Burnt Oak Road, High Hurstwood, East Sussex, TN22 4AE Guide price £3,500,000

Situation

Hollymount is situated on the edge of the small picturesque Sussex village of High Hurstwood in an area which is designated as being of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The village offers some local amenities including a public house and a primary school. Further shopping facilities can be found in the near by towns of Crowborough and the Georgian spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells, which provides, good shopping and caters well for the arts and leisure.
The area has good road communications from the A26, A21 and M25 and good rail services to London Bridge, Victoria and Brighton from both Buxted and Haywards Heath. Tunbridge Wells also offers services to London Charing Cross and Canon Street.
The area is renowned for its excellent schooling including Tonbridge, Sevenoaks and St Bede’s at Hailsham. Holmewood House Preparatory School, Rosehill, The Mead, St Leonards at Mayfield and Eastbourne College are also well regarded, as are
the grammar schools in Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Cranbrook.
Recreational and sporting facilities nearby include, walking and riding in the Ashdown Forest, Racing at Lingfield Park, Plumpton and Brighton. Golf can
be enjoyed at a number of local courses including Crowborough Golf Course, The Nevill, Royal Ashdown, Piltdown and the East Sussex National at Uckfield. Bewl Water caters for tennis, squash, cricket and sailing and the nearby outdoor activity
centre of Bowles offers scope for dry slope skiing and rock climbing. There are private members health spas at the Ashdown Park Hotel and at Knowle Grange in Frant.

Description

Hollymount is a beautifully renovated and extended Victorian house which is thought to have been built in the late 1870s. It has stone and tile hung elevations with decorative gables and oak framed windows which are a prominent feature of the architecture of this era. Recent owners have lavished fortunes on the property and it has a particularly impressive indoor swimming pool in addition to an outdoor one.
Accessed through magnificent wrought iron automatic gates with stone pillars, a gravel drive flanked by mature trees and shrubs, sweeps through woodland and opens onto the lawn and a large parking area in front of the main house. A further spur leads to the Garages and the Cottage to the rear.
Set in about 8 acres the house sits on an elevated position providing views of the surrounding countryside. The land is a delightful mix of formal and mature gardens, wide expanses of lawn and paddocks with a series of ornamental ponds and streams. In addition to the main house there is an impressive leisure complex with indoor swimming pool, cottage suitable as guest accommodation, two single garages with automatic doors and an outdoor swimming pool with pool house.
Internally the accommodation is principally set over 2 floors but with a useful basement area with wine cellar. The reception rooms are light and spacious and all have been renovated to the very highest standard, of particular note is the Sitting Room which has large oak framed windows under a fan light offering views over the gardens and grounds. Other features include a Bose multi room entertainment system which distributes music throughout the house and gardens making the property perfect for entertaining.

Accommodation

The layout of the accommodation can be seen in the floorplans but it is worth drawing particular attention to the following. The fabulous Entrance Hall has Italian marble flooring, dentil cornicing and pillared arches. The dual aspect Drawing Room is lit by two large oak framed bay windows which over look the gardens and grounds. The large fireplace is the focal point of the room with stone mantle and slips and iron fire basket. The Dining Room has dentil cornicing and a large bay window with double doors opening out onto the garden terrace. The Sitting Room has been extensively remodelled and extended by the current owners creating a split level open plan room. Features include oak stripped floorboards, gold leaf enriched cornicing and large oak framed windows under fan lights, which enjoy far reaching views over the grounds and countryside beyond. There are twin fireplaces at either end of the room with oak mantle and stone surround. The Kitchen/Breakfast Room is a good sized room and acts as the heart of the house. It has Mark Wilkinson bespoke hand made cabinets and granite work surfaces. Appliances include a four door Aga, Viking range with gas hobs, hot plates and grills, Miele oven, Sub Zero American style fridge and Sub Zero freezer draws. There is a central island with stainless steal sink and breakfast bar. Accessed from the Kitchen; the Cellar comprises of a Boiler/Store Room and a secure climate controlled Wine Room.
First Floor
The Master Bedroom suite is impressive comprising a Dressing Room with hand made wardrobes and a regal Master Bathroom. The bathroom is lined with fine Italian marble and includes a Jacuzzi bath, large walk-in rain head shower, twin basins with built-in dressing table and W/C with bidet. Special attention must be drawn to the mural above the bath.
Leisure Complex
The wonderful leisure complex is linked to the main house by an ornate stone arch. An oak door opens to the Gallery which is a fantastic space to hang art or sporting memorabilia and doors lead to the Gym and Changing Room including a fantastic Shower/Steam Room. Off the gallery is a Kitchen/Bar area. The exceptional indoor pool room has a stunning vaulted pine ceiling and doors which open onto the lawn. The swimming pool is surrounded by hand cut stone and includes a raised Jacuzzi. Other features include a Creston system which controls the lighting and music systems and automatic blinds for the pool area giving added privacy if needed.
Cottage
Located to the rear of the main house and built in the same style, the Cottage offers guest or staff accommodation and a fully fitted office. The office is a double height room with bar area and has space for two large desks, a seating area and a conference table. It was previously used as a photographic studio. Double doors open onto the terrace, which overlooks the garden to the peacock bellow with a meandering stream and has views over the surrounding countryside.
Gardens and Grounds
The gardens and grounds have been extensively remodelled with a number of new features recently added by the current owners. These include opening up and connecting the ponds which are now stocked with fish, planting a series of trees and hedges to build up the border, creating an orchard which includes Apple, Cherry and Pear trees, rebuilding the paths which lead from the house through the lawns and woodland to the ponds and paddocks. Building a sand stone rill which snakes through the lower lawn and re-fencing the paddocks. Closer to the house a number of rock gardens have been created and exotic trees planted around the pool and the pool house shielding it from the main house. The garden also includes a Summer House which over looks the paddocks and allows for alfresco dining as does the wrought iron gazebo on the main lawn. There is a tennis court which has been newly resurfaced with a pavilion and viewing area. Hidden in the trees are a Gardner’s shed and a number of garden stores.

Directions

From London leave the M25 at junction 5 and take the A21 towards Tonbridge and Hastings. On the outskirts of Tonbridge, take the exit onto Quarry Hill Road/ A26 and continue towards Southborough. On the A26 continue through Tunbridge Wells and Crowborough. After the Crowborough Beacon Golf Club, turn left at Chillies Lane continue for 2.1 miles, then take a sharp left at Burnt Oak Road. The gates to Hollymount will be found a little way up on your left hand side.