A chance to buy yourself a part of Kent’s history in the village of Crouch
THE magnificent and distinctive rounded roof of a traditional oast house is an iconic part of the scenery of the Kent countryside. Oast houses were introduced to the county in the mid-16th century in order to help dry the hops that were – and still are in some areas – an important part of the local economy.
In fact, the oldest surviving oast can be seen in Cranbrook and it dates to the 17th century. It wasn’t until the 18th century, however, that the roundel design became popular; before then oasts had just been converted barns for the most part, with just the odd roundel visible on the horizon. Roundels were deemed to be much more efficient, and in a business such as hop picking and beer making where time was money, efficiency and time saving was a definite benefit.
Many of the surviving oast houses have been turned into houses, and one such stylish conversion in Crouch, near Sevenoaks, set in delightful gardens and benefiting from far reaching countryside views, is being marketed by Savills Sevenoaks.
3 Grey Ladies Oast forms part of an impressive Grade II Listed conversion of a superb six granary, six roundel oast, dating from the mid-19th Century. The property is attractively presented with a contemporary yet characterful feel, featuring high ceilings and large windows throughout.
Oliver Hodges of Savills Sevenoaks commented, “3 Grey Ladies Oast is a highly individual home with immense charm. A particular highlight of the property is the stylish kitchen/breakfast room which is situated in the oast roundel, making excellent use of the building’s historic character.”
On the ground floor, the generous hall features a curved oak staircase and benefits from under floor heating and feature stone walls with brick edged display recesses. There is also a drawing room with an attractive stone and brick fireplace, with double doors leading through to the dining room with an outlook to the rear.
The impressive first floor landing has glazed double doors opening on to a charming south facing balcony where views over the garden and countryside beyond can be enjoyed. The master bedroom is located in the roundel and is double aspect with far reaching views to the south. From the first floor, an attractive curved staircase with wrought iron balustrade rises to a mezzanine level, which comprises a stylish and well-appointed shower room and dressing area with fitted wardrobes.
There are three further bedrooms, two with views over the surrounding countryside and the third has two skylight windows.
The Oast is approached over a communal brick herringbone driveway with a number of gravel parking areas and leads to attractive communal outbuildings comprising garaging and a stable yard. A single garage with power and light connected, a stable and tack room is allocated to each property, and there is the shared use of a one and a half acre paddock.
The established and well stocked enclosed garden is mainly laid to lawn, interspersed with shaped beds and borders with beech hedging to the perimeter. Stone steps lead to a generous part stone wall enclosed terrace which provides an ideal area for entertaining and leads to the front door.
The property is on sale for £850,000 through Savills who can be contacted on 01732 789700, or via www.savills.co.uk
