West Street, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7ES

ROOMS Open plan living room & dining room, Kitchen, Rear lobby, Shower room, Landing, Three bedrooms, Cloakroom. Gas central heating. EPC rating E. Walled courtyard garden  

LOCATION The property occupies a commanding position in one of England's most famous and historic cobbled streets. West Street lies in the heart of the Conservation Area of the Ancient Town and Cinque Port of Rye, renowned for its historical associations, medieval fortifications, including the Landgate and Ypres Tower, and fine period architecture with half timbered houses clustered around the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin with its ornate gilded Quarter Boys clock and 18th century Town Hall with open arcaded lower storey and cupola on the roof. As well as its charm and history, the town has a comprehensive range of shopping facilities, the two screen cinema, arts centre and café in Lion Street and an active local community, with the arts being strongly represented; Rye Arts Festival and Rye Jazz Festival are held annually. From the town there are local train services to Eastbourne and to Ashford International with a high speed service to London St. Pancras in 37 minutes. Sporting facilities in the area include golf at Rye, tennis at Rye Lawn Tennis Club with reputedly among the very best grass courts in the country, sailing on the south coast and many fine countryside and coastal walks. 

DESCRIPTION An attached Grade II listed timber framed period house with the main part of the inside structure being a 15th century Wealden Hall house, which has been adapted and extended over the years. In the 18th century the walls were rebuilt in brickwork, and chimneys added. In the 1930s (from 1931 to 1937), the property was owned by the celebrated author Radclyffe Hall who commissioned a lot of work on the house, including putting in a new first floor mock-Tudor façade with a projecting oriel window, and extending the rear rooms. Over the last decade, the property has been subject to an extensive and sensitive modernisation programme, working with a local architect and builder to carefully bring out Santa Maria's original features. The well presented accommodation, which has good ceiling heights throughout, is arranged over two levels, as shown on the floor plan.  

GROUND FLOOR A front door with a glazed panel leads into an open plan living room and dining room with a large bow window and a second bay window overlooking West Street. The living room has an old brick floor, open fireplace with an oak bressumer and exposed ceiling beams. The dining room has massive timber framing including arched braces and a Tudor brick fireplace.

The kitchen, which overlooks the rear courtyard, has fitted work surfaces with an inset stainless steel sink with mixer tap and storage cupboards beneath, space for a fridge freezer, below counter space for a washing machine and tumble dryer, a tiled recess with space for a range cooker, a brick fireplace with fitted shelving and matchboard panelling to the ceiling. A door leads to the rear lobby with a door to outside and a door to a shower room with modern fitments comprising a shower enclosure, pedestal wash basin and close coupled w.c.
 

FIRST FLOOR On the first floor there is a landing with a cloakroom with a close coupled w.c and wall mounted wash basin. Bedroom 1 has an oriel window to the front providing views along West Street, a brick fireplace, original wide oak floorboards and a vaulted ceiling with exposed timber framing. Bedroom 2 has a window to the front, old oak floorboards, a vaulted ceiling with exposed timer framing and a brick fireplace. Bedroom 3 has exposed ceiling beams and a window to the rear overlooking The Mermaid Inn in the middle distance. 

OUTSIDE To the rear of the property is a private enclosed courtyard garden 11' x 11' with colour washed walls and brick pavers. 

FURTHER INFORMATION Local Authority: Rother District Council. Council Tax Band E
Mains electricity, gas, water and drainage.
Predicted mobile phone coverage: Three
Broadband speed: Ultrafast 1000Mbps available. Source Ofcom
Rivers and sea flood risk summary: Very low risk. Source GOV.UK