It’s Monday, the start of a new work week, and the weather at the weekend was bad. With that in mind, we are not going to get too clever with our property stuff today. We are going to, in the words of LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy, ‘shut up and play the hits’.
And what a hit it is. Mount Offham in West Malling, Kent. Almost 10,000sq ft of opulent splendour in 31.6 acres of the Garden of England. Yours for offers in excess of £5 million with Savills.
Originally constructed between 1840–70 by the Rhodes family, cousins of Queen Elizabeth II, the property wawa owned in the 1950s by Baron Plunkett, who was apparently something known as the ‘Master of the Queen’s Bedchamber’. More interestingly, he was also chairman of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings and it is he who added many of the aesthetic features at Mount Offham, such as glazing bars, cornices and marble fireplaces.
Since then, the property has been in the care of its current owners since 1993, and has been lovingly maintained since then. Mount Offham is now a ‘charming and compact’ estate, with seven bedrooms in a primary residence, as well as a range of versatile commercial and leisure elements.
Arranged over four floors, the property is ideal for both family living and formal entertaining. There are all the usual hits of a grand house of this kind, namely high ceilings, exposed flooring, sash windows, dado rails, original shutters, fireplaces and bay windows.
We could go through it room-by-room, but best to just sit back and enjoy the pictures.
Outside, the excitement continues. Approached via a long, tree-lined driveway, the property and its park-like grounds are predominantly laid to lawn, with plenty of specimen trees and a lake beyond.
There is also an outdoor heated swimming pool, and an outdoor kitchen with Wolf appliances. A tennis court? Why yes of course.
For those interested in equestrian entertainment, a U-shaped stable block is on sight with 10 stalls, a barn, hay store and tack room, manege, lunging area and grazing paddocks.
But wait, there’s more. The property also features a grass air strip, authorised by the UK Border Force for international flights, and a helicopter hangar and apron. Further outbuildings, mostly for administrative use, make up the rest of the 31.6 acres.
Mount Offham is for sale with Savills for £5 million. For more information and pictures, click here
20 wonderful homes, from clifftop cottages to cosy medieval dwellings, as seen in Country Life
Take a look at some of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life in recent days.
A 400-year-old fantasy house with moat, four-poster beds and a 'magic' swimming pool that converts into a ballroom
The majestic Ludstone Hall is one of Shropshire's greatest privately-owned country estates — and it's now looking for a new owner.
Credit: Fine and Country
A gorgeous Elizabethan manor with all the modern trimmings that may have been home to Anne Boleyn
Wymondley Bury is a 10-bedroom home where history meets comfort in Hertfordshire.
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The Good Life 2025? A development promising 'Britain's greenest homes' blends zero carbon, organic allotments and a touch of luxury in the Kent countrysideHartdene Barns, sitting on a disused dairy farm in Kent, is a vision of what sustainable living one day mean for all of us.
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The Mediterranean Magic of MaltaWith historic charm, picture-perfect beaches and a welcoming approach to newcomers, Malta represents an appealing option for Mediterranean property hunters. Holly Kirkwood reports.
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Four country houses with their own tennis courts, as seen in Country LifeIf Wimbledon has put you in the mood for more tennis, Annunciata Elwes is here with a selection of homes with their own tennis courts.
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The majestic New Forest estate formerly owned by a billionaire adventurer — famous for driving 'the world's fastest kettle' — has come up for saleGreat estates in the unspoilt setting of the New Forest are always a welcome sight on the market, and Newton Park is a wonderful example with a sad story to tell. Anna White tells more.
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A Hampshire Manor for sale that dates back to the days of Alfred the Great, with the most beautiful staircase we've seen in yearsThe ten bedroom property features an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, spa complex and stables, and it was restored by the same architect who worked on Downing Street.
