From the 16th century onwards, hop-growing was a major source of income in the Weald of Kent, especially around the village of Horsmonden, eight miles east of Tun-bridge Wells, where an enthusiastic American visitor described how ‘the oast-house towers of Horsmonden seem almost to plough the rich soil of their Kentish hopfield like graceful yachts on a gently rolling sea’.
Such is the backdrop to handsome, Grade II-listed Great Baynden in School House Lane, Horsmonden, which stands on high ground two miles north-east of the village, with panoramic views over the Weald to the North Downs. It’s for sale through the Cranbrook office of Savills at a guide price of £3.65m.
This delightful former farmstead comprises a beautifully refurbished main house of the 16th century or earlier with 20th-century additions, a traditional timber-frame Kentish barn, garaging, workshops and, to the north-east of the main house, a detached two-bedroom oast house with a private garden, which is currently let.
In his writings on Kent, the 18th-century historian, Edward Hasted, described the property as ‘a gentleman’s seat under the name of Baynden owned by Sir Charles Booth of Stedehill, deceased’.
However, its farming credentials came to the fore in 1790, when, according to local records, one Samuel Small was renting ‘a sizeable farm called Great Baynden in Horsmonden for £24 a year’. As recently as 1992, when the property was owned by Maj John Orbach, it was still known as Smalls Farm, although no Smalls had lived there since 1819.
The present vendors, for whom Great Baynden has been a much-loved family home, have sympathetically renovated the main house, which offers more than 7,142sq ft of living space, including four reception rooms, a large Plain English kitchen/breakfast room, nine bedrooms and four bath/shower rooms.
They have also created and maintained Great Baynden’s enchanting gardens, merging formal and informal areas with shingle pathways, borders of lavender and box hedging.
Having discovered the joys of working from home earlier in the year, the owners decided not to renew the lease on their London business premises, which expired during lockdown, selling agent Will Peppitt reveals.
With their children now well on their way, they plan to enjoy being ‘footloose and fancy free for a while’ by downsizing to a smaller house in the area, so another family can make the most of Great Baynden’s gardens, kitchen garden, tennis court and swimming pool, some 4½ acres in all.
Great Baynden is for sale via Savills at £3.65m — see more details and pictures.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
-
Who you gonna call to tell them about Country Life's Quiz of the Day, August 27, 2025Wednesday's quiz is out of this world, but also of this world.
-
‘The closest that screenwriting has ever got to Shakespearean’: In an era of television slop, what should you be watching?Members of the Country Life team reveal what they’re watching — and rewatching — this autumn.
-
If I had to spend the rest of my life living underground, I would do it in this four-bedroom house for sale in the Peak DistrictThe aptly named Underhill is a 'a work of inhabitable art' that was built in the 1970s. And there's a swimming pool in the middle of it.
-
A micro estate for sale in west Wales shows that the best things come in small packages. In this case, three of themBrithdir is a remarkable collection of properties centred around a lake and just five miles from the sea.
-
This blissful converted mill has sweeping views, a breathtaking library and gardens by a Chelsea gold medallistPenny Churchill takes a look at Stanbridge Mill, one of the finest properties for sale today in the west country.
-
Portmore has it all: A 3,459-acre Scottish estate for sale, with a signature Baronial sandstone mansion at its heartFor sale for the first time in 40 years, Portmore Estate is everything you could ever want in Scotland.
-
Location, community and charm: the enduring desirability of London's mews housesFrom birds, to horses, to beautiful family homes, the mews of London are some of the nation's most sought-after homes. But why?
-
The distinctive and historic home that might just be 'one of Dorset’s most picturesque'Grade II*-listed Manor House, set in just under eight acres, dates from the 16th century.
-
A 17th century farmhouse in Surrey with one of Britain's oldest squash courtsFords Farm is on the market for the first time in over half a century.
-
The 15 best-value commuter towns for people working in London, according to new research from one of Britain's top estate agentsSavills have released their list of the best-value commuter towns in Britain. But do the sums add up? Toby Keel takes a look.
