The Rise, Kingsdown, Kent

Perched on the grassy bank of The Rise in the heart of the Kingsdown Conservation Area, this two-bedroom end-of-terrace cottage brims with seaside charm. Sea blue shutters, off-white pebbledash and tripartite windows make for a postcard-pretty façade that would be equally at home on the other side of the nearby English Channel. A long south-westerly garden unfurls at the rear, planted with a riot of perennials that foster a secluded, enchanting feel. Kingsdown is on the easternmost slopes of the North Downs, a 10-minute drive from neighbouring Deal.

Setting the Scene

Kingsdown is an attractive and popular seaside and hillside village. Its development between the 17th and early 20th centuries was based on a locally distinctive mixed economy of farming and fishing. The historical evolution of the village is apparent in its buildings and spaces, which display a legacy of differing architectural styles and ages. The rich palette of the Kentish vernacular reigns supreme, with brick, flint, timber and tile hanging shaping much of the Kingdown’s profile.

The Grand Tour

The cottage is approached from the winding street by a flight of stairs that open out onto a shared pathway that runs along the terrace. The pebble-dash frontage is punctuated with charming windows, each sporting wide timber shutters.

The ground-floor interior opens out across the depth of the house, linking the front and back gardens seamlessly. A smart living area sits at the front, facing a cast-iron woodburner and bespoke bookshelves set within arched alcoves. The space is divided by an open staircase, and a dining area has a close connection with the garden to the rear – here, the afternoon soon is particularly lovely, imbuing the room with a honeyed glow. Attention to detail is apparent throughout, from the cast-iron radiators to the bronze Corston faceplates, all tied together by pine floorboards and the gentle off-white walls and ceiling.

The galley kitchen runs along the side of the garden, with views of sprawling clematis from the substantial Belfast sink. Wooden worktops are complemented by sage green walls. On the floor, terracotta and cream tiles have been set in a bespoke rhythmic geometric pattern. A concise utility area is cleverly concealed between the kitchen and the shared bathroom.

The bathroom is wrapped in butt-and-bead boarding that runs around a bath and up to meet the curved ceiling. Its walls are finished in the deep tones of Inchyra Blue contrasted with wallpaper by French designer Antoinette Poisson, while the shower and tapware are a timeless chrome design by Aston Matthews.
Upstairs, both bedrooms are lit by large windows, the blown glass’s wobbling surface softly distorting views of treetops and the garden. The larger rear bedroom has two built-in storage spaces and is painted in the appropriately chosen Mizzle by Farrow and Ball.

The very top floor has been converted into a sleeping platform, accessed by a steep staircase. In a nod to its nautical location, the room has been completely clad in boarding that conceals additional eaves storage. The effect is of a ship’s cabin, in total seclusion from the rest of the house and with birds-nest views out from its brace of roof light windows.

The Great Outdoors

Raised high above street level, the front garden is mostly gravelled. Ferns unfurl from the base of the façade and between bricks that border the pathway, and a climbing rose runs up alongside the front door.

Stretching out from the back door, the garden reveals itself in a series of rooms. A stone slab pathway runs out from the doorway, flanked by euphorbia – a favourite in this garden – and rosemary. At the end of the monopitched outrigger, the path opens out into a gravel garden where there is space to sit in the afternoon sun beneath a mature beech tree. The planting here is of a curated wilderness; black elder, woodruff, mint and mallow have each found their perfect position. A mature New Zealand flax sits in juxtaposition, with its tropical sensibility and architectural spears.

The pathway continues through deep borders filled with buddleia, fennel, lavender, and roses. A wave of crocosmia flares a bold orange in early summer, matched in drama by the decadent towers of acanthus mollis.

Bookending the garden is a decked terrace, bordered by timber fencing draped in ivy, and in apparent total seclusion from the cottage itself.

Out and About

The house is set above Kingsdown Beach, down the road from the well-known seaside town of Deal. The village is well-appointed and served by a primary school and three pubs, plus a fantastic deli The lovely Zetland Arms sits right on the expansive stretch of shingle in the lea of the area’s white cliffs. This stretch of coast has prime opportunities for cycling and country walks along the White Cliffs of Dover loop.

Up the coast, the famed Deal Pier is the last fully intact leisure pier remaining in Kent, brought up to date by Niall Mcgloughlin’s intricate timber café. The Rose Hotel is known for its excellent bar and restaurant, as is the Updown Farmhouse, a restaurant with rooms set in the surrounding countryside with a magical conservatory dining room. Real Deal Roasters is a renowned coffee supplier and shop, Arno & Co the preferred grocer and Merchant of Relish the favoured deli. The Black Pig butchers and Jenkins & Sons fishmongers are also both noteworthy. There is also a fantastic Saturday farmers’ market selling local produce. A recent addition to the already revered food scene is The Blue Pelican, a highly-rated Japanese restaurant.

Deal High Street has many other independent antique, clothes, and homewares stores. Of particular note is the ever-popular lifestyle and homewares emporium Will and Yates. Just a short walk away is the ever-popular lifestyle and homewares emporium Green & Found. Built in the early 1800s within the Captain’s Gardens at Deal Castle, it provides creative spaces for local craftspeople to work and also offers workshops, talks and events. Other local attractions include the famed Deal Castle, nearby Walmer Castle, and slightly further afield, Sandwich Bay.

Kingsdown, Dover and Canterbury are all easily accessed by car, via the A2 and A258. High-speed trains run from Deal to London St Pancras with a total journey time of 84 minutes, with alternative direct trains to London Charing Cross and London Bridge. Access to the continent is also excellent via the Port of Dover and the Channel Tunnel at Folkestone.

Council Tax Band: C