9 bedroom detached house for sale

Stonepitts Manor is an extremely attractive and impressive Grade II* listed manor house of Elizabethan appearance, believed to date back to 1510 and earlier, with later alterations. It is a very well-built timber framed property with a brickwork front façade and other Kent ragstone elevations, under tile hung roofs, with multiple casement windows with oak mullions.

Stonepitts is a beautiful property which the owners, over the last 28 years, have gradually enhanced and added notable amenities, including the redecoration of the house, upgrading of utilities and bathrooms, superb secondary accommodation, outbuildings, swimming pool, and the landscaping of the gardens and grounds. All the work has been carried out to a high standard and very sympathetically to preserve the history and architectural style of the house.

Stonepitts is a superb family home that enjoys the character of a historic property, combined with the modern amenities required for family living in the country. The accommodation is well-presented and the main house extends to over 9,300 sq ft arranged over three floors, offering a great balance between formal and informal living.

Stepping in through the carved stone doorway and massive wooden entrance door, you are greeted by the incredible Great Hall, which is filled with light from the large oak mullioned windows. The other principal reception rooms are accessed off the Great Hall and comprise wood panelled dining room, sitting room and games room. The formal reception rooms' proportions allow for entertaining on a grand scale and the large windows give glorious views over the gardens and grounds.

Also on the ground floor is a bespoke Smallbone kitchen/breakfast room, which is well equipped with Sub Zero, Gaggenau and Miele appliances and a four oven oil-fired Aga.

The first floor has excellent accommodation, comprising a generous principal bedroom suite with windows overlooking the wonderful grounds, with an en suite bathroom and dressing room upstairs. There is a two-bedroom guest suite with en suite bathroom and third bedroom/study, a further bedroom with en suite bathroom, three further bedrooms and a bathroom and a wood panelled principal study.

The second floor provides a further bedroom with en suite bathroom, a large attic room used as a playroom and an extensive central storage attic. The Oast House is positioned to the east of the main house. The property is a stunning and rare example of a twin roundel kiln Oast House. The accommodation is arranged over two floors, extending to over 2,000 sq ft and has been cleverly designed by the current owners to provide versatile and excellent accommodation. The Oast House also provides three substantial garages, two workshop/store rooms and two further garages/storerooms within the roundels. The property also enjoys its own private garden with a summerhouse.

Sitting within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the gardens and grounds are an extremely important feature of Stonepitts and form the most delightful and tranquil setting, complementing the house very well. Gertrude Jekyll was approached by a previous owner, Lady Rhondda, in 1925 to design garden areas for Stonepitts, which she agreed to and a number of her detailed drawings, associated correspondence and elements of some layouts survive. Today, the gardens are simply stunning and beautifully structured, with distinct sections, a number by renowned designer George Carter, many enclosed and separated by walls and at different terraced levels, cleverly utilizing the sloping site.

The gardens are fully enclosed and privacy is provided by the 7.67 acres in which the property sits, including a substantial paddock, with stable block, to the north of the house. The gardens encircle the property and include a south facing swimming pool with automatic solar cover, pond, gazebos, tennis court, exquisite rose garden, vegetable garden, potting shed and large Alitex two section greenhouse.

Stonepitts Manor is an outstanding country property. It offers all the amenities for country living and is in the most idyllic rural position, situated on the outskirts of Seal Chart, within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

It is surrounded by open countryside and located equidistant from three of the most sought-after villages in the area; Shipbourne, Ivy Hatch and Underriver. The village of Seal has many local amenities including a public house, village shops, library and a church. More extensive facilities can be found in nearby Borough Green and the towns of Sevenoaks and Tonbridge.

The area has excellent road and rail links from the M25, A25 and A21, which provide easy access to London, the Channel Tunnel and the international airports of Heathrow and Gatwick. Mainline rail services to London Bridge, Cannon Street, Waterloo East and Charing Cross operate from Sevenoaks station (4.1 miles) with journey times from 22 minutes and Kemsing station (0.5 miles) provides mainline services to London Victoria with journey times from 43 minutes.

Seal Chart has its own small primary school and there are many excellent independent schools nearby too; The New Beacon School, Sevenoaks Preparatory School, The Granville School, Tonbridge School, Sevenoaks School, Walthamstow School, Radnor House, Lingfield Notre Dame School and Woldingham School. There are also many outstanding grammar schools such as Judd Boys Grammar School, Tonbridge Grammar School for Girls, Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Girls, Skinners Grammar School and Weald of Kent Grammar School.

Sporting and recreational interests in the area include racing at Lingfield Park, polo at Knepp Castle, golf at Royal Ashdown, Hever, Knole, Nizels, Westerham and Widernesse. Sailing and fishing are also available nearby; sailing at Bough Beech Reservoir and fishing at Chipstead Lakes. There is an abundance of country walks and riding to be had in the surrounding area, utilising the extensive public footpaths and bridlepaths