Location

Ratton Wood is found adjacent to the ancient Ratton Manor estate, on the edge of the popular seaside town of Eastbourne with a bridle path giving access to the South Downs National Park beyond which affords a dramatic rural backdrop beyond the Willingdon Golf Club, with superb opportunities for hiking, cycling and horse riding, and giving access to The Wealdway which runs for 83 miles, crossing Kent and East Sussex, and links to the South Downs Way. The nearby old Willingdon village features two popular pubs, the parish church of St Mary and a post office. From Ratton, the Wealdway to the west leads past the mysterious guardian of the South Downs, The Long Man of Wilmington, believed to date to at least 1710.

The coast at Eastbourne seafront is reached within approximately 2.6 miles. Eastbourne town is enhanced by one of the finest Victorian seafronts on the south coast and cultural facilities include theatres and the well-known Towner Art Gallery. The neighbouring villages of Jevington, Wilmington, Litlington and Alfriston are well known for their rural charm and beauty, as is the nearby Firle Estate. There are numerous country pubs in the area and the Rathfinny Wine Estate is a sought-after location for fine dining in addition to The Star at Alfriston.

Glyndebourne opera house is reached within approximately 12.7 miles away. There are several supermarkets in Eastbourne, including Waitrose and Tesco. Also, there are good leisure facilities too. Popular coastal spots include Beachy Head, Birling Gap, Cuckmere Haven and Holywell, which have beaches and coastal walks providing wonderful scenic views. Channel ferries also operate from Newhaven. There is a superb view point and access to the South Downs Way from Bopeep Car Park. Lewes (14.6 miles), Eastbourne (2.6 miles) and Brighton (21.8 miles) provide a more extensive range of shops, restaurants, leisure facilities.

Private and state school options include Brighton College (which operates a bus with a collection and drop off service) and St Andrews Prep School, Bedes Prep School, Eastbourne College, Bedes Senior School, Lewes Old Grammar School, Northease Manor School, Rodean School, Brighton Girls, Battle Abbey School, Eastbourne Academy, Gildredge House, Alfriston Primary School.

Hampden Park station is reached within approximately 1.4 miles and offers rail services to London Victoria from 1 hour and 29 minutes, and also gives access to Gatwick. Polegate and Berwick are alternative stations offering rail services to London Victoria and London Bridge from 1hr 22 mins.

Description

Set within just over three acres of park like gardens and grounds, Ratton Wood is a very special house in the Eastbourne area, benefitting from a town and a country style location, adjacent to the Willingdon Golf Course and with bridle path access to the South Downs National Park. Also, the house offers considerable accommodation, capable of supporting a large or extended family, or long-term guests, as well as some live-in staff.

Designed in the early 1930s in the Neo-Georgian style by Sir Edward Guy Dawber (a former President of The Royal Institute of British Architects and the Council for the Preservation of Rural England), the house commands views over Eastbourne to the sea and has been in the present family ownership for many years. The fine, traditional accommodation has been subject to some recent and sympathetic modernisation, with great care taken in preserving important detail and the original style. However, additional works to take this along further will be anticipated by an incoming purchaser.

An Indoor swimming pool pavilion wing was added some years ago, providing an impressive, spacious facility and enhancing the overall style of the property viewed from the extensive gardens and grounds. The two independent annexes add to the flexibility of the accommodation overall, while the principal accommodation is generous in proportion and scale, with a well-judged, central reception hall providing access to the main ground floor reception rooms and an impressive, gently rising period style staircase, leading up to all the bedrooms.

Outside, the house benefits from a long gated drive and just over 3 acres of gardens and grounds afford an exceptional fine, park like setting, with extensive lawned areas of garden surrounding the house and extending into mature woodland, comprising mainly beech and a number of other deciduous and coniferous trees. There is also a kitchen garden and an orchard. An ornament Lily Pond flanks the side elevation and a wide, west facing rear terrace commands a lovely garden aspect towards the adjacent Willingdon golf course, with the South Downs evident in the immediate distance beyond. Historically the owners kept a pony here with bridle paths accessed nearby.

The recently built gym building is fitted with air conditioning and sits overlooking the newly refurbished tennis court, which is marked out for a variety of other sports too.