Location

Forest Gate lies about 2.7 miles to the south of the pretty historic village of Biddenden, where there are various amenities, including a Post Office, general store, a restaurant, tea rooms and hairdresser.

Comprehensive shopping can be found in Cranbrook and Tenterden. Tunbridge Wells (17.8 miles) has excellent shopping, restaurants, boutiques, cinema and leisure bowling complex.

Mainline rail services to London run from Headcorn (6.8 miles) or Staplehurst (7.5 miles), with a high speed train service from Ashford to London St Pancras in about 37 minutes.

There is an excellent range of schools in the area in both the state and private sectors at primary and secondary level. Primary schools include Benenden, Sissinghurst and John Mayne in Biddenden. Local comprehensive schools include Homewood School in Tenterden. Forest Gate is within Cranbrook Grammar School catchment and there are various private schools including Dulwich Preparatory School in Cranbrook, Saint Ronans and Benenden Girls School.

The M25 via the A21 can be accessed at J5 and the M20 via J8, providing links to Gatwick and Heathrow airports and other motorways.

*All mileages and journey times are approximate.

Description

Occupying an idyllic setting with gardens and grounds extending to over 14 acres, Forest Gate is an immensely versatile property with a stylish four bedroom barn conversion, a separate two bedroom single storey cottage and an unconverted traditional Normandy barn.

The property lies within Cranbrook School catchment, being 3.6 miles to the south east of Cranbrook and about 4.2 miles away from the historic town of Tenterden. It is flanked mainly to the south and west by Hemsted Forest with over 900 acres of woodland and numerous forest paths and rides.

The principal house has been imaginatively remodelled and refurbished by the current owners. It provides beautifully proportioned, south facing rooms, all benefitting from underfloor heating and high ceilings on the ground floor, whilst upstairs the original barn structure comes into its own, with a wealth of exposed oak timbers and beams.

Reclaimed features include oak parquet flooring to the majority of the ground floor, oak panelling and open fireplace to the sitting room and dividing the sitting room from the open plan kitchen/family space are a set of fine double doors from Selfridges.

The ground floor has several reception rooms together with a wonderful open plan kitchen/dining/family room, the perfect space for the family and for entertaining. The bespoke fitted kitchen has a central island and an extensive range of cupboards. Appliances include an electric AGA and two dishwashers. Steel framed doors open out to the substantial south facing terrace.

On the first floor there is a stunning vaulted main bedroom with a sleek en suite bathroom. Full height windows in the bedroom maximise the views over the gardens. Three further bedrooms on this floor are served by the family bathroom with freestanding bath. Stairs lead up to an attic room, used as a teenage den.

To the north east of the house lies the self-contained two bedroom cottage, with a distinct vintage vibe, it could be used for a variety of uses including excellent overflow guest accommodation. Internally, it benefits from two bedrooms, a bathroom and a dual aspect sitting room with kitchen to one end, cleverly fitted with reclaimed wooden boards, butler sink and fixtures.

Further outbuildings include a boiler/utility room and the traditional Normandy barn of impressive proportions, offering immense potential, this unconverted period building currently incorporates a studio, gym, tractor store and workshop on the ground floor with an attic store spanning the entire upper floor, ideal for further storage.

The attractive gardens, designed and planted by the owners, are a haven for flora and fauna with wild flower areas, mature trees, expansive lawns and a wonderful polished concrete terrace with seating. Adjoining the gardens are two fields which are down to grass and enclosed by mature hedging to the boundary.

Directions

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