Gore Road, Eastry, Sandwich, Kent

This unique Grade II Listed property traces its origins in the 12th century with later additions in the Georgian era and the 1970s and has been granted the red diamond ‘Historic Building of Kent’ plaque. It also has the only access to a labyrinth of subterranean tunnels and caves that descend more than 50 feet below Eastry village.

Wooden gates open onto a gravel parking area, a garage and an oak framed porch, which leads to a cloakroom, utility area and the kitchen with terracotta tiles, bespoke units with polished concrete worktops and stand-alone appliances. There is a large breakfast area and a characterful dining room with original wood floors and a vast inglenook fireplace.

The Georgian front door opens into a lobby leading to the dual aspect drawing room with an impressive marble fireplace and log burner, original Georgian windows and an oak staircase. The 1970s extension includes a vast dual aspect sitting room with doors to the garden and an ornate Adams style marble fireplace. A staircase leads to the newest part of the first floor that has a bathroom, a single and a double bedroom. The historical parts of the first floor can be accessed from here and from the oak staircase and includes a family bathroom, a double bedroom leading to a second double with dual aspect, a fitted cupboard and a fireplace while another double bedroom features exposed wall beams that form part of the original roof.

Outside, there is the caves access, a Victorian stable, shrubs and lawn areas and a lower garden with a wildlife pond, trees and a front garden with specimen trees and a treehouse.

What the Owner says:

We fell in love with Beckets, blown away by the history of the house and have enjoyed making discoveries and careful improvements over our twenty years here. We have carefully preserved the numerous historical features as well as being custodians of the caves but feel that now is the right time to entrust Beckets to new enthusiastic owners.
We live in a Conservation area in Eastry, which includes a variety of local shops, a post office, the village pub, a village hall offering various activities and a good primary school. The Sir Roger Manwood Grammar School in Sandwich is very well respected while there are several very good private and state secondary schools in other surrounding towns.
Sandwich is nearby with its fascinating medieval properties, individual shops, restaurants and bars as well as a mainline station with the high speed trains to London taking under an hour and a half. For golfers there are the championship courses at Royal St Georges and Princes Golf Club while watersport aficionados can join the Sandwich Bay Sailing and Motorboat Club or the Sailing and Water Ski club.