Eynsford House is a charming Grade ll listed period landmark property situated at the heart of Eynsford Village on a 0.28-acre plot. Dating back to the 17th Century, this fascinating detached, period property was seamlessly conjoined with ‘Writs End’ a period property also of circa 17th Century, thus creating an exceptionally lovely five/six-bedroom family home which has been sympathetically upgraded by the current owners with both skill and style. Externally eye-catching with exposed timbers, latticed windows and a front gable whilst internally, many fine features of the period have been retained. These to include solid wood thumb latch arched doors, carved wood corbels, a particularly impressive carved bressummer beam in an inglenook fireplace, vaulted ceilings and a wealth of exposed wall and ceiling beams.
Externally to the side of the property there is private parking with a gated entrance to the generous rear garden. The garden is secluded and well stocked with mature shrubbery, a well maintained and extensive central lawn, a potting shed and an additional out-building. The gardens back onto the River Darent with views across to the cricket grounds and pavilion. Situated in this quintessentially Kent village in the Darenth Valley on the side of the North Downs, Eynsford House presents as a truly exceptional family home with an internal layout that will surprise and delight.
Internal viewing is essential to fully appreciate what this unusual and fascinating riverside home has to offer.
Location
Eynsford is a picturesque village in the Sevenoaks district of Kent and is located in the historic Darenth Valley. It is famous for the ancient ford and hump-backed mediaeval bridge, which is still very much in use today, St Martins of Tours the 16th century village church, and Eynsford Castle to the north of the village. Eynsford Castle is one of the earliest Norman stonework defences in the country, and the castle and Roman Villa are within easy walking distance of the village centre as is the Lullingstone Country Park which provides stunning views over the valley. The nearby hop farm attracts visitors from all over the world with its beautiful lavender fields and farm shop selling local produce. Eynsford has a number of cosy pubs, restaurants and a tearoom by the ford. Eynsford also boasts an excellent primary school – The Anthony Roper Primary School – which is a five-minute walk from Eynsford House. Eynsford
Station has fast links to London Blackfriars and the City as well as Sevenoaks and Bromley, and the village is convenient for the M25, M20 and Ebbsfleet.
Directions
From our office, proceed to the roundabout and take the first exit onto Station Road/A225. Continue to follow A225 into Shoreham Road leading to Eynsford Village. Continue from Shoreham Road into Station Road. Once you pass Riverside on your left this will lead into the High Street. Pass Bower Lane and the War Memorial on your right and the property can be found on the left hand side a little further down the High Street.
Transport Information
Trains
Mainline trains to London from Eynsford (0.6 miles) and Farningham Road (2.8 miles). Fast trains (30 mins) to London Charing Cross, London Bridge, Cannon Street from Sevenoaks (7.8 miles) and Orpington (6.8 miles). London St. Pancras is 19 minutes by train from Ebbsfleet International (10.5 miles).
Air
Gatwick Airport (31.2 miles); Biggin Hill private airfield (13.6 miles).
Schools
Nursery and Primary Schools: Anthony Roper, Eynsford (walkable) 0.2 miles, Shoreham 3.5 miles, and Otford 4.7 miles. Grammar Schools: Dartford, Maidstone, Tonbridge Girls and Judd Boys Grammar schools in Tonbridge and Weald of Kent in Sevenoaks. Private Schools: Sevenoaks (co-ed), Tonbridge (boys) and Walthamstow Hall (girls). Cobham Hall (girls) in Cobham, Sackville School (co-ed) in Hildenborough and Radnor House (coed) in Sundridge. Preparatory Schools: Sevenoaks (co-ed), Solefields (boys), New Beacon (boys), Walthamstow Hall (girls), The Granville (co-ed), Sevenoaks. St Michaels (co-ed) and Russell House (co-ed) in Otford 4.4 miles; Radnor House (co-ed) in Sundridge; Steephill School (co-ed) in Hartley; Birtley House School (co-ed) in West Kingsdown.
All of the rooms are lovely, but my favourite would have to be the sitting room. It’s very large and incredibly light and bright during the summer months. In the winter, when the log burner is lit, it takes on a very cosy feel so it’s a lovely place to settle down on a cold, dark evening. We are also really fortunate to have an in credible master bedroom suite, with ornate wooden panels, a dressing room with high vaulted ceiling and original wooden beams, and a large en-suite bathroom. I always look forward to goi ng there at the end of the day.
Seller Insight
Eynsford is an extremely picturesque riverside village, set in the beautiful Darenth Valley, which is part of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Enviably located right in the heart of the village is Eynsford House, a large and very handsome Grade II listed family home that originally dates back to the 17th century. The house sits right in the middle of the village and it’s a property that’s steeped in history, says the owner. At some point in the past, the house was part of a foundry and there are several original pieces of ironwork in the house, like a cast iron fire back and several drain-covers that were made in the forge.
Over time the house was added to and converted into two dwellings, and then around thirty years ago it was it was turned back into one lovely, big family home. We bought the property eight years ago and there were so many things that attracted us to it. We have three children, so the sheer amount of space we have here was really appealing, and we love the fact that it retains lots of its original features so it’s very characterful. However, one of the biggest selling points has to be location. There are so many incredible walks around the Darenth Valley and Lullingstone Park. Eynsford attracts a lot of visitors throughout the year and particularly in the summer, when people flock to the river side for picnics and a paddle. The village is really convenient, with handy shops and a train line that runs to Sevenoaks and directly into London. It’s a popular location for families and commuters, and there’s a lot going in the community, with many and varied social events during the year. One of the highlights for us has been the spectacular firework display which is set against the backdrop of the ruins of the Norman castle. The house itself is really distinctive, however the interior was a little tired when we moved here and so over the years we’ve done a huge amount to update it, but in a very sympathetic way. Every room has been redecorated, and we’ve modernised the bathrooms and updated the kitchen.
Outside we have a large garden which is mostly lawn, so it was a perfect space for the kids to play in while they were growing up. We’ve added a large patio area adjacent to the kitchen, as we like to eat outdoors with friends in the summer. In the background you can hear village cricket matches through the screen of willow trees at the bottom of the garden. It’s really peaceful and very private, so you can sit out there and feel miles from anywhere.
Favourite aspect of the grounds or surrounding area: Eynsford is a picturesque English village, and it’s a place where we’ve all enjoyed a fantastic quality of life. There are scenic walks through the woods, around stunning lavender fields and along the river. The local community is vibrant and organises lots of events. We’ve also appreciated the convenience of the location. The village primary school, the shops, including a butcher’s and hairdresser, and several gastro pubs are all on the doorstep. The station is a short walk from the house. Commuting to London from here has been easy as there are a number of local stations offering a variety of routes into different areas of London. As our girls have got older they’ve been able to take a train from Eynsford to their secondary school. This is another massive advantage of living here; when our children reached secondary school age, there was a huge choice of excellent state and independent schools to select from.
What they’ll miss most / why they are leaving: We will definitely miss the incredible indoor and outdoor space as the house is large enough to accommodate our individual interests. With five noisy people who enjoy playing music, it’s been wonderful to have so much flexible space to play in. Equally, if you want to escape the hurly burly of family life, there’s always a quiet corner in one end of the house to sit and read or work in. The house has been a social hub for our teenage children and their friends and they have been able to have fun, without disturbing us at all. We certainly wouldn’t be moving from here if we were staying in the area as the house is an exceptional family home in a beautiful and accessible location.*
* These comments are the personal views of the current owner and are included as an insight into life at the property. They have not been independently verified, should not be relied on without verification and do not necessarily reflect the views of the agent.
Eating & Drinking
There are 4 pubs and a tea room in Eynsford; the Castle Hotel, The Malt Shovel and Five Bells near to the church in the High Street, plus The Plough, which is across the ford by the river and The Riverside Tea Room is by the River Darent. Rafferty’s Village Shop is very conveniently placed in the High Street. There are also three more pubs in Farningham village; The Pied Bull, The Lion, The Chequers, and an Indian restaurant (Palace of India). In Shoreham, The Mount Vineyard, has its own wine shop and pizza restaurant. The owners have recently acquired and completely and sympathetically renovated The Samuel Palmer, the 15th century pub across the road from the vineyard. The Woodlands Garden Centre in Ash also has a good café called the Twig & Spoon (5.4 miles).
Shopping
Eynsford has a well-stocked village shop (Rafferty’s), a butchers, newsagents, and Olivia’s Hair & Beauty. There is a butcher’s in Farningham opposite The Lion. Bluewater main shopping centre (21 mins); John Lewis Food Hall in Bluewater. Waitrose in Longfield (17 mins), in Green Street Green (16 min) & Sevenoaks (18 mins). Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Lidl & Aldi in Sevenoaks; Co-op in West Kingsdown (10 mins); Asda in Swanley (14 mins).
Sports & Recreation
There are 5 golf courses nearby – London Club (Ash), Pedham Place including a public driving range (Swanley), Lullingstone Park and Darenth Valley (Shoreham), Birchwood Park (Dartford). Plus, Wildernesse and Knole in Sevenoaks, and Nizels in Hildenborough, which also offers private health/fitness facilities as does Sevenoaks Sports, Swimming and Leisure Centre. Brands Hatch motor racing circuit is walkable in good boots. Farningham Cricket Club was founded in 1857 and still going strong. Eynsford Castle (English Heritage); Lullingstone Park; Lullingstone Castle & World Garden; Lullingstone Roman Villa (English Heritage); Eagle Heights Wildlife Foundation, Eynsford;
Knole Park, Sevenoaks (NT). Darent Valley Path: The Darenth Valley is one of Kent’s greatest hidden treasures with fine walking opportunities for all the family. The way-marked path is 19 miles (30.4km) long, following the meandering river from the banks of the busy River Thames at Dartford through the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to the Greensand Hills above Sevenoaks. Nearby Farningham sits roughly in the middle of this path.
Useful Information
We recognise that buying a property is a big commitment and therefore recommend that you visit the local authority websites for more helpful information about the property and local area before proceeding. Some information in these details are taken from third party sources. Should any of the information be critical in your decision making then please contact Fine & Country for verification.
Council Tax
We are informed this property is in council tax band G, you should verify this with Sevenoaks Borough Council.
Tenure
The vendor advises us that this property is Freehold. Should you proceed with the purchase of the property your solicitor must verify these details.
Appliances/Services
The mention of any appliances and/or services within these sales particulars does not imply that they are in full efficient working order.
Measurements
All measurements are approximate and therefore may be subject to a small margin of error.
Viewing
Monday to Friday 9.00 am – 6.00 pm Saturday 9.00 am – 5.00 pm. Viewing via Fine & Country Sevenoaks.
Ref
HA/SD/SK/071022 - OTF220033/D1
Agents notes: All measurements are approximate and for general guidance only and whilst every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy, they must not be relied on. The fixtures, fittings and appliances referred to have not been tested and therefore no guarantee can be given that they are in working order. Internal photographs are reproduced for general information and it must not be inferred that any item shown is included with the
