Location

Cuckfield is a thriving village with an active community to the west of Haywards Heath, in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Old Winchester Cottage benefits from good access to a network of footpaths into the surrounding countryside, as well as being within easy reach of Cuckfield's local amenities including a convenience store, petrol station, medical centre, variety of independent village shops, public houses, restaurants and a hotel and spa. Comprehensive shopping is at Haywards Heath, Crawley and Brighton (two, nine and 16 miles respectively).      

There are many leisure activities available within the village at youth and adult levels including golf, rugby, cricket and local theatre. Across Sussex, activities include riding on Ashdown Forest, for which a permit is required, sailing at Ardingly and golf across the county. Spa and country house hotels include Ockenden Manor in the village, Alexander House, Ashdown Park, Gravetye Manor and South Lodge.      

There is a vibrant cultural and arts scene in Sussex, with world-class opera at Glyndebourne, theatre at Royal Tunbridge Wells and the annual Brighton Festival presenting a huge programme of theatre, dance, classical music and literary events      

Transport: There is a fast and frequent commuter service from Haywards Heath (2.2 miles distant) with services to London Bridge/Victoria from 42 minutes.   Gatwick airport 12 miles.   

Schools: There is an excellent range of educational facilities locally, in both the private and state sectors. They include Holy Trinity primary and Warden Park secondary schools in Cuckfield, Great Walstead, Cumnor House, Handcross Park School, Burgess Hill Girls, Brighton College, Ardingly College and Hurstpierpoint College.      

All times and distances are approximate.

Description

Guide Price Range £700,000 to £725,000. Old Winchester Cottage is a beautifully presented, semi-detached Victorian home, understood to date from the mid-1840s. The house has been much improved and updated by the current owners to offer deceptively spacious, very stylish and versatile accommodation, offering an ideal combination of period features (including some elegant original lattice work windows) and modern finishes such as superbly appointed contemporary bathroom suites by Cuckfield Bathrooms.

There are two reception rooms lying either side of the entrance lobby: a cosy, dual-aspect family room with half panelled walls and a fireplace set with a woodburner, and a snug, which has full-height bookshelving and an oak beamed ceiling, from which the staircase rises to the first floor. Lying off the snug is a versatile room with generous fitted storage, currently used as the fourth bedroom but ideal for use as a study too.

The snug opens to the L-shaped kitchen and breakfast room, which has a stable door opening to the rear courtyard, ample space for a breakfast table, and has been attractively re-fitted with dark blue and pale grey cabinetry and display cupboards, complemented by marble effect worktops, and part tiled/part reclaimed wood splashbacks. Appliances include a range oven with seven-ring hob and Rangemaster extractor over, and an integrated Bosch dishwasher.

Beyond the kitchen, through bespoke sliding barn doors, is the formal sitting room, a stylish dual-aspect room with French doors opening to the courtyard. Lying off the sitting room is a spacious bedroom suite, ideal for guests, with a newly re-fitted en suite shower room.

There are two further bedrooms on the first floor, both with fitted storage cupboards, together with a spacious family bathroom with a suite including a freestanding bath and a separate walk-in shower.

Outside
Old Winchester Cottage is accessed from Ardingly Road via electronically-operated hardwood timber gates, which open to a block paved driveway ahead of the house, offering parking for three cars. Lying off the driveway is a single garage with electronically operated up and over door, and an adjoining bar with wood block worktop, space for undercounter appliances and a bi-fold window opening to the terrace.

The majority of the garden lies to the front (south) of the house, and is mainly laid to lawn, edged by rose and shrub beds, with a paved terrace offering space for an outside table and chairs, and with a brick-built barbecue. The garden extends around the east of the house to a further private seating area shaded by a wisteria-covered timber pergola, and onto a small part-walled courtyard with timber shed and outside store.