Mill House – Ringmer
Historic meets contemporary
Effortlessly merging its historic character with contemporary style, Mill House stands out for a host of reasons.
Home Nuances:
– The Downland Village of Ringmer
– Detached three/four double bedrooms & two reception rooms
– West facing rear garden & East facing front garden
– Council tax band F
– Garage
– Outbuilding with electricity & water
– Good WIFI strength
– EPC rating – D
– Chain free
– 3.4 miles to Lewes town centre
– 12.6 miles drive to Brighton
– 1hr 9m direct to London Victoria
Originally owned by the Glynde estate and built in the 1700s as a home for its miller – who would climb the hill to toil in the windmill each day – the original house has been extended, updated and tailored to a 21st-century lifestyle, while carefully preserving the historic features.
Believed to be one of the oldest properties in Ringmer, the original detached 17th-century house in Rushey Green – which was then a hamlet – was a quintessential ‘two-up, two-down’ and these four rooms and staircase form the bones of the property, while a rear brick extension with a pair of external feature gables was added in the 18th century, turning it into a lovely, family-sized cottage-style home with three/four bedrooms, large bathroom and downstairs WC.
Just five years ago, a modern cedar-clad kitchen-diner was built on the back, creating a delightfully sunny room with bifold doors opening onto the garden and a lantern rooflight to flood the space with light. In the garden stands the original outhouse and WC for Mill House with potential for renovation and extension, subject to the usual planning consents.
Mill House is peacefully located on the outskirts of the thriving village of Ringmer, overlooking a small green and within a few minutes’ stroll of the rolling countryside of The South Downs National Park. With excellent road and rail connectivity, commuting is simple, and for weekend relaxation it’s just a 20-minute drive to the south coast and the buzz of Brighton.
A home fit for the next 300 years
With an old millstone outside the front door and a slate nameplate above, there’s no mistaking the origins of Mill House, and it’s interesting to note that when the windmill on the hill blew down in the early 1900s, the house next door became a diesel-fired mill – with much less of a walk to work for the miller! And was afterwards adapted to a family home.
With the goal of ensuring Mill House is fit for the next 300 years, the current owners have recently undertaken a comprehensive programme of structural and aesthetic improvements.
The roof timbers, struts and ceilings have been replaced and strengthened throughout, internal walls have been added to the three single-skin walls of the original house, creating cavity walls and improving warmth and energy-efficiency, and the entire first floor has been rewired. The house is now in pristine building control-approved condition, so the new owners can have complete peace of mind about the fabric of their home. Another bonus is that the ceilings are higher than normal for a house of this age – and to prove the point, the current owner is 6ft 2ins!
A warm welcome to Mill House
With pleasing exterior proportions, white render and mullioned windows, Mill House is located across the road from a tranquil green, which is the perfect place to sit on a bench and watch the world go by. Inside, the majority of the house is decorated in neutral tones, allowing the character to shine through, and there is gas central heating.
The entrance porch, with hooks for coats, opens into a lovely reception space which the current owners use as a reading and music room. The white cast iron staircase flanked by original Sussex flint and brick walls, now painted white, rises from here to the first floor – the open stair treads enhance the view through to the kitchen/diner, streaming more light into the room.
There was originally a second fireplace in this room – the other one is in the living room – but it has now been filled in and replaced with attractive shelving, though a reminder remains with a little cupboard which housed a bread oven.
Several of the interior farmhouse-style wooden doors are believed to be original, and one of these, beneath the staircase, opens into the living room with its magnificent original inglenook fireplace, now fitted with a log-burner, complete with a little alcove seat where brave souls would have snuggled up, very close to the fire!
A large hallway, perfect for a study or somewhere for the children to do their homework, sits centrally to the rear of the house with a door to the right leading to a large, well- equipped utility room. To the left is another reception room which is currently used as a fourth bedroom, but it can be repurposed to suit – perhaps as a playroom, TV room or home office. There’s also a downstairs WC.
To the rear of Mill House is the sleek, well-equipped kitchen with wood-veneered units, integrated appliances including gas hob and electric oven, and chic blue Moroccan-style vinyl flooring. It’s a bright and airy space, thanks to a glazed ceiling lantern and a bank of bifold doors overlooking the garden. Position a dining table and chairs, or a comfy armchair, next to the bifolds and it’s the perfect place for a morning cuppa and a browse of the papers. It’s also a lovely place for family meals, or for the children to do their homework.
And so to bed . . .
Climb the stairs to three good-sized double bedrooms. The master bedroom has a walk-in wardrobe with space for a chest of drawers and hanging area for all your clothing. It leads, via the landing, to the spacious bathroom with vaulted ceiling, white sanitary fittings including a double shower, bath, heated towel rail and metro wall tiles. There’s also a large airing cupboard housing the boiler, a water cylinder and shelving providing space for you to keep your fluffy towels nice and warm ready for when you come out of a refreshing shower. A lot of older properties can have inconveniently small loft hatches, but The Mill House has the advantage of a large loft hatch with a pull-down ladder where you can put away your Christmas decorations, winter wardrobes and keepsakes.
The great outdoors
The compact front garden lies alongside the driveway, with parking for two cars, and a single garage which is attached to the property next door. A side entrance allows access to the lovely, large back garden, which is a highlight of the property and clearly lovingly nurtured over the years. It is divided into little compartments with a lovely patio for relaxing and al fresco entertaining, a wooded area around a chestnut tree presently studded with bluebells and primroses, and a little orchard with well-established fruit trees including apple, cherry and plum.
Interestingly, the deeds of the house show that the vegetable patch is on the site of the original property’s pigsty. Its fertile soil is probably down to decades of manure!
There’s also a greenhouse, log shed, pond with waterfall, and a water pump connected to a well borehole in the neighbour’s garden – perfect for watering the garden.
There’s also a substantial outbuilding which was the outhouse and WC for the original property. The current owner has had architects’ plans drawn up to extend the building, which already has water and electricity supplies. It could have a number of potential uses, such as an office, exercise studio or granny annexe.
Round and about
Nestled at the foot of The South Downs and with a plethora of stunning walks to enjoy all year round, this could be more than just a serene hideaway for you and your family.
Clearly, the village of Ringmer has a lot going for it – an idyllically pretty setting on the edge of the beautiful South Downs with a historic church, quaint village cricket pitch and pavilion, a lively community life with a busy programme of activities in the village hall, a bowls club, library and shops including a village stores, butchers, fish and chip shop, pharmacy and hair salon. Ringmer AFC is the popular and successful local football team.
Ringmer Primary School is within a short walk of Mill House and there’s also the King’s Academy secondary school. A good range of private schools can be found nearby.
For a convivial pint or pub meal, the village boasts two pubs – The Anchor and The Green Man – and The Old Forge coffee shop serves some of the best coffee around and delicious snacks.
The town of Lewes, just three miles away has a good range of individual shops, high street chains, including antique shops, flea markets and booksellers. There are a number of popular cafes and restaurants, as well as regular food and farmers’ markets, and several supermarkets. Including doctor surgeries, dentists and Lewes Victoria hospital.
Leisure and sports activities are plentiful, with open air swimming at the Pells Pool, a leisure centre, local golf club, rugby, cricket and football club owned by the locals with impressive men and women teams.
Lewes has a vibrant cultural and arts scene: a cinema, The Depot; Lewes Speakers Festival; and the annual Brighton Festival in May that has a huge programme of theatre, dance, classical music and literary events.
There’s a train station with an excellent timetable of services to London and elsewhere. The local road network including the A27, A22, A26 and A23 is equally efficient.
The internationally renowned Glyndebourne Opera House is a mere 1.5 miles to the east.
The South Downs National Park provides wonderful opportunities for walking and riding, whilst Ashdown Forest lies some distance to the north and the coastline at the Seven Sisters Country Park lies to the southeast.
Newhaven Harbour Ferry Terminal is 10.1 miles away with direct links to Dieppe, France.
Viewing strictly by appointment with Bees Homes on 01323 332344. 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.
Please Note
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Bees Homes use all reasonable endeavours to supply accurate property information in line with the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. These property details do not constitute any part of the offer or contract and all measurements are approximate. It should not be assumed that this property has all the necessary Planning, Building Regulation or other consents. Any services, appliances and heating system(s) listed have not been checked or tested.
Measurements: These approximate room sizes are only intended as general guidance. You must verify the dimensions carefully before ordering carpets or any built in furniture.
If you are considering selling your property, call Bees Homes for a home consultation or email info@beeshomes.com.