Location

Fairmead occupies an idyllic spot in a semi-rural position just 1 mile away from Knockholt village which has an active community with a primary school, village shop, village hall and recreation ground with tennis courts.

Comprehensive Shopping: Orpington (5.9 miles), Sevenoaks (5.5 miles), Bromley (9.7 miles), Bluewater (14.9 miles).

Mainline Rail Services: Orpington (5.4 miles), Knockholt (5.6 miles), Sevenoaks (6.2 miles), Otford (6.5 miles) and Chelsfield (4.5 miles) all offer services to London Bridge, Cannon Street and Charing Cross. Services from Otford also to London Victoria.

Primary Schools: Knockholt, Sundridge, Brasted, Westerham and Sevenoaks.

Secondary Schools: Several state and grammar schools in Downe, Orpington, Sevenoaks, Bromley, Oxted, Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells.

Private Schools: Radnor House in Sundridge. Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Sackville and Caterham secondary schools. Independent Girls secondary schools in Woldingham and Sevenoaks. Sevenoaks, New Beacon, Solefields and The Granville Preparatory Schools in Sevenoaks. Russell House and St. Michaels Preparatory Schools in Otford. Lingfield College.

Communication Links: The M25 at Junction 5 (4.6 miles) provides links to other major motorway networks, Gatwick and Heathrow airports, London and the suburbs and the Channel Tunnel Terminus. Biggin Hill airport (4.2 miles) for executive air travel.

Please note that all distances, timings and measurements are approximate.

Description

Fairmead occupies an idyllic spot in a semi-rural position just one mile away from Knockholt village and its active community, with the towns of Sevenoaks and Bromley being just 5.5 miles and 9.7 miles away, respectively. The property and its wealth of amenities has been enjoyed by the current owners for over 45 years and is offered to the market with no onward chain.

Fairmead carries a rich sense of history and character. It is reputed to have been home to one of the last 'hanging judges', whose grim duty was to decide whether convicted felons would face the gallows. Within the grounds lies what is believed to be an 18th century Judges' Walk, a secluded garden path where those life and death judgments were said to have been contemplated.

A generous reception hall leads to the principal reception rooms comprising a sitting room with solid wooden display cabinets and a bar area, which leads through to a superb drawing room which is triple aspect and featuring exposed ceiling beams, an inglenook fireplace and bay window overlooking the gardens. From both the sitting and drawing rooms there is access to the study with double doors to the garden.

Further reception rooms include a dining room with attractive wood panelling, a fireplace and a bay window enjoying garden views, together with a family room. A link room connects the dining room and study which was the original private telephone room of the house.

The kitchen/breakfast room is fitted with a range of wall and base units and integral appliances, with double doors from the breakfast area opening to a generous terrace and gardens. An adjoining utility room provides further storage and space for appliances, and there is also a useful pantry. A cloakroom completes the ground floor.

Stairs rise to the first floor and the excellently proportioned principal suite comprising a spacious walk through dressing room with fitted storage and doors opening to a roof terrace, a bedroom with bay window enjoying views over the grounds and an en-suite bathroom with separate shower, bath and twin vanity unit. There are four further bedrooms, all with fitted wardrobes and one with en-suite facilities, together with a family bathroom and an additional WC.

The property is approached via a gated gravel driveway which sweeps around to a turning circle leading to the front of Fairmead and providing parking for several vehicles. Attractive established formal borders and beds provide interest all year round and are edged with mature trees and clipped hedges.

Immediately to the rear of Fairmead is a terrace spanning the width of the property with a lovely southerly aspect, providing an ideal area for al fresco entertaining and which leads to an expanse of well maintained lawn bordered with post and rail fencing and mature shrubs and trees.

The driveway continues to one side and leads to the cottage, ancillary outbuildings and swimming pool area.

The swimming pool is enclosed by a pretty brick wall with pedestrian gate for access and enjoys a generous terrace surround, pump room and pool house with excellent entertaining space, a sauna, WC and shower.

The ancillary outbuildings are located to the west of the main house and comprise a quadruple garage, workshop, store room and tack room. There is also a stable block with five loose boxes.

The charming detached three bedroom cottage comprises a sitting / dining room, kitchen and downstairs cloakroom to the ground floor and three bedrooms and a family bathroom to the first floor. The cottage is ideal for multi-generational living, or offers an ideal investment opportunity as a short/long term rental income.

The remainder of the grounds are lawned, bordered with attractive rhododendron and herbaceous borders. There is a vegetable garden, orchard and the laurel hedged 'Judges Walk', set away from the main house providing a note of period charm, and where the judge is believed to have walked whilst making his judicial decisions. There is also an enclosed hard tennis court.

The formal gardens amount to about 3.15 acres in total.

Beyond the gardens and lying to the south and west of Fairmead are paddocks and woodland totalling almost 5 acres. The paddocks are enclosed with post and rail fencing and laid to pasture. The land is classed as Grade 3 agricultural land.

In total the gardens, paddocks and woodland amounts to 8.1 acres.

Directions

From Sevenoaks, proceed along the London Road through Riverhead and Dunton Green. Continue up Starhill Road towards Knockholt. On reaching Knockholt, turn left onto Harrow Road and in turn, turn right onto Main Road. Continue out of the village and at the T-junction with Cudham Lane South, turn right and the driveway to Fairmead can be found approx 0.4 miles along on the left hand side.

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