Guide: £700,000 - £725,000 | Welcome to Bretts.... an utterly charming Grade II listed cottage positioned in the heart of Balcombe with oodles of character and charm. Dating from the 15th century, it is one of the oldest homes in the village and would suit anyone looking for a characterful, country cottage with swift rail links to London, Brighton and Gatwick Airport.

Guide £700,000 - £725,000 -

Welcome To Bretts... - Welcome to Bretts - a stunning example of a Grade II listed timber framed semi-detached cottage believed to date from the 15th century, making it one of the oldest homes in all of Balcombe.

The home radiates 'charming country cottage' and is filled with oodles of original character features including a wealth of exposed timber beams infilled with plaster, a beautiful inglenook fireplace, original wooden latch doors and wonky wooden floors.

Whilst boasting all the features one could wish for, the accommodation is a great size, extending to over 1800 sq ft over three floors.

Come On In... - It is the drawing room that is the exceptional heart of this home with a stunning Inglenook fireplace with log burner, making it the perfect retreat for a night in front of the fire and a glass of red!

Our clients have installed the most beautiful solid heritage oak floors that are extremely sympathetic to the age of the house and the exposed beams add further romance to this impressive room.

At 18ft x 16ft, there is no shortage of space either with plenty of room for two large sofas.

The 25ft dining room is a narrower but flexible space and could easily be used as an office, snug or play room and leads on to the utility.

There is plenty of character with painted brickwork, beams and panelling.

The kitchen itself is functional but could benefit from refurbishment. It does however enjoy an impressive vaulted ceiling, door on to the garden and wooden units with contrasting granite style worktops.

The split level family room is a much later addition, believed to have been added in the 1960s and used as a show room. Nevertheless, the room is spacious and incredibly versatile. There is plenty of natural light and doors open on the garden courtyard. Excitingly, there is granted planning permission to reposition the kitchen and create a truly wow-factor space in place of the family room.

Off To Bed... - The main bedroom is a stunning room with impressive vaulted ceiling giving voluminous ceiling heights rarely seen in homes of this age. There former 'priest hole' is now a walk-in wardrobe. Interestingly, 'priest holes' were designed in homes of this age so that the presence of a priest could be concealed when searches were made of the building. This was mainly during Elizabeth's resign in the mid-late 1500, where persecution of Catholics was common place after the Church of England was formed.

The second bedroom is another good double, albeit with lower ceilings and has plenty of room for all necessary furniture.

On the second floor is another excellent, 19ft, double bedroom with vaulted ceiling. The skylight floods the room with natural light and being on the top floor, behind its own door, means this room offers plenty of privacy & seclusion from the rest of house.

Beautiful Bathroom... - The family bathroom is simply stunning having been totally refurbished to the very highest specification, with Burlington fixtures.

The beautiful standalone roll-top bath sits proudly and is the perfect space to unwind at the end of a day. There is a separate walk-in shower with gorgeous metro tiling and you can warm your fluffy towels on the period style heated towel rail.

Step Outside... - The gardens consist of a large paved patio that offers a low maintenance, private outside space that is bathed in sunshine, making it the perfect for a barbecue and some 'al-fresco' dining. Steps lead up to a further paved area that in turn steps up to a narrow lawned garden area.

To the front is another private courtyard. The south-easterly aspect means it's the ideal spot for a morning coffee.

Perfect Possibilities... - Our clients have worked with a highly regarded local architect and secure granted planning permission for a stunning extension (REF: DM/19/5199).

This extension will replace the split level 1960s extension with much more sympathetic extension that ties in with the original part of the house. The result will be a 300 sq ft open plan kitchen/dining/family room - a perfect space for the family to gather, with aluminium sliding doors that open on to the garden. A further rear extension will create a utility and shower room.

Location, Location, Location... - Bretts sits on Haywards Heath Road within the sought after Sussex village of Balcombe. The village boasts a thriving community and is, without doubt, one of the most desirable villages in Mid Sussex.

The village station is within short walking distance and provides regular mainline services to London & Gatwick Airport (approximate best timings: Victoria 46min; London Bridge 40min; Brighton 26min).

Village facilities include Balcombe Stores for those everyday essentials, The Tea Rooms, resident owned Half-Moon gastropub with it's own micro brewery producing delicious 'Balcombe Beer' and the family/dog friendly Balcombe Club that regularly hosts quizzes, open mic nights etc. Further facilities include a hairdressers, St Mary's church, sports clubs and the highly primary school.

Balcombe is surrounded by beautiful Sussex countryside. To the east are Balcombe lake & Ardingly Reservoir with their variety of footpaths, bridleways and angling facilities.

The area is renowned for the standard of its schooling in both the private and state sectors with Balcombe Primary School being particularly reputable. A school bus runs through the village providing transport to Warden Park secondary school in the neighbouring village of Cuckfield. In the private sector Worth School is less than 4 miles distant in Turners Hill, whilst Ardingly College, Great Walstead and Burgess Hill School for Girls are all easily accessible.

The Finer Details... - Tenure: Freehold
Title Number: WSX311483
Local Authority: Mid Sussex District Council
Council Tax Band: D
Available Broadband Speed: Superfast (80 mbps download)
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Services: Gas heating, mains drainage and mains electricity (none tested)

We believe this information to be correct but cannot guarantee its accuracy and suggest intending purchasers check details personally.