Elmstone Court is a fabulous home for sale just a few miles from Canterbury. Penny Churchill reports.
Take a closer look at the bridge at Elmstone Court and it might seem a little familiar: Curving over a pond, this bridge was obviously inspired by the famous example at Giverny, the French gardens that inspired Claude Monet to create his most famous works. . Between this and the house’s own purpose-built cave, it’s fair to say that this is a home for those with a romantic streak. Only a few water lilies are missing, but we dare say the local garden center will be able to provide them.
Ed Church of Strutt & Parker in Canterbury cites an estimated price of £1.95 million for the elegant Grade II listed Elmstone Court building overlooking unspoiled open countryside on the edge of the pretty village of Preston – in Kent, not to a city in Lancashire. The village is just under three miles from Wingham, on the ancient coastal road to London, and just over 10 miles from Canterbury.
According to his listing, Elmstone Court is a classic Georgian four-square house with a 19th-century façade to a slightly earlier core and some late 19th-century alterations.
It offers 4,152 square feet of light space on three floors, including a reception hall and four reception rooms. Just walking in is something of an event, a wide, beautiful and bright corridor that, like the rest of the house, is currently furnished with great taste by the vendors.
Among the joys of this place is its conservatory and kitchen/breakfast room.
There are also six to eight bedrooms, depending on how you choose to organize the space, and three bathrooms.
The house sits on four acres of delightful gardens, including a Monet-style bridge and a 1909 Poolam Grotto.
The latter is an interesting addition. The caves and grottoes of Pulham were extremely popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with estates including Sandringham and Waddesdon. The man behind the name was James Pulham, known for his work with the artificial stone known as Pulhamite, which his company used to create impressive and often huge rock gardens and decorations.
There is also a large Victorian brick shed formerly used as a cold store that can be used for a variety of purposes depending on planning.
Elmstone Court is being sold through Strutt & Parker – see more details and photos.
Credit: Knight Frank
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