Near Headcorn, Kent £1,650,000

This stunning six-bedroom Grade II Listed manor house is situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with a detached two-bedroom Granary, a large Kentish barn with consent to covert to a separate residential home and grounds approaching 16 acres (STMS) of garden, orchard, paddocks and bluebell wood.
The Story
Exquisite beams, inglenook fireplaces and exposed brickwork, Bletchenden Manor Farm’s history is still evident throughout the 15th Century building.
Once owned by the famous Culpepper family, the house, which also has an unconverted 16th Century barn and a two-bedroom granary, is overflowing with original character.
I remember thinking it was just such a beautiful building, said the current owner. It dates back to 1411 and still has many of its features.
It has been a great family home and superb for entertaining. It has lovely gardens and a swimming pool, and there is so much potential for the barn.
PERIOD HOME
The Grade II Listed house is on a site where a home is said to have stood as far back as Anglo Saxon times. It is also thought to have been home to the last Baronet of the manor.
After moving into, the expansive property the owner added a new kitchen and redecorated throughout. Work included adding a new kitchen and redecorating throughout.
Colours were chosen carefully, he said. The dining room is a deep red, which is quite attractive and looks good against the beams.
The kitchen is a light yellow, which keeps the room feeling airy.
FAMILY SPACE
Throughout the property there is an ever-present sense of its past.
It has so much history and yet it is also a fantastic family home, he said.
With six bedrooms, there is a lot of space for everyone to spread out. There is a huge attic bedroom, which is superb for teenagers.
CELEBRATING TOGETHER
The spacious kitchen/breakfast room is now where much of the living at Bletchenden Manor Farm is done.
We spend quite a lot of time in there, he said. This room is often at the centre of whatever is going on. The drawing room is not used as much, but it is superb – a great entertaining space.
In the summer, much of the entertaining at the property takes place outside. Here people gather together to enjoy the beautiful environment over a barbecue.
We have had a lot of parties around the pool when the weather is warm, he said.
We are often out here from April through to the autumn. It is great for kids and fun for adults as well.
Beside the leisure area is the traditional Kentish barn, which has consent to be converted to residential accommodation.
This is right next to the pool and could be made into a great entertaining space, he added.
RURAL IDYLL
The owner loves the fact his home is within easy reach of major centres and transport links, yet also has an idyllic rural feel. Stepping out from the house, he can find himself in tranquil beauty spots within grounds that are approaching 16 acres (STMS) and which feel far from the busy world.
This is such a quiet, relaxing place to live, he said. There are some beautiful places to visit around here.
We also enjoy most magnificent walks in our bluebell woodland.
Accommodation
Ground Floor
The beautiful elevations of this striking home retain fine features that include heavy timber framing, ragstone and scalloped tile hung exteriors with an outstanding crown post roof. Internally, it is just as enchanting with a myriad of exposed beams, surprisingly good ceiling heights, original wide oak floors, oak doors, impressive Inglenook fireplaces, wonderful old staircases and tessellated tiled hallways. More contemporary features include some traditional style ornate radiators, refurbished bathrooms and a delightful kitchen/breakfast room.
The inviting reception hall reflects the age and beauty of this home with the original arched front door frame, detailed oak architrave and spandrel detailing. Colour washed walls in soothing green, a ‘port hole’ window and oak doors to the reception rooms complete this space. The drawing room has cream walls and large windows with tiled sills that look over the front and rear gardens. A magnificent inglenook fireplace with open brick hearth heightens the warm ambience and works well with the heavily beamed ceiling. Moving on, the generously proportioned dining room is ideal for entertaining, accommodating a large table in front of the inglenook fire which has been fitted with a wood-burning stove. Windows to the front and side give a view of the gardens, while the rich crimson walls incorporate stencilling that features coats of arms and other heraldic themes. An inner hall boasts a wonderful old staircase that winds up to the first floor and also gives access to the study with its heavily beamed ceiling, modern light oak floor, a contemporary vertical radiator and multiple telephone and ISDN points. Also leading from this hall is a large utility room having flagstone floor, a range of fitted cupboards with wooden worktops, a Belfast sink and a stable door to the rear garden.
Walls in a bold yellow reflect the natural light that streams in through the extensive glazing to the large, bright Kitchen/Breakfast/Family room. A bay window has French doors leading onto the sun terrace, whilst the working area has cream shaker-style wall and base cabinets with granite work surfaces and upstands and ‘soft-close’ doors. The cabinets include ‘fold-out’ corner units, pan drawers, a pull-out larder unit and integral dishwasher and fridge/freezer. A Falcon range-style cooker has matching splashback and cooker hood. Leading off the kitchen is a further hall with flagstone floor, a secondary staircase, fitted coat cupboards, a cloakroom and a large walk-in pantry which has extensive shelving and the old ‘meat safe’.
First Floor Accommodation
The rambling landing gives access to all the bedrooms and has large areas with wide oak floorboards. One of the original mullion windows is set in one wall and an old brick fireplace has a feature ornate wood-burning stove. The master bedroom has a brick fireplace, cream walls, old pine floorboards and a large walk-in eaves wardrobe running the length of one wall. The adjoining bathroom has been refurbished in a period style with free-standing roll-top bath having chromium claw feet, shower cubicle with Leroy Brooks twin shower heads, double circular wash basins set in a vanity unit, WC and polished limestone flooring. The guest bedroom suite also has an adjoining shower room. There are three further good size bedrooms to this floor and a modern family bathroom with a freestanding double ended roll top bath, wide wash basin, WC, shower cubicle and Amtico-style flooring.
Second Floor Accommodation
The staircase leading up to the attic hugs the exposed brickwork of the inglenook chimney. This room features one of the roof crown posts which provides an interesting central feature. With wide oak floor boards, heavily timbered ceilings and a dormer window to the rear, this room has the potential to provide an ideal suite as there is further attic space to either end to expand into.
The Granary
This self-contained two storey cottage shows much character with many exposed beams. An open plan sitting room and study area has doors leading to a private patio garden. Also on the ground floor are the kitchen/dining room with a range of fitted kitchen cabinets and space for appliances, a shower room and a second bedroom. On the first floor is the main bedroom with en-suite bathroom. Adjoining the Granary is a double open bay garage.
The Kentish Barn
Planning consent (MA/05/1022) was granted to convert this traditional building into a separate four-bedroom home. This overlooks the swimming pool and it is considered that the consent could be adapted to allow for an extensive leisure or office complex, if required.
Setting the Scene
Bletchenden Manor Farm enjoys a wonderful setting in a small hamlet of attractive period houses approached over a private drive off a small country lane, offering a fantastic combination of historical interest and rural living. Set in beautiful mature grounds approaching 16 acres (STMS), the approach is via a gravel drive that splits to serve the house and barn separately. Continuing to the house there is a further garage and a brick-built building, ideal for a studio. The cottage gardens wrap around the house and have been designed with low maintenance in mind. An old brick path, lined with lavender hedging, leads to the front door, whilst lawns and rough borders are interspersed with established shrubs including a magnificent magnolia and mature trees. The south/westerly facing sun terrace at the back of the house is an excellent place to unwind of an evening and watch the sun dip below the horizon. The swimming pool is located adjoining the barn and has an extensive stone paved terrace wrapped around it. Beyond the rear garden there is an old orchard, whilst the remainder of the land is laid out to paddocks, a 3-acre bluebell wood and natural ponds.
There is enough land here for someone to keep horses, should they wish to, said the owner.
And he added: There are some lovely places here to sit out and enjoy the quiet. In the summer, we are often around the pool. It is a nice area, which feels secluded and that really catches the sunshine.
This place really has everything you could want if you enjoy spending time outside.
Within easy Reach
With Ashford International so simple to access, as well as the sea ports of Folkestone and Dover, travel abroad is very easy from Bletchenden Manor Farm, said the owner.
It is so easy to get to Paris or to other places in Europe, he said. From Headcorn it takes just 10 minutes to reach Ashford International.
This is also a great place to live if you need to get into London. It is easy to reach the M20 and the M25.
The county town of Maidstone lies 11 miles to the north and the market town of Ashford is about 14 miles to the east, where the Eurostar from Ashford International heads to the continent together with a high speed link into St Pancras taking 37 minutes.
DIRECTIONS:
Leave the M20 at junction 8 and follow signs to Leeds Castle. Pass through the villages of Leeds and Langley. At the end turn left onto the A274 and continue through Sutton Valence and Headcorn, heading towards Tenterden. After leaving Headcorn and passing the railway line and river, take the first turning right into Bletchenden Lane. Continue down this narrow lane for about a third of a mile and where the lane bends sharply to the left turn right, signposted Bletchenden. Continue to the very end of this private road, bearing left at the end where the property will be found.
For those with satellite navigation the post code for the property is TN27 9JB
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