Location

Southover Cottage is situated in the heart of the rural village of East Chiltington, just outside the South Downs National Park, with wonderful views from the upper floors over adjoining countryside to the Downs in the south. Whilst enjoying a rural setting, the cottage is not isolated and benefits from the convenience of being close to amenities: Lewes is less than seven minutes' drive (three miles) and the vibrant coastal City of Brighton and Hove is just ten miles away.   

Lewes is the County Town of East Sussex and offers a comprehensive range of high street and independent shops, restaurants, supermarkets and leisure facilities including an independent cinema.   

Sussex offers excellent leisure and sporting facilities, with many opportunities for golf, walking (in particular along the South Downs Way) and equestrian pursuits, including regular meets at Plumpton Racecourse. There is a thriving cultural scene in Sussex, with world-class opera at Glyndebourne and the annual Brighton Festival presenting a huge programme of theatre, dance, music and literary events.   

The nearest railway station is Cooksbridge (only 1.7 miles away) which offers a direct service to London Victoria in about one hour. Further services run from Plumpton Green (four miles), Lewes (4.6 miles), and Haywards Heath (eight miles). Gatwick airport is 21 miles away.   

There are a number of state and private schools in the local area, including Plumpton and Hamsey Primary Schools, Cumnor House School, Ardingly, Hurstpierpoint, Lancing and Brighton Colleges, Lewes Old Grammar School, Roedean, Chailey Secondary School, Lewes Priory and Plumpton Agricultural College.   

All times and distances are approximate. Driving times have been taken from Google Maps.

Description

Southover Cottage, believed to date from 1699 with later additions, is a charming detached home. This attractive timber-framed property is a fine example of the local vernacular, set behind a low knapped flint wall, with a combination of rendered, tile hung, and cedar-clad elevations beneath a tiled roof. Despite its age and period character, the cottage remains unlisted.

Being sold for the first time in nearly 50 years, Southover Cottage has clearly been a much-loved and comfortable home. It offers the new owner an exciting opportunity to update, reconfigure, and potentially extend the property over time (subject to the necessary consents). Period features of note include a wealth of exposed timbers and original joinery, open fireplaces, exposed brick and clay-tiled floors, and wooden-framed casement windows.

The property is situated in the rural village of East Chiltington, on the boundary of the South Downs National Park and has some lovely views from the house and garden, over the railway line, to the distinctive ridge of the Downs on the horizon.

The accommodation is arranged over two floors, the full extent and layout of which can be seen on the floor plan. There are two reception rooms lying off the entrance hall: a cosy snug with an inglenook fireplace set with a log burner, and a larger double sitting room, divided by a large central fireplace featuring an unusual H. Rasmussen & Co wood stove.

The spacious dual-aspect farmhouse-style kitchen has ample space for a central breakfast table and is fitted with a good range of dark green units and display shelving, with an electric Rangemaster oven and spaces for under-counter appliances. The kitchen is served by the adjoining utility room, which has a door to the garden, a ceramic Butler sink and space for laundry appliances; a shower room with WC lies beyond.

There are four bedrooms on the first floor, three of which lie off the timbered, part galleried landing. Bedroom one is dual-aspect and has a range of fitted wardrobes as well as a door to the adjoining family bathroom. The fourth bedroom lies off a small lobby accessed through bedroom two, together with a further shower room.

Outside
Southover Cottage is accessed on foot via two pedestrian gates opening from the lane; there is a parking space just to the north of the cottage ahead of the detached single garage.

The garden is in two parts, lying either side of the house. To the south east is an area of lawn, enclosed by hedging, with spring bulbs, a pretty Magnolia and a small paved terrace next to the house, with a working well pump. A pathway leads around the house to the north west where there is a further area of lawn, interspersed with flower and shrub beds, with a timber storage shed (in need of some repair) and a brick potting shed adjoining the rear of the garage.