A magnificent Grade II-listed Kentish home in the North Downs National Landscape, surrounded by its own nature-filled bucolic grounds
A magnificent Grade II-listed Kentish home in the North Downs National Landscape, surrounded by its own nature-filled bucolic grounds
A palimpsest of architectural styles, Saltwood House is a remarkable survival. Its medieval core was first extended in the 17th century, followed by the addition of a quintessentially Georgian façade, with later Victorian alterations. The result is a truly singular home spanning some 8,350 sq ft, with eight bedrooms, a two-bedroom annexe, and a series of living spaces that brim with original features. Outside are exquisite grounds, with a swimming pool, Italian-style gardens, and a collection of outbuildings including a pool house, stables, and a romantic greenhouse. The house in a beautiful position overlooking an historic Grade II*-listed church, and an expansive paddock often home to grazing sheep.
Setting the Scene
Once a rectory, Saltwood House, as it survives today, was primarily constructed in the late 18th century for the Reverend Thomas Randolph. Its handsome stone façade, softened by warm brick dressings, rises to a slate mansard roof punctuated by chimneys and a single skylight. Irregular sash windows lend a quiet charm. Inside, a wealth of period features remain, including a pointed-arched doorway of medieval character and fine parquet floors.
Over the past decade, the house has been restored, preserving the house’s historic character while introducing carefully considered additions that support modern living.
The Grand Tour
Saltwood House is wonderfully secluded, surrounded by a tapestry of mature trees. A driveway sweeps up to the house, providing ample parking, alongside a separate garage.
A series of six-over-six sash windows speaks to the façade’s Georgian origins. Wisteria curves around the elevations with its beautiful purple flowers in the spring. Entry is to a grand hallway from which the principal living spaces unfold.
On one side lies the distinguished dining room, where walls are partly lined with gently aged mirrors. Like the adjacent library and drawing room across the hall, the spaces are grounded by original parquet flooring and defined by generous ceiling heights. Each room benefits from fine original windows overlooking the grounds. The drawing room is also complete with original fireplace and a box bay with French doors that open into the garden. The room is lined with elegant Cole & Son wallpaper.
A back hall provides access to a snug and another smaller living space/study. It also leads to the open-plan kitchen and breakfast room, a more contemporary space centred around a Chesney log burner set within a broad brick fireplace. Doors open directly to the garden, allowing an easy flow in warmer months. The adjoining kitchen is fitted with smart white units and integrated appliances, with a secondary kitchen providing additional practical space.
The original staircase rises to the first floor, where the generous principal bedroom enjoys dual-aspect windows with far-reaching views across the surrounding fields, along with built-in storage. Three further bedrooms are arranged on this level, one currently used as an additional sitting room, alongside a shower room and a separate bathroom.
A second staircase leads to a self-contained annexe, which could be reintegrated into the main house if desired. It comprises a sitting room, kitchenette, and two well-proportioned bedrooms, one with built-in storage. Its position towards the rear, and proximity to a separate entrance, lends a strong sense of privacy for guests or multi-generational living.
On the uppermost floor, four additional bedrooms and two bathrooms, currently less finished, offer excellent scope for further enhancement, subject to any necessary consents.
The Great Outdoors
The grounds are an integral part of Saltwood House’s appeal and combine mature planting with more formal garden areas, including an Italian-style garden. Lawned areas are divided by a pergola threaded with clematis and wisteria. Beyond lie a large pond and a swimming pool, edged by an Indian sandstone terrace.
A courtyard to the rear of the house provides an ideal setting for outdoor dining and entertaining. Nearby is a kitchen garden with a vine house and a useful tool shed. An orchard, planted with apple and plum trees, sits close to the pool.
The grounds also include a range of outbuildings, among them stables, currently used in part for storage and in part as a gym, with original features such as the horse trough and sections of historic flooring still in place. A carport, presently used as a wood store, adds further utility.
The Area
Saltwood is a charming village in south-eastern Kent, close to a picturesque stretch of coastline. Amenities include a village shop, a pub, and the acclaimed restaurant Hide and Fox, which holds two Michelin stars.
Around a mile away, Hythe is an attractive Victorian seaside town near Folkestone. Developed in the 19th century as part of Britain’s coastal defences against Napoleon, the Royal Military Canal runs from Hythe to Winchelsea via Rye and Camber. The town offers a wider range of amenities, including a Waitrose.
Folkestone lies approximately 10 minutes’ drive away. Once a key seaport, it later developed into an elegant coastal resort, shaped in part by the 19th-century architect and planner Decimus Burton. Its Old High Street is lined with independent shops and cafés and leads down to the revitalised Harbour Arm, which enjoys views towards the White Cliffs. Other highlights include The London and Paris restaurant and The Goods Yard street food market. The Folkestone Triennial brings a programme of contemporary art to the town every three years.
There are several well-regarded state schools nearby, including the Harvey Grammar School and Folkestone School for Girls. Independent options include Earlscliffe, Dover College and, around 30 minutes away, King’s School Canterbury.
Folkestone and Ashford International stations provide direct services to London, around 90 minutes away by car. There is access to London St Pancras via high speed rail; 38 minutes from Ashford and 52 minutes from Folkestone-West (a 15 minute drive from the house). Mainland Europe is also easily accessed via the Eurotunnel terminal, approximately three miles from the house.
Council Tax Band: H
Interested? Let’s talk
Related Stories
