LAST CHANCE TO BUY A JEWEL OF A HOME IN THE RURAL KENT COUNTRYSIDE

Traditional Kent ragstone has been used for centuries for some of England’s finest properties – from Rochester Castle to Westminster Abbey. Even the Tower of London, home of the Crown Jewels, was constructed using this hard, grey limestone, that breaks along ragged edges to create a unique finish.

It’s appropriate then, that the jewel in the crown of Fernham Homes’ boutique development in the village of Linton also features this stunning, locally quarried stone, knapped in the traditional fashion by skilled stonemasons so that no two pieces are the same.

Just one property remains available at Hillside Park, a development of 13 four and five-bedroom detached homes partly in the conservation area of the small village of Linton and set on the Greensand Ridge, overlooking The Weald of Kent. The Elm is the largest and most distinctive of the luxurious homes, featuring five bedrooms, including a main bedroom suite with dressing room and shower room, a second en-suite bedroom, an ultra-generous 36-square-metre kitchen and family room with contemporary bi-fold doors to the garden, and a triple garage.

The home is beautifully finished throughout; the kitchen features Quartz worktops, soft close cupboards and drawers and a range of fitted appliances including a wine cooler. The main living area has a working fireplace and in addition to landscaped gardens, the 0.3-acre plot will also feature a patio at the back. The garages have electric operating doors and are fitted with energy-saving solar photovoltaic panels.

Externally, as well as the ragstone detailing, the home features a number of traditional architectural finishes including dormer windows and reduced eaves, picking up design cues from historic buildings in the village such as 13th century St Nicholas parish church and Grade I listed Linton Hall dating back to 1370.

Paul Rosbrook, Operations Director at Fernham Homes, explains: “As the site is set in a conservation area, it has been very important that the homes at Hillside Park fit the character of the surroundings, which is why we chose to invest in more traditional masonry skills. Elm House is a handsome, modern home wrapped in historic tradition, blending 21st century technology with building materials that have been associated with the region for more than a thousand years.”

Hillside Park offers a peaceful environment with 1.85 acres of communal gardens and extensive private gardens, whilst being bordered by mature trees, hedgerows and rolling farmland. Walks through the surrounding countryside reveal apple blossom from the many orchards in the spring, as well as traditional features such as oast houses, almshouses and lychgates, while road cyclists can enjoy quiet lanes with steep hedgerows built up over centuries.

The Elm is likely to appeal to a wide range of potential buyers. For those who work in London, nearby Marden railway station is less than four miles away and offers services to London Bridge in under an hour. Families will appreciate the wide range of education opportunities in the area, including a popular pre-school in the village and a good range of local primary and secondary schools.

Extensive shopping is available at nearby Maidstone, which has two shopping centres, farmers’ markets and a family entertainment complex including a cinema, swimming pool, bowling lanes and restaurants. Linton itself has a popular pub, The Bull, that has been welcoming guests since the 1600s, and features a wide range of keg and cask ales as well as fresh, hearty food.

The Elm is part of the second phase at Hillside Park, comprising of just six homes and being reserved fully off-plan with first completions scheduled for April 2022. Purchasing off-plan can allow homeowners to be actively involved in the build process, giving them the opportunity to create their own bespoke internal specification, subject to reserving early enough in the build programme.