bay window to one end overlooking the garden, together with oak panelling to the walls, exposed ceiling beams plus a massive inglenook at the base of the large brick chimney which has a large oak bressumer beam. An oak panelled door connects the living room, which has a part vaulted ceiling, a door to the garden, exposed timber framing and a brick fireplace with a fitted wood burner.

From the hall an arched doorway in the screens passage leads to the dining room with a bay window to the front, exposed timber framing including studwork and a dragon beam, flagstone floor and a brick fireplace. Adjacent is a farmhouse kitchen with an extensive range of hand crafted cabinets with raised panel doors, granite worksurfaces, a butler sink, below counter space for a dishwasher and fridge, stone tiled floor, an inglenook fireplace with a 2 oven gas Aga with copper lids plus a 2 oven electric Aga. The kitchen has a part glazed door to a canopied porch and side entrance from the drive. To the rear is a garden room with a vaulted ceiling, exposed timber framing, an original brick floor and a massive inglenook fireplace and chimney stack with a bread oven above which was a concealed “priest’s room”. A door gives access to a utility room with plumbing for a washing machine and a cloakroom with modern fitments plus the central heating gas boiler.

On the first floor, there is a spacious landing with stairs leading to the second floor. The master bedroom has a window overlooking The Green, a brick fireplace and exposed old oak floorboards. Open studwork leads to a dressing area with a door to an en suite cloakroom. Bedroom 2 has exposed beams, a brick fireplace and an en suite shower room. There are two further bedrooms overlooking the green and a family bath/shower room with a close coupled WC, wash basin and hydromassage jacuzzi bath.

On the second floor, there is a landing with a door to bedroom 5 and open studwork leading to a magnificent vaulted family room/study/6th bedroom with a dormer window to the side, exposed timber framing including a crown post and a brick fireplace with a fitted wood burner. Bedroom 5 has a vaulted ceiling, a dormer window to the side and an en suite shower room.

Outside: Very much a particular feature of the property are the mature gardens and grounds which offer privacy and seclusion. The house is approached from the road via wrought iron gates to a gravel turning and parking area for several vehicles to one side of the house with access to a reclaimed Kentish barn providing garaging for two cars with a log store to the rear. To the front of the house is an open plan area of garden set down to lawn with a central rose lined brick pathway, dwarf box hedging and peonies set behind a wrought iron fence. To the rear of the house is a walled garden set down to lawn with gravel walkways, mixed flower beds, a paved terrace, a brick well and pump, mature vine and a wisteria clad brick gazebo. A gate leads out to a path of cobble setts leading to a rose arbour walkway, burgeoning cottage flower beds with alliums, geraniums, digitalis, hollyhocks, sedum, etc and a productive kitchen garden with a greenhouse. Adjacent is a heritage style oak framed double bay building for storage. From the formal garden a wide expanse of lawn with a summerhouse and stable leads to a small orchard, soft fruit cage and an area of deciduous woodland with meandering grass walkways and a large natural pond.

Tenure: Freehold

Viewing: Strictly by appointment

Directions: From Tenterden: Follow the B2067 signposted for Hamstreet and Hythe. After about 4 miles you will enter Woodchurch. Turn left onto Front Road and then turn first right into Lower Road. Continue along this road for about half a mile and then turn left onto The Green. Henden Place will be seen after approximately 300 yards on the right.

Important Notice Phillps and Stubbs, their clients and any joint agents give notice that:

1: They are not authorised to make or give any representations or warranties in relation to the property either here or elsewhere, either on their own behalf or on behalf of their client or otherwise. They assume no responsibility for any statement that may be made in these particulars. These particulars do not form part of any offer or contract and must not be relied upon as statements or representations of fact.

2: Any areas, measurements or distances are approximate. The text, photographs and plans are for guidance only and are not necessarily comprehensive. It should not be assumed that the property has all necessary planning, building regulation or other consents and Phillps and Stubbs have not tested any services, equipment or facilities. Purchasers must satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise.

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