Church Lane, Southwater, RH13

Southwater House is a fine Grade II listed former vicarage designed and built in 1854 by the Gothic Revival architect Joseph Clarke.
The external stone elevations are of two and three story's with a tiled roof and four stone chimney stacks.
The main living rooms are of elegant proportions with high ceilings, large sash windows, and original stone open fireplaces. The drawing room and library in particular are wonderful atmospheric rooms, both with a dual aspect and significant bay windows overlooking the garden. Other notable original features include pine doors and flooring, window shutters, moulded ceiling cornices, and a beautifully crafted staircase. The first floor staircase window contains stained glass with a pattern of intersecting circles, shield of the See of Chichester and a Tudor rose.
A back door entrance gives access to the north hall, within the former service wing with kitchen/breakfast room and former game larder, now a utility room. From the main entrance hall, there is access down to a substantial wine cellar, with additional storage, and there is a guest cloakroom/wc.
Upstairs, the bedrooms are all very well-proportioned with three suites on the first floor and two further bedrooms and a family bathroom on the second floor, where there is also a large attic box room.
There are lovely views out over the surrounding gardens and over open farmland to the west.

Outside

The house is approached from the lane over a private drive onto a wide graveled carriage drive and turning circle to the front of the house. The drive circles a rectangular koi carp pond with a paved surrounding terrace and is set within a landscaped garden with large level lawns and high hedge and mature trees on the boundary. The house itself sits centrally within the 1.1 acre garden and to the north a stone wall encloses the former stable yard which incorporates a carriage entrance flanked by stone gate piers capped with ball finials. The former coach house is a garden studio with a conservatory, and opposite, there is a garage and potting shed.
The main lawn features a rose clad pergola which shades an outdoor dining area, and a fabulous herbaceous border adjoins a high brick garden wall forming the boundary. A paved terrace is accessed from the kitchen and there is a further door out to the garden from the bay window in the drawing room.

Situation

The property is situated on the edge of the village with views out over open farmland to the west. The village centre provides a range of shopping facilities including a local supermarket, library, bank, pharmacy, and pubs. The local schools include Castlewood Primary School, Southwater Infant & Junior Academies, with The Weald comprehensive school in Billingshurst, Tanbridge House secondary school in Horsham, Christ's Hospital, Pennthorpe, and Farlington, all a short car journey away. The Country Park provides water sports facilities, and the sports centre has an all-weather football pitch, a cricket ground and tennis courts. From the village there is access to The Downs Link path, stretching from Guildford to the South Coast, and passing through The Surrey Hills Area or Outstanding Natural Beauty and The South Downs National Park, allowing wonderful walks, rides, and runs through open countryside and woodland. Equally accessible is the larger market town of Horsham with a wider variety of shops and leisure activities. There are main line railway connections at Christ's Hospital (within 3 miles) and Horsham (within 5 miles) with regular services to London Victoria taking from around 55 minutes. There is also convenient road access via the A24 to the surrounding area and motorway network including excellent access to Gatwick Airport via the M23.

Additional Information

Local Authority - Horsham District Council.
Council Tax Band H.
Services: Mains water and electricity, drainage to an independent shared treatment plant, oil-fired central heating.