From places to buy, to places to stay – these are all spaces to covet, so whether you’re after a modern interpretation of an oast house, a Dutch barge with bags of appeal or an ancestral home to call your own, you’ll find it here in the county.
SEASIDE SPECIAL
Shingle House
We love the other-worldliness of seaside Dungeness - for nature-lovers, it offers unparalleled opportunities: a third of the UK’s plant species are to be found here and it’s home to a terrific RSPB reserve. We think Shingle House perfectly reflects the area’s austere charms, its black-stained cedar walls echoing the traditional tarred exteriors of the fisherman’s huts nearby. Commissioned by Living Architecture, which aims to stimulate debate about architecture through the design of extraordinary holiday homes, it’s the work of Scottish architectural practice, NORD. A pared-down interior features a large, open-plan kitchen-diner with great views across Dungeness and folding windows that fully open to bring the outside in. Sleeping eight, there are four bedrooms and three bathrooms, including one with sea views, so you can gaze out at the water as you splash under the shower – magical. living-architecture.co.uk
THE OAST WITH THE MOST
Laddingford Farm Oast, Maidstone
We in Kent may take oasthouses in our stride as an iconic part of our heritage – but it’s not every day that those with deep pockets get the chance to live in one. With its distinctive conical roof and cowls jutting out over the skyline, the triple-roundel, brick-built Laddingford Farm Oast has been lavishly converted to include all mod cons - including an indoor swimming pool - while retaining historic features, such as full-height windows and vaulted ceilings. There will be no arguments when it comes to space here. The home has four large bedrooms, an entrance vestibule, a drawing room and a study, plus outbuildings include a stable block and tractor store. It’s listed with a guide price of £1.43 million. Savills.com
THE GRAND DESIGN
Caring Wood, Caring, near Maidstone
Visually striking is one way to describe this award-winning home, designed to re-imagine the traditional English country house but with a silhouette inspired by those aforementioned oast houses synonymous with Kent. In 2017 it featured on Channel 4’s Grand Designs, where its architects James MacDonald-Wright and Niall Maxwell were crowned winners of the RIBA House of the Year for their work in creating Caring Wood. The judges were impressed the quality of the build, the level of craftmanship and the rigorously selected materials used in the project. The house comprises of four stunning towers with an interlinking roof built entirely using peg clay tiles, with quarried ragstone and coppiced chestnut cladding all locally sourced. It has no less than eight staircases! macdonaldwright.com
THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER'S HOME
Hunton Court, Maidstone
Hailed as one of Kent’s most magical estates, this Grade II listed, eight-bedroom, country house is unusual in that it’s built out of mellow ragstone, normally only found in the Cotswolds. It comes with 132 acres of parkland that includes serpentine lakes, picturesque stone bridges and glorious woodland. You’ll also be getting a swimming pool and tennis court if you're lucky enough to set up home here. The estate was once the country residence of the Bannerman family, including Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1905 to 1908. The liberal politician also served as secretary for war twice. He thought his name was too much for a mouthful so asked people to call him ‘C.B’ instead. The home is listed by Strutt and Parker at £9.2 million. struttandparker.com
THE LEAFY ESCAPE
Elham Tree House, Elham
A labour of love for retired city man, Mark Nielsen, Elham Tree House was built from recycled timber, old pallets and old pine doors over two painstaking years. Tucked away in the village from which it takes its name, it has evolved from a simple platform to today’s cabin in the trees, nestled between three ancient oaks. ‘The idea of the treehouse was to create a relaxing space to read, admire the views and enjoy quiet times alone or together,’ says Mark – and he’s certainly seen that idea come to fruition. Inside is a cosy space from which you can enjoy uninterrupted views across the beautiful North Kent Downs. Loo and shower are a short walk away, there’s an outdoor barbecue for food, but otherwise it’s a case of just tucking yourself away in your very own bower. Elhamtreehouse.com
MODERN MARVEL
Waterfield House and The Pump House, Goudhurst
Seven acres, two separate dwellings, one amazing area of outstanding beauty – you could be picking up the keys to two unique homes here. Waterfield House and the Pump House are being listed together for a guide price of £5.75 million. Waterfield House was designed to celebrate 'the earth and sky’. A solid, masonry base was partially dug into the hillside, and extends out into the landscape, with garden walls, hiding its true scale from afar. The upper ‘sky floor’ sits at tree-canopy level, taking advantage of stunning views down the valley. Natural materials were chosen for the project, which won a RIBA architectural award. The Pump House – located some 200 metres away - was converted by the current owners to create a unique residential dwelling set in a beautiful rural position with fantastic views over the countryside. Savills.com
READY FOR ITS CLOSE-UP
Luddesdown Court
Lights, camera, action! If you’re looking for somewhere to film your next period costume drama or as a setting for your next fashion shoot, look no further than this gorgeous Grade 1 listed house, available to rent as a location and, later in the year, as an airbnb option too. Dating back to the 11th century, Luddesdown Court near Meopham is thought to be one of the oldest continually inhabited homes in England, with impressive features including its oak-beamed, vaulted-ceilinged Great Hall and a minstrel’s gallery. And if you’re thinking the ancient stone walls of the interior might benefit from a wall hanging or two, you’ll not be alone. At least one of the previous inhabitants was clearly a textiles fan: Odo, William the Conqueror’s half brother and the man who commissioned the Bayeux Tapestry, is believed to have called Luddesdown home back in the day... Luddesdowncourt.co.uk
THE HISTORIC GEM OPEN TO ALL
Knole House, Sevenoaks
Any round up of Kent’s extraordinary houses has to include Knole, The jewel in the Sevenoaks (and National Trust) crown, it’s been everything from an medieval Archbishop’s palace to a royal residence for Henry VIII and his daughter Mary, to a family home for the Sackville-West family. Extensively remodelled in the Jacobean era, Thomas Sackville ensured no one who visited could fail to recognise his family’s wealth and status, while, at the end of the 17th century, his descendent Charles was able to acquire a wealth of fabulous furniture and textiles from royal palaces via his role as Lord Chamberlain, many of which are still on display today. The house encompasses seven acres of roofs and contains around 400 rooms; many privately occupied. The showrooms continue to be open to visitors, though, meaning the rest of us can marvel at the treasures on display and rejoice that we’re not responsible for the dusting...Pre-book admission to guarantee entry (including National Trust members). nationaltrust.org.uk.
THE ONE WTH SAILS
Old Smock Mill, Benenden
Built in the early 1800s as one of a pair (the other has long since disappeared), Old Smock Mill was a working building right up until the second world war, at which point it was used as a gunner's look out. It then fell into disrepair until it was lovingly brought back to life by artist Clare Winchester and her family. Today it’s a unique and romantic place to stay - Sandi Toksvig adored it when she came here as part of her 2021 Channel 4 series, Amazing Escapes. Features in this adults-only bolthole for two include vast beams, high ceilings, oak spiral staircase and salvaged milling machinery, including the mill wheel. Outside, the oak staging that encircles the building, designed to replicate the original, is the perfect spot from which to admire the view. oldsmockmill.com
THE KENT 'CHATEAU'
Oxon Hoath, Hadlow
Should you have a passion for French-style architecture and an extensive budget, Oxon Hoath might well constitute your dream home. It was built over 600 years ago by Sir John Culpepper, a Knight of King Henry V, as a royal park filled with deer and oxen - presumably hence its name. It's gone on to be home to some eleven Knights of the Realm, though most recently it’s better known as a retreat and conference centre. Most of the house today is Georgian in style but it’s the English architect Anthony Salvin’s 19th-century ‘chateauesque’ alterations, which include its distinctive mansard dome and tower, that lend Oxon Hoath its Gallic je ne sais quoi. Other pluses include 14 bedrooms, eight bathrooms, five reception spaces, a swimming pool and 74 acres of land – including landscaped and walled gardens - to call your own. Guide price £6,450,000; knightfrank.co.uk
THE STATIC CAMPER-WITH-A-DIFFERENCE
Blean
For a taste of the Amazon here in Kent, head for Gulliver the Quirky Camper near Blean, whose exterior is festooned with jungle-themed imagery painted in shades of green. Inside, the eclectic vibe is continued via Gulliver’s exotic upholstery plus walls finished in brick and wood, a comfy double bed with a window to let the light in, dining table and chairs, plus a well-equipped kitchenette - even a little wood burner. Outside in the private garden area is a modern bathroom with open-air hot water shower, a hot tub, a firepit over which you can toast those all-important marshmallows, and an outdoor TV complete with wooden cover when you’re not watching it. Sounds like an ideal off-beat get-away for two – and – unlike in the real jungle - you shouldn’t have to worry about fending off any creature more worrying than the odd midge…kent-cottage-holidays.co.uk
FIT FOR A KING
Vane Court, Biddenden
If you have £5.5 million tucked away (and who doesn’t?), you could become the next owner of Vane Court – a magnificent country pile nestled in the Kent countryside. You’ll be getting countless rooms, of course (including seven bedrooms), as well as a tennis court, a heated outdoor swimming pool and an estate stretching to over 67 acres. Above all, though, you’ll be buying a piece of history. The mansion was once the home of the King of Siam (now Thailand), who fled here during the 1930s after the revolution in his homeland in 1932. Rumour has it he stayed on the top floor of the house in the attic. Supposedly, this was due to a Siamese tradition that said no head in the house was allowed to be positioned higher than his. Savills.com
THE FAIRYTALE CASTLE
Leeds
Steeped in over 900 years of history as a home for royalty and a haven for guests including movie star Errol Flynn and John F Kennedy, Leeds enjoys a reputation as the most romantic castle in England. Certainly, with its battlements and mote if fulfils many people’s fantasy of just how the perfect castle should look. And it’s possible to take that fantasy one step further: Leeds is open to visitors, and in the summer allowed a fortunate few to stay on selected nights in its majestic Castle State and Battlement guestrooms, allowing them to experience Leeds’ rich history and elegant charm overnight. The experience quickly sold out so, who knows, it might even be repeated at some stage. Keep your eye on the website if a castle stay is high on your wish-list. Leeds-castle.com
THE HIDDEN GEM
Stoneacre, Otham
Calling all National Trust fans (and isn’t that everyone?) – is Stoneacre, near Maidstone, on your radar? Yes, we adore Sissinghurst and Ightham Mote and we’ve already mentioned Knole, but this comparatively small architectural and historic gem certainly deserves our attention. Dating from the 1480s, it’s a traditional Wealden hall-house, so called because, originally with just an open fire in its centre, such houses were built with a hall at their heart. Stoneacre is connected with the Ellys family, stone-quarriers who would go on to give their name, albeit with a different spelling, to Ellis Island – gateway to life in the USA for generations of immigrants. Inside you’ll find lovely furniture, stained glass and metal work, outside are the beautifully planted gardens. Definitely a home to get acquainted with – crack on, as it's only open at weekends and closes for winter at the end of this month, reopening in April 2024. Pre-book admission to guarantee entry (including National Trust members).Nationaltrust.org.uk
THE ROYAL REFUGE
Restoration House, Rochester
This red-brick house boasts fascinating historic links and is said to have been Charles Dickens’ inspiration for Satis House, home of the troubled Miss Havisham in his novel Great Expectations. Created in the late 16th century from what had been several medieval buildings, it served as a city mansion for lawyer, Henry Clerke. As home to his Royalist son, Francis, it made an ideal stopover for King Charles on his return from exile in France on the eve of the monarchy’s Restoration – hence the house’s name. The current owners believe the house was specially ‘done up’ in honour of Charles’ stay – with paint effects such as ‘marbling’ and ‘japanning’ and ‘French doors’ cut into earlier still visible today. Open on select days May to the end of September. restorationhouse.co.uk
THE FOLLY
Hadlow Tower, Hadlow
Hadlow Tower, or May’s Folly as it’s affectionately been known, was created in the mid-19th century by Walter Barton May, reputedly as a place from which he could spy on his estranged wife after she'd left him. A more likely explanation, though, is that this Grade 1*listed confection, designed in the then fashionable romantic Gothic style as part of the impressive Hadlow castle (largely demolished in 1951), was designed to show off May’s vast wealth. During the second World war, the local Home Guard were able to make due of it as a look-out post. These days it’s in private ownership, so you can’t get too close. Then again, you don’t need to: you can see it from miles around – hardly surprising, given that it’s the tallest building of its kind in the UK.
THE WATERY OPTION
Salmestone Dutch Barge, Sandwich
Permanently moored in pretty Sandwich on the tidal river Stour, you’ll find this 110-year-old Dutch barge. Lovingly restored, Salmestone now belongs to Pinky and Samir, an occupational therapist and blood cancer specialist respectively, who’ve lived in the area for over 20 years. Inside you’ll find everything you need for a relaxing stay, including a TV and a selection of boardgames, and a galley kitchen with a dual microwave/oven, double hotplate, and even an AGA. There’s a master double bedroom with ensuite, a double sofa bed and a large day-bed, and a second bathroom with a shower. OK, so you’ll not actually set sail – but you’re certainly on the water, with all those portholes and arrival via a gang-plank certainly adding to the nautical feel. whitecliffscountry.org.uk/stay/self-catering/dutch-barge-1
NAUTICAL BUT NICE
Officers’ Terrace, Chatham
One in a terrace of 12 houses built circa 1725, this Grade I-listed early Georgian house is set in Chatham’s historic dockyard and boasts features including doric columns, pilasters, local brickwork and ancient timber flooring. It was used as both domestic residences and formal offices for the principal officers of the dockyards; among the residents were the Master Shipwright, the Clerk of the Cheque, the Storekeeper, the Clerk of the Survey and two Master Attendants. Today it remains one of the largest houses on a terrace this is privately gated and managed by 24-hour security. Six bedrooms and multiple reception rooms fill its five storeys – and all those stairs may ensure gym membership’s not so much of a priority. Outside a formal Grade II*-listed parterre garden and a garage sit behind the house. If you’d like to be the next custodian to keep the place shipshape, you’ll need something in the tune of £1,595,000. Inigo.com
THE ULTIMATE PERIOD PIECE
Linton Park, near Maidstone
If you’ve found £17.5 million under one of the sofa cushions and fancy living in your very own period drama, Grade 1 listed, 12-bedroomed Linton Park, near Maidstone, should fit the bill nicely. The house in its current form dates from 1730. Already sizeable, it was extended by a third storey and two-storey wings in the 19th century by master builders Thomas and William Cubbitt on the instructions of the owner, the 5th Earl Cornwallis. The current owners have lavished TLC on the place, renovating magnificent fireplaces and plaster work and utilising craftmanship of the highest quality. Reception rooms have floor-to-ceiling sash windows offering wonderful views of the surrounding park and views beyond. As you might expect with this sort of price tag, three additional residential properties and 315 acres come with the deal, too. Struttandparker.com
THE SPRITUAL HOME
The Old Palace, Wrotham
Here’s a house with a lovely face – and a fascinating history. Dating from 1340, today it’s a Grade II* listed seven-bedroomed home where exposed timers and stone mullion windows meet 21st century mod cons - witness the smart Smallbone kitchen with integral appliances, a cinema room and, outside, a spa pool. Back in the day, though, the oldest part of the house was the kitchen wing of the long since demolished Archbishop’s Palace, used by the Archbishops of Canterbury as a resting place while traveling to and from London. Stones from the demolished building were used to build Maidstone Archbishop’s, with the ruins at Wrotham restored by the Byng family during the 16th century. The £3,395,000 price tag will also get you a two-bedroomed annexe and over six acres of grounds. savills.com
