The Elms, Lewes Road, Forest Row, East Sussex, RH18

Stylishly presented elegant Victorian wing with a contemporary extension and landscaped garden, in the centre of the village.

Description

1 The Elms is an elegant period wing, added in about 1875 to a stone building believed to date from the 1840s and used as the village doctors’ surgery, originally for Dr John Sloane and latterly for Dr John Magrath, who is particularly remembered for his local philanthropy. The house is attractively characterised in a classic Victorian style, with mellow stone elevations under a tiled roof, decorative bargeboards and large windows (a number replaced with locally-made hardwood frames during our client’s ownership); internally, there are a number of both working and feature fireplaces and soaring ceilings, filling the house with light. A contemporary single-storey built in the mid-2000s enhances and cleverly complements the period style of the original house, and a stylish neutral colour palette with bursts of bright colour and wooden flooring (both original and replacement) through much of the house adds character and warmth.

The solid oak front door opens to a useful porch and log store, from which an inner door opens to the entrance hall, off which lies a limestone-tiled wet room. To the front of the house is a grand reception room, currently used as a formal dining room, with a bay window to the front, a fireplace set with a woodburning stove and decorative moulded cornicing. Across the rear of the house is an excellent partially open-plan space ideal for day-to-day family life, comprising a sitting room and kitchen/dining room, divided by way of wide, barn-style sliding doors. The sitting room has a classical style fireplace with a woodburner mounted on a slate hearth and French doors opening to the terrace; the kitchen also has doors opening to the terrace, ample space for a large table and/or sofas, and is fitted with a range of modern dark grey units and display shelving with granite worktops, and appliances including a Rangemaster oven (new in 2021) and a larder-style fridge/freezer. Lying off the kitchen is a utility room with further storage and plumbing for laundry appliances.

There are three generously-proportioned bedrooms on the first floor, one with a large walk-in cupboard and one featuring a fireplace with woodburner. The bedrooms on the first floor share a family bathroom with classic-style suite including an elegant free-standing slipper bath.

Bedrooms four and five are on the second floor, together with a recently re-fitted (2022) shower room.

Outside
1 The Elms is well screened from Lewes Road by mature trees, and is approached through wrought iron gates which open to a gravelled driveway and parking area ahead of the house.
There is gated access at the side of the house to the rear garden, which has been professionally landscaped over time to make the most of the house’s elevated position: a hardwood decked terrace extends across the rear of the house, overlooking the lower garden and offering an ideal spot for an outside table and chairs. Wide stone steps descend to the well-stocked and mature lower garden, which has been designed as a medicinal herb garden, with a central pond encircled by a gravel pathway with solid oak arches. Set under the decking is an enclosed room, used partially as a garden store/workshop; the other half with a sauna installed.

Location

1 The Elms is situated in the centre of Forest Row, on the northern side of the famous Ashdown Forest with its 6,500 acres of heath and woodland. Forest Row has an excellent range of facilities in the village including a number of independent shops, a supermarket, several cafes, antique shops, bakery, fishmonger, pubs and schools.

Comprehensive shopping: The towns of East Grinstead and Tunbridge Wells are about three and 12 miles away respectively, both providing comprehensive shopping facilities and amenities.

There are many leisure activities available locally, including local clubs for football, rugby, cricket and theatre. Across Sussex, activities include riding on Ashdown Forest (for which a permit is required), show jumping at Hickstead, sailing at Ardingly and golf at one of the many courses across the county, including Royal Ashdown just to the south of the village. Spa and country house hotels include Alexander House, Ashdown Park, Gravetye Manor and Ockenden Manor.

Transport: East Grinstead (3.5 miles) to London Victoria, journey time from 56 minutes; Three Bridges (11 miles) to London Victoria/London Bridge/St Pancras International from 35 minutes. Gatwick airport 12.5 miles

There are many highly regarded state and private schools in the local area including Forest Row primary school, Michael Hall Steiner School, Brambletye, Cumnor House, Ardingly College, Worth, Imberhorne and Sackville.

All distances and journey times are approximate.

Square Footage: 2,400 sq ft