5 bedroom detached house for sale

Superbly presented period Country House with an excellent outdoor pool entertainment area and over seven acres of beautiful woodland grounds.

Description

Doma is a superbly presented period Country House, set in a picturesque position with a wonderful outlook over its own beautiful woodland gardens and grounds to the open countryside beyond.

The house is believed to have been constructed over 450 years ago, as two oak framed cottages. It is also unlisted and was significantly extended in the 20th century; the current owners acquired the property in 2016 and undertook a comprehensive programme of refurbishment and renovation to create a spacious and elegant family home that meets modern expectations of both style and comfort. It retains many charming period features, including fine oak panelling to the sitting room and dining room, exposed beams in the oldest portion of the house, and working fireplaces.

Interior updates include solid oak flooring to the grand reception hall, stairs, and landing, beautifully complementing the period herringbone parquet in the study and sitting room, replacement aluminium framed Heritage double glazing throughout, refurbishing the roof, a new boiler, bespoke fittings to the kitchen, study and all utility rooms, reconfigured and refitted bathrooms, and full redecoration including new carpets.

The ground floor rooms lie off a magnificent galleried reception hall. Further reception rooms include an impressive vaulted sitting room with marble fireplace set with a wood burning stove and French doors to the north terrace, a good-sized study with fitted cupboards and shelving, a comfortable family room and a dining room situated in the oldest part of the house, offering an excellent space for entertaining along with a second staircase and a feature porch lying off it.

The kitchen has been fully refitted, with a good range of bespoke units, a central island and space for a breakfast table. Miele appliances include a steam oven, a vacuum drawer, a conventional oven, a wine fridge, a dishwasher and an induction hob with Elica extractor over; there is a Liebherr fridge and separate freezer, a two-oven oil fired Aga, and a Zip tap delivering hot, cold and sparkling filtered water.

Lying across the hall is a suite of service rooms comprising a boot room (with outdoor hot tap), utility/laundry room and the boiler room. A cloakroom completes the ground floor; a wine cellar is accessed near the dining room.

There are five bedrooms on the first floor. The principal suite lies to the north; its bedroom has a glazed door to the dressing room, which is fitted with bespoke wardrobes and has a door to the balcony and stairs leading down to the garden - ideal for an early morning workout or swim. Its separate bathroom has a pair of basins, a walk-in shower and a WC.

At the southern end of the landing lie four further bedrooms and a large luxurious bathroom with a roll top bath and walk-in shower. The bathrooms have underfloor heating.

Outside
Doma lies behind tall wrought iron gates, which are electronically operated and open to the brick paved driveway ahead of the house, giving parking for several vehicles.

The property’s park-like gardens and grounds are a particular feature, offering a wonderful setting and also wrapping the property, ensuring a high degree of privacy.

The formal lawns are bordered by light woodland offering an abundance of mature coniferous and deciduous native trees, as well as established rhododendron, azalea and camelia and a carpet of bluebells which create a stunning springtime display. There is a substantial pond nestled in the woodland, and the property lies on a sandstone ridge, with the beautiful natural stone visible at points throughout the grounds.

There are paved terraces adjoining the house to the north and east, each providing a spot to sit and enjoy the sun or shade as required throughout the day; steps lead down from the terraces to the games room/gym, which also has access to the pool changing room, shower and WC. Beyond lies a large Victorian style greenhouse; a formal terrace leads to the pool area.

The recently refurbished and heated swimming pool lies away from the house, sheltered by a wall and is served by a recently refitted pool bar, with fibre broadband connected, and a pergola with a retractable roof; they are ideal for entertaining al fresco along with the fitted sound system and LED lighting.

Beyond the pool lies a machinery store, the pool machinery stores, wood store and further storage, all accessed via a secondary driveway served by recently fitted electronically operated wooden gates, which leads up to offer further parking if required. In all, about 7.15 acres.

Location

Doma is situated on a rural lane, one mile equidistant of the villages of Maresfield and Fairwarp, at the southern end of the 6,500 acre Ashdown Forest, home of Winnie the Pooh and offering superb walking and off road riding (for which a permit is required). There is a vibrant cultural scene in Sussex, with world-class opera at Glyndebourne, theatre at Royal Tunbridge Wells and the annual Brighton Festival presenting a huge programme of theatre, dance, classical music and literary events.

Local amenities: Maresfield village has a primary school, parish church, Post Office, local shop and public house, while Fairwarp offers another church and public house. Comprehensive shopping: Uckfield (three miles), Lewes (12 miles), Tunbridge Wells (14 miles).

Mainline rail services: Buxted (3.3 miles, London Bridge from 70 minutes), Haywards Heath (12 miles, London Bridge/Victoria from 42 minutes) and Tunbridge Wells (Charing Cross/Cannon Street from 52 minutes).

Schools: There are a number of highly regarded state and independent schools and colleges in the local area, including Bonners C of E Primary School, Uckfield Community College, Cumnor House, Brambletye, Michael Hall and Ardingly College. A number of the local schools offer bus services for students, which stop in the village.

Communications: the A22 connects to the M25 and national motorway network; the A272 connects to the A23/M23 and Gatwick airport in the east.

All times and distances are approximate.

Square Footage: 5,081 sq ft


Acreage: 7.15 Acres

Directions

From Haywards Heath take the A272 east; where it meets the A22 take the first exit at the roundabout. At the next roundabout take the second exit, and immediately turn left into Lampool Road. Burrells Lane is the first lane on the right and Doma can be found after a short distance on the left hand side.

Additional Info

Agent’s Notes 1. Doma has right of way over a portion of the driveway belonging to the neighbour, Lampool Edge, to reach Doma’s tertiary access gates. Lampool Edge has right of access through these gates to service their septic tank which lies with Doma’s boundary.
2. There is a footpath lying within the Title boundary, but outside the fence which encloses the gardens and grounds.
3. A 10 yr Japanese knotweed management plan has been in place since 2016, with no weed present for five years.

Services: Oil fired central heating. Mains water and electricity. Private drainage (septic tank). Full fibre broadband. A borehole provides an additional private water supply serving the garden and pool.

Photographs taken: December 2024, seasonal shots supplied by vendors.

Site Plan: Produced from Promap © Crown copyright and database rights 2024. OS AC[use Contact Agent Button]. Not to scale. For identification only.

Viewing: Strictly by appointment with Savills on[use Contact Agent Button]. If there is any point which is of particular importance to you, we invite you to discuss this with us, especially before you travel to view the property.