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Description

Green Acres is an exceptional country home sitting on over three acres of beautiful grounds on the outskirts of the Sussex village of Poynings, and has been designed and finished to the highest specification, with interior design by the Louise Bradley Design Studio. Carefully curated finishes and bespoke joinery create a refined balance of intimacy and elegance, suited to both family living and entertaining. Discreetly positioned at the edge of the village, with gated access, the property offers uninterrupted views over the South Downs National Park from almost every room, while remaining just five miles from Brighton & Hove.

Set behind a sweeping carriage driveway, this impressive house has a classically proportioned façade, with gabled elevations, tall chimneys, and a refined combination of brickwork, timber detailing, and stone. Originally built in the 1930s, the main house now extends to approximately 8,200 sq ft (760 sq m). This includes an extraordinary subterranean extension, accommodating a bar with lounge, games room, snug and finally, a spectacular room that opens out of the hillside, with a wall of glass doors that frame the long views across the countryside and surrounding hills. An indoor swimming pool and gym, in a separate pool house, are conveniently located close to, and easily accessible from, the main house. Further outbuildings include a double garage with an office above, close to the main house. A triple garage block at the far end of the grounds is conveniently positioned for directly accessing the downstairs offices.

Entrance Hall & Reception Rooms:
Grand double timber doors, set beneath a gabled porch, open to the generous and beautifully composed entrance hall. Defined by a sweeping staircase with wrought-iron balustrade and a classic chequered floor, the space is filled with natural light.

Doors to the right lead through to the first reception room, which is configured around a carved stone fireplace, with a deep arched recess and herringbone brick detailing.

Intimate in atmosphere, yet well-proportioned, the room benefits from dual-aspect windows. The focus is on the wood-burning stove, and the room has a warm, cosy feel. On the opposite side of the room, the highest quality joinery with recessed lighting provides elegant display and storage. Bronze Crittall doors lead through to the second reception room, marking a wonderful shift in mood. This room has large windows to two elevations and westerly views, past a stand of Scots pine to open fields beyond the grounds of the house. In contrast to the secluded intimacy of the previous room, here we have a sense of openness and expansion with abundant natural light, which turns golden at the close of day as the sun dips below the Downs.

Bar, Snug, Games Room & Office:
From the second reception room, stairs lead down to the extended area of the house, arriving in the downstairs lounge and bar, which is fully fitted with tailor-made cabinetry and wine fridges, along with a bar inset with a sink, and a media wall.

Continuing from the bar, a wide corridor leads to a snug room, currently set up as a home cinema, which does not form part of the sale. Beyond the snug is the games room - a further 36 square metres of leisure space, which currently accommodates a lounge seating area, snooker table, and table football, as well as a wall of purpose-designed display cabinetry.

At the end of this underground floor, the final room, currently an office with a relaxed lounge, emerges from the hillside with a spectacular view of the South Downs. Although this space is currently used as an office, with its impeccably appointed ensuite shower room and stunning views, it would equally make a desirable bedroom space.

Kitchen & Dining:
The kitchen and dining areas occupy the east side of the house. This expansive space, with oak beams and vaulted ceilings, has four distinct zones. Double doors open directly from the kitchen onto the garden, and with eight separate garden access points across the ground floor, the house and gardens connect seamlessly during the summer months.

The kitchen area is home to two electric AGA stoves; one has the iconic AGA design with two traditional-style hotplates and three cast-iron heat storage ovens for radiant heat cooking, while the other has a hob with five induction rings and four ovens beneath.

The kitchen island is topped with marble counters and has seating for six people, which gives an informal feel to the kitchen area, perfect for coffee with friends or time with family. The island is also a practical food preparation space, with an inset sink. An integrated Miele dishwasher is positioned under the island in proximity to the sink, and there are two further dishwashers in a separate area of the kitchen, closer to the formal dining room. Here, there is also a further Alveus copper-finish sink with an Insinkerator food waste disposal unit. A breakfast station has pocket doors which hide away small appliances with a small integrated fridge beneath. The main fridge is a large double-door Miele fridge, with a pull-out chest-style freezer beneath. The coffee station has a warming drawer beneath for crockery.

The dining area has two square bay windows overlooking the front and rear of the property, respectively. This space effortlessly accommodates a ten-seater dining table and has a further area of informal seating in front of the bay window overlooking the rear garden.

Throughout the kitchen and dining area, there are striking dark marble large-format floor tiles laid in an alternately matte and polished finish.

Boot Room, Playroom & Formal Dining:
A playroom is thoughtfully positioned so that children are close to the activities in the kitchen/dining area, while still enjoying their own space. This room has a media wall and vaulted ceilings with double doors to the garden, close by the entrance to the pool house.

The marble floors from the kitchen/dining area continue through to the utility/boot room, where there are storage cabinets, marble counters, a ceramic sink, housing for a washing machine and a tumble-dryer. A door from this room provides direct access to the garden. The water softener is also housed in a cupboard in the utility room.

The formal dining room is off the kitchen and is a magnificent entertaining space, with garden views and another impressive stone fireplace set in a panelled wall.

Principal Bedroom Suite:
The main staircase leads to a galleried landing on the first floor with garden views. On this floor, there is a principal bedroom suite with a bathroom and dual dressing rooms. There are also three further bedroom suites.

The principal bedroom is a luxurious retreat and one of the absolute highlights of the property. On entering the suite, a lobby area is divided from the bedroom on one side by graceful fabric panels in bronze frames. The room has a breathtakingly understated elegance with the most exquisite finishes, and the design is centred around a finely crafted, bespoke headboard wall which combines upholstered panels with sections of marble, detailed with crystal inlays. The design continues on either side of the bed, forming cantilevered marble bedside consoles.

Leaded light windows overlook the garden, and an opening reveals the dressing room, where the luxurious finishes continue with custom-made cabinets adorned with doors inlaid with ruched silk. The storage ranges from hanging areas and drawers to shoe storage cabinets.

An immaculately upholstered bench seat at the far end of the room is framed by the cabinetry to either side, and the dressing room has doors onto a balcony with views of the gardens.

A second dressing room is accessed from the other side of the suite’s lobby, with its own uniquely crafted dark veneer wardrobes with faceted inlay work, which create a refined and masculine feel to the dressing room. Beyond is the ensuite bathroom, where a freestanding contemporary stone bath stands to one side, opposite a central console housing twin basins set within a marble counter. Discreetly hidden behind is the shower, to one side, and the WC to the other.

Bedrooms, Bathrooms & Playrooms:
The three remaining bedrooms on the first floor are all generously proportioned with beautifully appointed en-suites of their own. The largest of these remaining suites has an exceptionally spacious bathroom with both bath and shower, as well as its own dressing room.

Electronically operated retractable ladders in two locations on the first floor provide access to ‘secret’ children’s playrooms.

On the second floor of the house is a further bedroom charmingly built into the eaves, with windows to both front and rear aspects. Across the landing is another shower room, which is also dual-aspect. This top-floor accommodation provides a level of separation and privacy from the first-floor bedrooms, which may perfectly suit a teenager or young adult.

In total, the main house has two bathrooms, three shower rooms and a ground-floor WC, while the pool house has a further two shower rooms.

Pool House & Gym:
The indoor heated pool is located in a substantial thatched pool house adjacent to the main building. The garden side of the pool has numerous doors and windows, which can be flung open in summer. Separate male and female dressing rooms are located at one end of the pool, and there is a door through to the gym, which has plenty of space for a full range of equipment as well as its own entrance.

Gardens & Grounds:
Green Acres occupies secluded, mature, gated grounds extending to over three acres. Beyond the gardens are open fields, and to the south, Devil’s Dyke. Mature hedgerows on the Poynings Road boundary of the property provide a comprehensive experience of privacy. The gardens to the immediate front and rear of the house are exquisitely landscaped, with formal box hedging and topiary-lined pathways and drives. At the rear of the house, a sculpted water rill meanders across the lawn, flanked by topiary and box hedges. Close to the house, there are patio areas for entertaining, with an outside kitchen and an area for table tennis.

Beyond the formal gardens, the garden escapes into a more informal lawn, where children can play ball games. This lawn slopes gently down to an area currently housing a children’s play area, before the garden relaxes further into a meadow, which is cut back in winter but erupts in spring with a riot of wildflowers. Apple, pear, cherry and plum trees are found here, along with a vegetable patch and a thriving beehive. At the far boundary of the property is a running track. In addition to the thoughtful design and execution of the landscaping, the careful stewarding of the grounds has kept them beautifully maintained so that they can be fully appreciated.

Garages & Outbuildings:
Further outbuildings include a double garage with an office above on the first floor, and a triple garage block at the far end of the grounds, which conveniently offers the possibility of parking for any visitors to the property who require access to the downstairs office, without passing through the family home. There is also a brick-built shed/workshop.

Location:
Poynings is a small Downland village set at the northern foot of Devil’s Dyke, within the South Downs National Park. The surrounding landscape is crossed by footpaths and bridleways, yet the village retains a quiet, established character, with the Royal Oak at its centre and Rushfields Farm Shop and café close by. Hurstpierpoint, Hassocks and Henfield provide a broader range of independent shops and everyday amenities, while Brighton & Hove lies just five miles to the south, placing the coast, restaurants and cultural life of the city within easy reach.

Road and rail connections are unusually convenient for such a secluded setting. The A23 is readily accessible, linking south to Brighton and the A27, and north towards Gatwick and the M25. Gatwick Airport is approximately 21 miles away by road and can generally be reached in around 30 minutes, traffic permitting. Hassocks mainline station is approximately five miles from the house, with direct services to Gatwick Airport from around 20 minutes and to both London Bridge and London Victoria in approximately 55 minutes. Direct trains also run south to Brighton.

Schools in the surrounding area include Albourne Church of England Primary School and Steyning Grammar School, alongside a strong selection of independent schools including Hurstpierpoint College, Lancing College, Brighton College, Burgess Hill Girls and Roedean. It is a rare balance: a private country setting at the foot of the Downs, without sacrificing straightforward access to Brighton, London or international travel.

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Council Tax Band: H (Mid Sussex District Council)
Tenure: Freehold
Parking options: Garage, Off Street
Garden details: Private Garden