Histories intersect in a rather regal way at Vane Court, a Wealden hall house on the fringes of bucolic Biddenden. Historically, the area was known for broadcloth production, and it is believed that the house – with its unique two-jettied form – would have been built in the 15th-century for a particularly well-to-do individual in the local industry. Yet it is the later history of the home that is perhaps better known, namely when it was owned by King Prajadhipok of Thailand, then Siam, following his abdication in 1935. Said to have been particularly fond of the house’s entrancing gardens, an ethereal water garden is to this day known as the ‘King’s Pond’.
Ramsgate was, in the 19th century, the home of Vincent Van Gogh, who lived in the town when he worked as an art teacher at a nearby school. A bust created by artist Anthony Padgett sits in the centre of Spencer Square to commemorate this brief but significant period. This Regency townhouse sits on the northerly part of the square, and has adopted, perhaps unwittingly, a distinctly painterly edge: its walls have been washed in a light-enhancing neutral hue that complement its original and exquisitely timeworn floorboards underfoot.
First built in the mid-18th century, this exceedingly generous house initially served as a rectory. Much of its impressive and classically inspired frontage is the result of later works, however, largely undertaken on the cusp of the Georgian and Victorian periods. Owing to this transitional period, the house embodies much of the best of both styles: sweeping proportions are married with towering windows that draw in plenty of light. Ten acres of land surround the house, making this a rural idyll within easy commuting distance from the capital.
One might be inclined to suggest that there are more likely places to spot Spanish colonial-inspired architecture than Sandgate, a quietly beautiful seaside village close to Folkestone. Unlikely though it may be, there is a total harmony between this exquisite 19th-century house and its surrounding Kentish landscape. Its south-facing aspect has been harnessed to allow light to pour in, illuminating the contours and curves of the living space while doing so. The views out of its windows are just as spectacular – squint and you could be perched above the Med.
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