‘Thank goodness I don’t work at Chester Zoo,’ the much-missed Paul O’Grady told us in 2022. ‘There’d be an orangutan behind me.’ O’Grady was talking about his love of rescuing dogs, and his overall passion for caring for animals.
That passion for the natural world and its inhabitants is ever more evident at O’Grady’s home in Kent, Knoll Hill House, which is on the market with Strutt & Parker for £2.65 million.
It’s an oasis of nature in the garden of England, extending to over 20 acres with views over the surrounding Romney Marsh.
With seven bedrooms, as well as two annexes, the property is well suited to hosting and entertaining, with the gardens and grounds offering even more space to relax and soak up the countryside.
Originally built in 1910, the house has bags of charm, and has had more than one famous owner. O’Grady bought the house from comedian Vic Reeves in 1999, and it was also once owned by Noël Coward’s literary agent.
O’Grady and his husband Andre Portasio spent 17 years turning the property into a wildlife haven, in turn inspired by the setting of the house. This involved planting a rose garden and a pear orchard, as well as a ‘witches house’, wildflower meadows and alpacas.
Inside, the house is decorated in an eclectic style, and is presented to an incredibly high standard. Reception rooms include a large kitchen/breakfast room, a drawing room, garden room and dining room.
The Cottage, a separate annexe, houses a ground floor dance studio, with an extra bedroom above, while The Timber Cottage is another self-contained property on site with one bedroom.
Situated on the outskirts of the village of Aldington, south-east of Ashford, the property offers good transport links to London and beyond, while in Aldington itself you’ll find a post office, butchers, bakers, pub and primary school.
Plenty of room for a lot of dogs. And probably an orangutan.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
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