Location

Great Bainden is found tucked off a small country lane on the rural outskirts of the popular village of Mayfield in the High Weald Area National Landscape. The village itself (about 1.7 miles by car, or under a mile by foot via a public footpath off Piccadilly Lane) caters for every day needs with a convenience store, Post Office, chemist, wine store, interiors shop, florist, dentist, doctors’ surgery, hairdresser, delicatessen, bakery, butcher, pubs, cafés and boutiques.

Tunbridge Wells (within approximately 11.3 miles) offers high street and out of town retail facilities, whilst the smaller towns of Crowborough (approximately 8.3 miles) and Heathfield (approximately 4 miles) have a choice of independent stores and supermarkets, including Waitrose, Sainsburys and The Cooperative.

Royal Tunbridge Wells is a historic spa town located about thirty miles south of London, surrounded by countryside and offering a popular base for commuters. The town offers excellent cultural, leisure and shopping attractions including cafés, restaurants and two theatres. The High Street offers many restaurants including The Ivy and The Warren, and so many choices for delicious cakes, fresh bread and coffee, Juliet's, Fine Grind, Gails and the Italian delicatessen Arte Bianca, with fresh fish and seafood at Sankey's fishmongers and so much more, with numerous shops and independent boutiques.

The surrounding countryside is designated as a National Landscape and boasts several places of historic interest and attractive walks, including the famous Ashdown Forest, and sailing and fishing at Bewl Water near Wadhurst. The award winning Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest is also nearby, and is now recognised as the most complete collection of conifers on one site anywhere in the world and offers further woodland walks, cycling, riding, and outdoor music concerts.

Schools: Mayfield has its own well regarded primary school as well as Mayfield School for Girls. There are further state and private schools in the area including Skippers Hill Preparatory School in Five Ashes, Marlborough House School in Hawkhurst and Vinehall in Robertsbridge. Wadhurst and Heathfield both have community colleges. There are public schools in Tonbridge and Eastbourne and grammar schools in Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge.

Mainline rail: Stonegate (6.1 miles) London Charing Cross (via London Bridge and Waterloo East) and Cannon Street from about 67 minutes, Wadhurst (6.8 miles), Crowborough (6.6 miles).

Communications: The M25 can be accessed via the A21 just north of Tunbridge Wells linking to other motorway networks, Gatwick and Heathrow Airports.

Description

Thought to date from the sixteenth century and listed Grade II, Great Bainden has a wonderful location, tucked away at the end of a long approach drive, but not isolated, being part of a small farm community of character buildings, just outside of Mayfield village. The house benefits from both good seclusion and a spectacular view to the rear, seen straight from the principal rooms and terracing, facing south towards Heathfield in the distance, on the other side of the valley.

The property itself is a fine character home with an abundance of period features throughout and complete with extensive outbuildings and generous grounds, including a secluded swimming pool, set into a beautiful landscaped planted and part walled surround, complete with a covered entertaining area.

The interior has generous rooms of varied character and formality, but all very much on the lines of a gentrified, period farmhouse, featuring some exposed brickwork and impressive timbers everywhere, as well as fine fireplaces, two fitted with woodburning stoves and one being used for open fires. The receptions include a drawing room and a large later addition garden room. This has direct access to a large brick block entertaining terrace, straight onto the garden and enjoying the views.

The kitchen/dining room has bespoke fitted oak units, finished with granite work surfaces and a stone flag floor and incorporates a five oven Aga with a side induction hob, set into a brick fireplace recess. This double aspect room also has a walk-in larder, a plumbed-in Samsung fridge/freezer and a Miele dishwasher. An opening from here leads straight to the family room and then on through to the garden room, which links to the study and drawing room, ideal for entertaining.

The bedrooms are good sizes and equally characterful, including the top floor suite with its pitched beamed ceiling, and there are a good ratio of bedrooms to bathrooms and shower rooms. The principal suite is of particular note, enjoying the fine southerly view through a wide, eighteenth century style sash window, very much as the drawing room directly below.

Outside, the immediate surrounds are beautifully planted all around the house, with a variety of mature flowers, plants, shrubs and trees, with a separate flower garden behind the Cattle barn and a fruit cage tucked away behind the garage building.

The formal garden benefits from a large brick-block entertainment terrace outside the family room, as well as a dining terrace outside the kitchen, both with the lovely views. The formal garden gives way to lawned parklike grounds and a large field to the side, with a gated access from the drive.

The one-bedroom detached annexe, Loudon's House, is a recently converted farm building, completed to a high standard of presentation and positioned away from the house in the parking area at the drive entry point, ideal for staff, older children or long term guests.

Directions

From Tunbridge Wells, take Frant Road/A267 and continue along the road for approximately 9.5 miles until you reach the roundabout. Take the first exit onto Stone Cross and then turn right onto Knowle Hill. Continue onto Newick Lane, and then turn left onto Piccadilly Lane. Continue on the lane until you reach a sign for Great Bainden on your right hand side. Continue down the driveway, and Great Bainden will be found at the end of the drive.