The Kent manor with an original Tudor fireplace and space for a string of horses
Not only is Solton Manor one of Kent's most beautiful country houses, but it also boasts an interesting and chequered history.


Lovely, Grade II-listed Solton Manor at East Langdon, two miles from the sea at St Margarets and a quick 20 minutes from Canterbury via the A2, is a house with an interesting and chequered history. It is now for sale through Strutt & Parker and local agents Marshall & Clarke at a guide price of £2.35 million.
Of particular note are two of the former owners, the first being Sir John Finet, who was born at the manor and later inherited it. His grandfather had come to England with Cardinal Campeggio, married a maid-of-honour to Catherine of Aragon and settled there.
The young Sir John was brought up at Court and later became Master of Ceremonies to both James I and Charles I. His portrait by Tintoretto hangs in the National Portrait Gallery.
A very different picture is presented by the enterprising Arthur Burr, who owned Solton Manor in the early 1900s. He was a speculator who almost single-handedly developed and ran the Kent coalfields for almost 20 years and, in 1913, was given the Freedom of Dover for being ‘one of the greatest benefactors Dover had ever known’.
Sadly, Burr was not all he seemed and, in 1914, he faced legal action for fraud and misuse of shareholders’ funds. Described as ‘a dangerous rogue’ by the judge, he had a judgment of £80,000 made against him and was declared bankrupt.
With other legal actions still pending, he died a broken man in 1919. Solton was a working farm before the current owners bought it in 1991 and adapted its extensive period outbuildings to create a successful wedding venue.
The house stands in some 8½ acres of beautifully landscaped gardens scattered with wildlife ponds, stone ruins, woodland and paddocks. There are also a couple of stable blocks, which could be filled with a string of horses – or converted into further accommodation, should you prefer.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
The core of the main house itself is oak-framed with fine original timbers, particularly on the first floor, which boasts exposed stud walling and Tudor oak-plank doors.
What are unusual for a house of this period are the exceptionally high ceilings and well-proportioned rooms, which include three fine reception rooms – notably the splendid drawing room with its original Tudor fireplace.
There is also a recently refitted kitchen/breakfast room, a games room, six bedrooms and four bath/shower rooms, with a further four rooms on the second floor.
Credit: Knight Frank
The best country houses for sale this week
Catch up on the best houses that have come up for sale via Country Life in the last few weeks.
The beautiful Kent estate of the smuggler who became one of Britain's richest men
Smuggler, property tycoon and gentleman William Baldock was once the richest man in England.
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country Life
We take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
By Toby Keel Published
-
Exploring the countryside is essential for our wellbeing, but Right to Roam is going backwards
Campaigners in England often point to Scotland as an example of how brilliantly Right to Roam works, but it's not all it's cracked up to be, says Patrick Galbraith.
By Patrick Galbraith Published
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country Life
We take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
By Toby Keel Published
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producers
Stormzy, Rihanna and the Rolling Stones are just a part of the story at Osea Island, a dot on the map in the seas off Essex.
By Lotte Brundle Published
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in Kent
North Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
By James Fisher Published
-
A rare opportunity to own a family home on Vanbrugh Terrace, one of London's finest streets
This six-bedroom Victorian home sits right on the start line of the London Marathon, with easy access to Blackheath and Greenwich Park.
By James Fisher Published
-
A tale of everyday life as lived on Britain's most expensive street
Winnington Road in Hampstead has an average house price of £11.9 million. But what's it really like? Lotte Brundle went to find out.
By Lotte Brundle Last updated
-
Damon Hill's former home in Marbella is the perfect place to slow down
The glorious Andalusian-style villa is found within the Lomas de Marbella Club and just a short walk from the beach.
By James Fisher Published
-
A 327-acre estate in the heart of 'England’s Côte d’Or', with a 26,000sq ft Georgian style home at its heart
Stokes Hall in the Crouch Valley is an inspiring property looking for a new owner.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
Schreiber House, 'the most significant London townhouse of the second half of the 20th century', is up for sale
The five-bedroom Modernist masterpiece sits on the edge of Hampstead Heath.
By Lotte Brundle Published