5 bedroom detached house for sale

Elegant and beautifully situated Grade II listed country house with 11.4 acres of gardens and grounds, lakes and bluebell woodland.


Description

This is a rare opportunity to acquire an enchanting Grade II listed country house with its own picturesque lakes and secluded, glorious grounds: truly a rural idyll.

With beautiful views over its gardens and lakes towards the distinctive ridge of the South Downs on the horizon, the house is also ideally positioned for excellent local amenities and convenient commuting from Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill or Hassocks stations.

Springlands is within a short drive of the popular and busy villages of Henfield and Hurstpierpoint (seven and ten minutes’ drive respectively), and almost equidistant between Gatwick airport and the vibrant coastal city of Brighton and Hove.

Hidden from the road, the house is approached through a pair of wrought iron gates mounted on brick pillars, which open to a long driveway leading up the house and garaging beyond.

Dating from the 16th and 19th centuries, the property combines fabulous historic character and charm with modern conveniences and luxurious additions.

Period features include inglenook fireplaces, a number of exposed timbers, two priest holes, a flagstone floor in the reception hall and beautiful oak panelling in the sitting room, reception hall and stairway.

Springlands offers generous family accommodation, with particularly large room sizes and unusually high ceiling heights for a house of this age. It is a versatile home that combines cosy, and comfortable family life, with a capacity to host entertaining on a grand scale.

The floor plan gives a comprehensive overview of the full extent of the accommodation and its layout, but there are a number of points worthy of particular note. The studded oak front door opens to an impressive part-panelled reception hall with a working inglenook fireplace. There are three further characterful reception rooms including a panelled sitting room with parquet floor and second working, handsome inglenook fireplace as its focal point, a separate cosy family room, and a versatile gym.

The superbly appointed 36 foot open plan kitchen, dining and family room forms the hub of the home, with windows on all four sides, fabulous views and an impressive parquet floor. A sofa/TV zone and a bespoke walnut double-desk zone occupy the north end of the room, with a 'dog bed' zone or space for an additional sofa on the west side and a breakfast bar in the middle. The large dining area is complemented by a square bay, set with French doors at the southern end of the room, which perfectly frame the views over the gardens and lakes to the South Downs in the distance. The kitchen zone is fitted with a large range of bespoke cabinetry including a specially imported 10½ foot granite island, integrated appliances and granite worktops. A separate cloakroom, boot room, utility room and laundry room complete the ground floor.

There are five large double bedrooms arranged over the first and second floors, including a generous principal suite with a large en suite bathroom and wonderful views. Bedrooms two, three and four have their own vanity units with washbasins and are also served by a family bathroom. Bedroom two has good potential for the creation of an en suite bathroom where there is already plumbing and deep, fitted wardrobes.

There is a fifth bedroom and four large attic rooms on the second floor, together with excellent potential to create further accommodation and bathroom facilities if so desired: the fifth bedroom has an opportunity to create its own en suite bathroom, and the attic rooms could be converted into additional bedrooms or a children’s den (all subject to planning).

Gardens and Grounds
Springlands’ gardens and grounds are of particular note, extending to about 26 acres. They are established and well-stocked with a number of mature specimen trees allowing a high degree of privacy, and a haven for a huge variety of wildlife. The house sits almost centrally within the grounds, overlooking the tree-lined lakes, which extend away from the house to the south. The gardens closer to the house are informally divided into various areas and include an expanse of lawn lying to the east dotted with fruit trees (the 'sports garden') and an excellent enclosed 'leisure garden' with swimming pool, hot tub, two cabins, poolside bar and terraces: ideal for summer entertaining and alfresco dining.

Beyond the pool is a fenced paddock housing a large cabin/home office, with fast broadband, offering an ideal space for home working. Two large fields run down the eastern side of the property, further ponds, and a and a band of glorious deciduous woodland extends away to the north, with a magnificent display of bluebells in the spring.

The property benefits from two sets of planning permission with potential to further enhance the property:

Erection of a detached garage with room over, ref: DC/21/0820

Extensive equestrian facilities including six stables, tack and feed rooms, hay barn and manege, ref: DC/21/1551

A further 14.3 acres of fields and pasture is available in two lots by separate negotiation. Please refer to the site plan.

Location

Springlands is situated in a wonderful rural location, in the popular hamlet of Wineham, home to the famous Royal Oak pub.

Ideally located, Wineham is sits right between Brighton and Gatwick, between the A23 and the A24 and between the vibrant villages of Henfield and Hurstpierpoint.

Local amenities: Henfield and Hurstpierpoint (three and four miles respectively) are both vibrant villages with a range of local shops, boutiques, cafes, restaurants, pubs, post offices, village halls, library, health centre and leisure centre. More extensive shopping and recreational facilities can be found in Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill, Horsham and Brighton & Hove.

Sporting and leisure: For equestrian enthusiasts, Hickstead is within riding distance of the property. It is also well located for horse racing and polo at Plumpton, Lingfield, Goodwood, Knepp Castle and Cowdray Park. There are many miles of beautiful walks and rides over the surrounding countryside including the South Downs National Park. The area is well served for the arts, with theatres and galleries in Brighton and opera at Glyndebourne. There are many well-known golf courses close by, such as Singing Hills, Mannings Heath, Mid Sussex and Pyecombe. Further sporting opportunities are found at Wickwoods Country Club and Brighton Marina.

Transport: Fast and regular rail services to Brighton, London Victoria, London Bridge, Blackfriars, St Pancras and West Hampstead run from Hassocks (six miles, journey time from 56 minutes), Burgess Hill (seven miles, from 54 minutes) and Haywards Heath (eight miles, journey time from 42 minutes). Gatwick Airport is about 18 miles by road and has a fast rail service, the Gatwick Express, to London (journey time 30 minutes).

Schools: There is a good selection of state and private schools in the area, including Brighton College, Hurstpierpoint College, Lancing College, Steyning Grammar and Burgess Hill Girls.

All times and distances are approximate; walking and driving times taken from Google Maps.

Square Footage: 4,367 sq ft


Acreage: 11.43 Acres

Directions

Heading west on the A272, pass under the A23 and through the village of Bolney. Pass the petrol station and Bolney Chapel Road on the left hand side and after about a mile take the next left into Wineham Lane. Continue for about two miles, passing The Royal Oak on the right hand side, and turn right into Frylands Lane. The signposted driveway leading to Springlands can be found after a half a mile on the right hand side.

Additional Info

Agent’s Note The property is registered with the Rural Payments Agency as a farm and benefits from an annual government agricultural grant.

Planning permissions Springlands benefits from three sets of planning permission with potential to further enhance the property:
Erection of a detached garage with room over, ref: DC/21/0820
Extensive equestrian facilities including six stables, tack and feed rooms, hay barn and manege, ref: DC/21/1551

Services Oil fired central heating. LPG for the gas hob. Mains water and electricity. Private drainage.

Local authority Horsham District Council,[use Contact Agent Button].