A 14th century bakery in desperate need of a saviour, in one of West Sussex's most beautiful villages

Any time a house comes up for sale on Lindfield's famous High Street, interest will be piqued. It's a picture-perfect corner of the world with everything you'd love to see: ducks on the pond, charming pubs and so on. It's all so well kept that the village was at one point banned from the 'best kept village in Sussex' competition, for the simple fact that it had won so many times in a row that it was getting embarrassing. On top of all that, the mainline railway service from Haywards Heath is just a mile or two away — walkable, in other words.

This is no ordinary opportunity, however: it's one for the brave. The 14th century Old Bakery is waiting for someone with an enterprising mind and great to take it over, or at least someone looking for a home but willing to risk fighting red tape: part of the ground floor and the cellar are designated as commercial space.

‘Once sympathetically restored, The Old Bakery will be one of the finest and most historic buildings in one of the South of England’s most thriving villages,’ says the team at Jackson-Stops, whose offices are just up the street.

The property is currently on the market via Jackson-Stops for £775,000, but further investment is needed to fully bring this historic building into a new era.

The accommodation is currently comprised of a cellar, a small kitchen, the 'retail space' (including a shop window), and a drawing and sitting room. Upstairs are four inter-connecting bedrooms and two bathrooms.

A cute, west-facing courtyard can be found to the rear of the property, to the side of which is a barn which would make a great home office/gym/studio room.

The Old Bakery is currently on the market via Jackson-Stops for £775,000 — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details. 

Lindfield: What you need to know

Location: On the outskirts of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, about 1 mile north of Haywards Heath. The service to London from Haywards Heath is famously good, making it easy to get to London Bridge, Kings Cross and Victoria in comfortably under an hour.

Atmosphere: Lindfield is a charming West Sussex village centred around a historic church, an open common and a picturesque high street. The common is at the heart of village life as it hosts an annual funfair, bonfire night displays and cricket matches. There are excellent amenities and shops from a butcher and pharmacy to independent boutique and coffee shops.

Things to do: Cuckfield Golf Centre is situated close by and Haywards Heath offers a range of shops, restaurants and leisure facilities. Goodwood, Glyndebourne and Ardingly Showground all have racecourses, and footpaths offer a network of wonderful walks.

Schools: Plenty of highly-regarded schools to choose from, including Lindfield Primary Academy (rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted), Blackthorns Community Primary Academy (also rated 'outstanding'), Northlands Wood Primary Academy and Great Walstead School. For secondary, there's Ardingly College and Warden Park Academy.

See more property for sale in the area.

Credit: Strutt and Parker

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