Another 4 Landmark Trust Properties
Laughton Place Sussex
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This really is a remarkable building and it is set within its own moat over which our access is across a bridge. The tower is all that is left of a fine Country Estate House which fell into disrepair. The Landmark Trust took on the renovations of this tower and although a little challenging to live in, it has many elements to make for a gorgeous stay.
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The property is about a mile from the nearest road and is located very close to Glyndebourne in Sussex. The views from the roof are far reaching and stretch from the South Downs to the Ashdown Forest.
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It is the spiral brick staircase which sets this property apart - 66 steps to be precise between the upstairs bedroom and the toilet on the ground floor. This was my second stay here, and like the first, we found it absolutely charming, warm and comfortable.
Above. As it is NOW and Right as it was in the mid 1700's
The Prospect Tower, Kent
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This proved to be a most agreeable place to stay. It is a tiny circular flintstone tower standing on the boundary of a cricket pitch and was built in 1808 for Lord Harris of Seringapatam. Its former use was as cricket changing rooms to the ground floor only and hooks for the gear still adorn the downstairs bedroom.
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The main Estate House is very grand as are the Gardens, both of which have limited but regular access to members of the public. Belmont-house.org/walled-garden/ will give an idea of their splendour. As guests we had the right to wander which proved an extra bonus.
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The rooms are round rather than square and the accommodation is arranged as an upside down house with the lounge upstairs to take in the views. In the right hand photo below above the left doorway they have fitted a perfectly adequate kitchen with space for one person to perform duties. It has a circular porthole window in keeping with the opposite side of the building where the circular wooden staircase runs.
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We could easily get to Faversham station within 10 minutes by car, and this allowed us to venture by train to places like Whitstable and Dover.
The property is approached from the main estate along an avenue of walnut trees. Guests can reach the property via a driveway along the side of the cricket field.
Cobham Dairy, Kent
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Buried in lovely countryside and beside an ancient forest, this single storey building was a delight to stay in. We "shared" the land around us with Badgers, Deer, Rabbits, Foxes and so much more. The word unique is overused but surely this property must fall into that category?
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Designed by one of the most influential architects of the 18th century Cobham Dairy is an exceptional survival. The Landmark Trust took over this property after it fell into disrepair and the story behind the restoration has been the subject of a television programme "£1 Million Restoration: Historic House Rescue," and there are a number of YouTube videos too. Here is a taster RESTORATION.
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Cobham Dairy stands in the grounds of a great Elizabethan house dating back to 1208 and was built by James Wyatt in the 1790s for the Countess of Darnley. It is a rare example of a fashionable dairy and gives insight into the lives of women in the 18th century. The house is now home to Cobham Hall Independent School and the dairy was all but forgotten.
Landmark carefully researched the various techniques and materials originally used and replicated them during the restoration. This includes a rarely used slate cladding technique that gives the impression of finely dressed stone, re-made coloured glass windows, and stunning ribbed and vaulted plaster ceilings with only a couple of original examples to copy.
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Oxenford Gatehouse, Surrey
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Yet again we found ourselves with a moat to cross to reach our accommodation and once there, we had another spiral staircase and accommodation with the lounge and kitchen upstairs and the bathroom, 30 steps down.
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What the details tell us is that this is a 19th-century gatehouse deep in the Surrey countryside. It was built by one of the country's most influential and talented architects Augustus Pugin. The building was commissioned by Lord Midleton in 1843, who wanted a gatehouse to guard the entrance to his Peper Harow. Pugin saw it as a chance to recreate the medieval buildings that he so admired.
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The house was most comfortable and warm and whilst there we were able to explore Winkworth Arboretum and the village of Godalming.
This handsome property has a complicated roof structure with turrets and gables - each one having its own lightning conductor. The moat is a running stream and the properties forming the original Estate are of a similar medieval style recreated following plans by Augustus Pugin.
It was a fascinating stay.
