Southernden Road, Egerton, Kent

The Black House is situated along a peaceful country lane with rural vistas from all angles and is an idyllic setting that is ideal for getting away from it all yet close to local amenities and all within an hour of London.

The property is an exceptional family home that has been lovingly maintained and enhanced by the current owner. Attention to detail has been meticulous, particularly regarding the way in which the property has been extended. The new has been seamlessly blended with the original building, which is believed to date from the early 16th century, and the finishing touches have been well researched and thought out. The internal space, whilst retaining many of the original features, is complemented by more contemporary fixtures and fittings.

Arranged over three floors, The Black House offers almost 3,500 sq ft of bright and spacious accommodation. The triple aspect drawing room has a majestic inglenook fireplace with bressumer beam over; the fireplace retains an original bread oven. Adjacent is the morning room, an ideal place for enjoying a morning coffee, and which flows seamlessly through to the formal dining room. This space is open plan to the kitchen/breakfast room, which is fitted with a bespoke Mounts Hill Woodcraft kitchen with quartz worktops and a gas Aga with Bosch two ring electric hotplate. A useful cloakroom sits alongside a utility room with a door to the garden.

The bright triple aspect family room also has an inglenook fireplace fitted with a wood-burning stove. The fantastic sun room has full height glass windows to two aspects and French doors to the terrace.

On the first floor, the triple aspect principal bedroom enjoys wonderful rural views and has an en suite shower room. Two further double bedrooms, together with a family bathroom and a separate shower room are found at this level. Both shower rooms have natural limestone tiling. There is also a dual aspect home office/study. The second floor has a snug/TV room, two double bedrooms and a shower room.

The property sits in grounds of around 6 acres. The gardens are beautifully maintained and have been carefully planted to provide seasonal interest; they have been designed to create a series of outdoor rooms, with something to catch the eye at every turn.

A gravel driveway provides for parking adjacent to the oak-framed barn, which has Kentish tiles on a fly hip roof and is arranged as garaging for a number of cars, together with an adjoining workshop. The barn’s first floor games room with cloakroom is accessed via an external staircase.

The property also has a heated swimming pool with pool house and a sunken fully fenced tennis court with practice wall. There is a hard standing yard with stabling and tack room, a horse arena, paddocks and a meadow.

Black House is set in an idyllic and tranquil location. The property is surrounded by countryside and enjoys rural views at every turn. The picturesque village of Egerton is one of the most sought-after villages in the area and provides a range of local amenities, including a store with Post Office, pub, primary school, church and village hall. The award-winning Frasers restaurant is a short distance from the property.

Between them, nearby Pluckley, Lenham, Charing, Smarden and Headcorn provide railway stations, GP surgeries, dentists, butchers, bakers, farm shops, newsagents and small supermarkets together with several pubs and eating establishments. Further afield, Ashford, Maidstone, Tenterden and Canterbury provide more comprehensive facilities and amenities.

Commuter trains operate from nearby Headcorn with services to London Bridge, Cannon Street and Charing Cross with journey times from 58 minutes. Headcorn also offers services to Ashford International for connecting to the High-speed service to London St Pancras from 36 minutes. The M20 is easily reached at junction 8 or 9, for fast access to the Channel Tunnel, airports and the national motorway network.