FOR SALE
Five bedroom period farmhouse set in attractive gardens
Range of agricultural and equestrian buildings extending to some 10,000sq ft
30 acres of grassland sub-divided into paddocks
Views over open countryside and to The South Downs

Down View Farm, Town Littleworth, Barcombe
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An attractive equestrian smallholding in a secluded rural yet accessible location

SITUATION
Down View Farm enjoys an idyllic rural situation set off an attractive tree lined lane in the hamlet of Town Littleworth, some 3 miles from the village of Barcombe with its public house, village store and post office and approximately 7 miles from the historic county town of Lewes which provides an excellent range of shops, major supermarkets, restaurants and amenities, together with a mainline station with regular services to Gatwick and London Victoria. The port of Newhaven with a ferry service to Dieppe is 14 miles to the south. The larger towns of Brighton and Haywards Heath are some 12 miles to the southwest and 8 miles to the northwest respectively, both offering main line stations and an extensive range of amenities.

There is a good selection of of highly regarded state and public schools in the general area including Barcombe CofE primary school, Lewes Priory, Lewes Old Grammar, Brighton College, Ardingly College, St Bedes and Burgess Hill School for Girls.

Sporting and recreational facilities in the area include racing at Plumpton, The All England Jumping Course at Hickstead, golf at Lewes Golf Club and the nearby East Sussex National Golf Club and walking and riding in the area with an extensive network of local footpaths and bridleways.

Communications in the general area are excellent with the A27 just to the south of Lewes connecting to the M23 and national motorway network and Gatwick Airport a 45 minute drive away.

DESCRIPTION
Down View Farm presents a wonderful opportunity to acquire a compact grassland farm of some 32.7 acres in a sought after location with significant potential to develop from a residential and agri-equestrian point of view. The property includes an attractive five bedroom period farmhouse with gardens, offering considerable scope for extension and improvement (subject to all necessary consents). Adjacent to the residence is a range of modern and traditional agricultural and equestrian buildings and associated yards beyond which is the land extending to some 30 acres.

RESIDENTIAL
Down View Farmhouse is late Victorian circa 1895 with a recent single storey extension and is of brick construction with elevations of brick and plain and scalloped hung tiles under a clay tile roof. The property benefits from UPVC double glazing throughout other than original wooden sash windows to the front on the ground floor and oil fired central heating. Wonderful far reaching views across the farm and surrounding countryside are enjoyed from all aspects of the property. Accommodation is set out over three floors and briefly comprises;

Ground Floor
Front door leading into Reception Hall with doors off to;
Sitting Room triple aspect with picture rail and cast iron fireplace with decorative surround and granite hearth.
Dining Room single aspect sash bay window, picture rail and Victorian cast iron fire with tiled inserts, marble surround and mantel.
Kitchen/Breakfast Room having a range of pine units incorporating electric cooker with extractor over and secondary doors off to Sitting and Dining Rooms
Utility Room single aspect with space and plumbing for washing machine and housing oil fired boiler.
Study double aspect with laminate floor.
Cloakroom with WC and hand wash basin.
Boot Room with butler sink, tiled floor and rear entrance door.

First Floor
Galleried Landing double aspect with airing cupboard housing hot water cylinder and doors off to;
Bedroom 1 single aspect double bedroom
Bedroom 2 single aspect double bedroom
Bedroom 3 single aspect double bedroom with cast iron fireplace and decorative surround.
Family Bathroom with cast iron pedestal bath, wash basin and WC.

Second Floor
Small Galleried Landing with doors off to;
Bedroom 4 single aspect double bedroom partly set in eaves
Bedroom 5 single aspect double bedroom partly set in eaves with small cream cast iron fireplace with painted wooden surround.

OUTSIDE
Down View Farm is accessed via a single entrance off Town Littleworth Road whereafter a private tarmac drive leads to the farmhouse and farm buildings. The farmhouse is set in just under half an acre of largely lawned gardens incorporating some herbaceous borders, a small timber framed summerhouse and greenhouse all enclosed by a combination of post and rail fencing and mature trees and hedges. Adjacent to the house and integral to one of the farm buildings is a purpose built double garage with a pair of automatic doors.

FARM BUILDINGS
The buildings are set amongst almost an acre of associated concrete yards and aprons and are a mix of style and age incorporating equestrian and agricultural. In all the buildings at Down View Farm offer some 10,000sq ft of covered space and offer some development potential (subject to all necessary planning consents) for secondary/holiday accommodation or commercial purposes. They include the Old Dairy (72’ x 35’) of block construction with steel framed and corrugated PVC roof, block built Stables (87’ x 18’) comprising seven loose boxes, a traditional timber built Sussex Barn (42’ x 23’) with peg tile roof, modern steel framed Livestock Barn (39’ x 21’) and concrete framed Hay Barn (42’ x 19’).

LAND
The land, which is all level pasture, extends to some 30 acres and is set in a single block, subdivided into paddocks by way of a variety of stock fencing and mature trees and hedges with a number of majestic old oak standards. Views over neighbouring farmland and to the South Downs are enjoyed to the south and, to the east there is access to a mature private woodland estate bordering the property.

GENERAL REMARKS

SERVICES
Mains water and electricity. Oil fired central heating. Mains drainage.

OUTGOINGS
Council Tax Band G (£2,689.68 2011/12).

LOCAL AUTHORITIES
Lewes District Council 01273 471600
East Sussex County Council 0345 60 80 190

TENURE & POSSESSION
The property is offered freehold with vacant possession on completion but the sale cannot complete until the Grant of Probate has been issued. There is a possibility of intermediary occupancy arrangements however. Contact the vendor’s sole agent for further information.

FARMING
Entitlements have been established under the Single Payment Scheme amounting to some 12 units and will be made available to the purchaser.

RIGHTS OF WAY
There are a number of public footpaths leading through the property as shown on the plan in these particulars. Southern Water have a right of access to owned property to the far south east corner. There is also a right of access in favour of the owner of the neighbouring Knowlands Farm crossing the land in an east west direction from the road and into the adjoining woodland.

VIEWING
Strictly by appointment through the vendors’ sole agent.

DIRECTIONS

From Lewes proceed out of town on the A275 northwards and through the villages of Offham and Cooksbridge bearing right at the Rainbow Public House onto Deadmantree Hill towards Newick. Continue onto the Town Littleworth Road for about 1 mile and the property will be seen on the right hand side. Coming from Haywards Heath, proceed eastwards on the A272 for just over 5 miles after which turn right onto the A275. Continue for just under 2 miles before taking a left hand turn onto Markstakes Lane. After a mile turn right onto Town Littleworth Road and the property will be seen on the left hand side after some half a mile.

Property misdescriptions act
The client agrees to inform Samuel & Son in writing of any inaccuracy or misleading element in the particulars or in the promotion generally of which he is aware or which subsequently materialises during the period of the agency. The client shall indemnify Samuel & Son, their servants or agents against any claim made in respect of any misdescriptions of the property that arises wholly or partially out of the act or default of the client.