A piece of TV history – the house where Bagpuss lived
What: On the face of it, a pretty four-bedroom farmhouse dating from the 1800s, with white weather-boarding and blue-painted windows. But to TV views of a certain age it might seem familiar... For this much-loved four-bedroom home is where classic children’s TV show Bagpuss (Dear Bagpuss, old fat, furry cat-puss...) was filmed.
Inside: You’ll find the home that once inspired and sustained the late artist and puppet-maker Peter Firmin of Smallfilms, a company producing children’s TV programmes from the late 1950s to the mid 1980s. Along with animator Oliver Postgate (who lived in Broadstairs) Peter was responsible not only for Bagpuss but for other TV favourites including The Clangers, Noggin the Nog and Ivor the Engine.
The house has all the charm you’d expect from such a magic-maker and his family, and the house has a tiled kitchen complete with both Aga and pantry, reception rooms and bedrooms with fireplaces, and a gorgeous vaulted-ceilinged oak-framed, first-floor sitting room.
Outside: Not only over six acres of woodland, paddocks, gardens and a pond, but a detached Kentish barn ripe for transformation (subject to planning), stables, and a workshop that would be ideal as a studio space.
Why we love it: A beautiful house in itself, Hillside Farm exudes a sense of creativity, charm and warmth. While any new owners are sure to want to put their own stamp on it, for fans of Smallfilms it’s a dream home..
Contact: finns.co.uk
Share