Mermaid Street, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7ET

ROOMS Entrance vestibule, Sitting room, Dining room, Kitchen & breakfast room, Cloakroom, Landing, Drawing room / bedroom, Three further double bedrooms, Study, Bathroom,Two shower rooms, Gas central heating, EPC rating D, Utility room, 90' South facing cottage garden opening into a renowned ''secret'' walled garden 46' x 40' with loggia  

LOCATION The House with the Secret Garden occupies a commanding position in iconic Mermaid Street, one of the most picturesque streets in England, directly opposite the world famous Mermaid Inn in the heart of the Conservation Area of the Ancient Town and Cinque Port of Rye, renowned for its historical associations, medieval fortifications and fine period architecture. As well as its charm and history, the town has a comprehensive range of shopping facilities and an active local community, with the arts being strongly represented. Rye Arts Festival and Rye International Jazz Festival are held annually and a two-screen cinema complex is available in Lion Street. From the town there are train services to Ashford with high speed connections London St. Pancras in 37 minutes. Sporting facilities in the area include golf and tennis at Rye, sailing on the south coast and many fine countryside and coastal walks. 

DESCRIPTION An important, authentic and atmospheric Grade II Listed period house of fifteenth century origin with an eighteenth-century façade, presenting mellow brick and part tile hung external elevations set with timber sash and casement windows beneath a pitched peg tiled roof. Particular features include exposed timber framing but with 8'6 ceiling heights to the principal rooms, antique floorboards, open fireplaces and a gardeners dream of a garden with extensive mature plants and shrubs, and numerous areas of outdoor seating. The secret walled garden originally forming part of the adjoining National Trust Lamb House gardens having been acquired by the expatriate American novelist and critic Henry James (1843-1916) during his ownership and subsequently re-designed by E F Benson (1867-1940) during the last ten years of his life and to which reference is made to the garden in his "Mapp and Lucia" series of novels. 

GROUND FLOOR Steps up with wrought iron balustrade to a panelled front door with a rectangular fanlight over and flat hood supported on brackets above, opening into an entrance vestibule with an inner door to the sitting room, which has two windows overlooking Mermaid Street, exposed timber framing and floorboards, together with matchboard panelling and an open fireplace with brick surrounds and decorative surround. The inner hallway has stairs to the first floor with a storage cupboard beneath. The well proportioned dining room has a part glazed door with windows to either side opening onto the rear terrace, a fireplace with an ornate carved surround, a built-in display cabinet to side and exposed floorboards. The breakfast room has a window to the side, a fitted period dresser unit with glazed upper section and built-in storage cupboard to one side. A wide opening with exposed Tudor brick wall links the kitchen, which has windows to the rear and side, a part vaulted ceiling and a range of shaker style cabinets to three walls with cupboards and drawers beneath wooden worksurfaces, an inset one and a half bowl single drainer sink unit with mixer tap, an integrated dishwasher, space for a fridge freezer, a fireplace housing an Everhot electric range cooker and a part glazed door to the garden and adjacent utility outhouse with plumbing for a washing machine and a wall mounted gas boiler. Also on the ground floor is a cloakroom with a scallop shell wash basin, low level wc and geometric tiled floor.  

FIRST FLOOR On the first floor, there is a landing with stairs off to second floor, a drawing room/bedroom with a cast iron fireplace overlooking Mermaid Street and two further double bedrooms with exposed floorboards and timber framing. In addition, there is a study overlooking the rear gardens, a bathroom with period style fitments and a separate shower room.  

SECOND FLOOR On the second floor, there is a further double bedroom with a heritage roof window to the front, below eaves storage cupboards and exposed floorboards. Adjacent is a shower room with modern fitments.  

OUTSIDE Immediately adjacent to the rear of the house is a terrace with steps leading up to the south facing cottage gardens extending to approximately 90', being flagstone paved, part walled and extensively planted with lavender, verbascum, roses, michaelmas daisies, fuchsia, geranium, agualegia, sweet peas, hebe, virginia creeper, passion flower, euphorbia, fig tree, clematis and jasmine. Charming greenhouse. Full sized garden shed. From the garden a heavy wrought iron gate leads into a "secret" walled garden 46' x 40'. Originally designed by E F Benson as being set down to lawn with broad flower beds extensively planted with roses, lilies, lavaterra, sedum, sweet peas, camelia, budleia, clematis, magnolia, verbascum, hibiscus, fuchsia, a crazy paved pathway to three sides and a central brick ornamental pond. To one corner is an oak framed loggia with two sides open to the garden, brick paved floor and timber panelled walls.  

FURTHER INFORMATION Local Authority: Rother District Council. Council Tax Band F
Mains electricity, gas, water and drainage.
Predicted mobile phone coverage: EE, Three and 02
Broadband speed: Superfast 80Mbps available. Source Ofcom
Rivers and sea flood risk summary: Very low risk. Source GOV.UK