The front of the main house: pale render, slate roof, a black board with the red donkey sign, and a gravel forecourt. — Plate I ·The front, from the gravel

Weatherboard, brick, beams and a lot of sky.

Every photograph on this page was taken here. Nothing is a stock shot of somewhere nicer.

White weatherboarded buildings behind clipped box hedging, seen along a gravel path under the branches of a large tree. — Plate II ·The path between the buildings

A cluster of low weatherboarded buildings around a gravel forecourt, a terrace on one side, open ground behind.

It has been a good deal of things over the years — most recently a country hotel and dining room — which is why there are more rooms than a place this size usually has. That history turns out to be the useful part: the rooms were built to hold groups sitting down together for days at a time, with fireplaces, corners to break into, and beds at the end of it.

A long room under an open beamed roof, with one refectory table running its full length, laid with glasses and napkins. — Plate III ·One long table, one long room

The main hall, laid as one long table. It clears to a full circle when the work needs that instead.

A snug with a brick inglenook fireplace, striped armchairs, a deep patterned sofa and a heavy wooden coffee table. — The snug — good for breakouts

A fireplace corner with two striped wing chairs, an iron rail and worn flagstone steps leading up to the next room. — Flagstones, worn where people walk

Two snugs. Both have doors that shut, which is the whole point of them.

A white vaulted room with exposed rafters, an antler chandelier, and small tables set along the walls. — Set for small tables instead

The same white vaulted room arranged with long tables and dark chairs, a large framed mirror on the end wall. — Or for one group, facing forward

The terrace and lawn seen through a window, with a gazebo at the far end and a wide Kent sky above. — Plate IV ·Looking out at the weather

The terrace and the lawn behind it, seen from indoors on a good day. Breaks happen out here when the weather allows, which in this corner of Kent is more often than people expect.

An open lawn with wooden picnic benches, a small shepherd’s hut and a canvas lodge set back under trees. — Plate V ·The grounds run back to the trees

A single-storey weatherboarded stable block with dark doors, standing under mature trees against a blue sky. — The old stable block

Loaves of bread and a board of cheeses laid out on a wooden counter, with set tables behind. — Lunch, laid out on the counter

A paved terrace with metal tables and chairs, folded white parasols and pots of flowers, edged by a low picket fence. — Plate VI ·The terrace, for the long breaks

Come and look at it properly.

Visits are by arrangement — the building is often in use. Tell us when suits and we will find a window.

Arrange a visit