One of the cosy sitting rooms in the historic Tudor propertyOne of the cosy sitting rooms in the historic Tudor property
One of the cosy sitting rooms in the historic Tudor property

Take a look inside the £6.5 million former home of Mr Men creator Roger Hargreaves and actor Sir John Mills

An historic property – once owned by Mr Men creator Roger Hargreaves and previously by actor Sir John Mills –is up for sale for the first time in years.

Sussex House Farm is a substantial Tudor property lying withing the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the Sussex-Kent border near the village of Cowden.

The property – on the market for £6.5 million – also comes with extensive equestrian facilities, three cottages and a converted barn.

It extends to around 229 acres and is being offered for sale as a whole, with a guide price of £6.5m, or in five lots, via property agents Savills.

The Grade II listed house, which was owned by Sir John Mills in the 1960s and later by Roger Hargreaves, best known for creating the Mr Men and Little Miss books, was bought by the current owners in 2000.

They undertook an extensive restoration of the property. As well as retaining the original timber frame of the house, which dates back to 1580, it has also been extended, had its swimming pool renovated and a biomass boiler installed which heats the house, the barn and Garden Cottage.

Forming Lot 1 of the overall sale, Sussex House Farm House is set in landscaped gardens including a kitchen garden, lawns and a rockery, outdoor swimming pool and terrace, and a floodlit tennis court.

Arranged over three floors, the five-bedroom home sits in the centre of 77.58 acres and includes a range of outbuildings including a gym and office, a converted barn which offers staff/guest accommodation and a cottage.

Also included are extensive equestrian facilities comprising 12 stables, a horse walker, large indoor menage, outdoor menage and paddocks.

The acreage is mostly pasture land and some woodland. The guide price for this Lot on its own is £4,150,000.

Chris Spofforth, head of Savills south east farms and estates team, said: “This is a hugely impressive lifestyle farm that comes with both a wealth of history and great opportunity.

"It enjoys the most fantastic setting too. While conveniently positioned for Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, excellent schooling and Cowden station, you are in a world of your own as soon as you head down the Sussex House Farm tree-lined driveway.

“Straddling the Sussex/Kent border, Sussex House Farm is the perfect family home for horse lovers with facilities and an indoor school that would be the envy of many an owner.

"The sale of Sussex House Farm provides a rare and exciting opportunity for buyers with a range of boxes to be ticked.

"There is clear potential with the existing buildings to generate revenue, not to mention the farm buildings which have planning consent for residential conversions offering even more scope.”

Viewings for Sussex House Farm are by appointment through Savills.

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