Truncheons

Located at the southern fringe of historic Winchelsea with views across National Trust land to the sea, this detached house is within 300 metres of a charming shop and 200 metres of the town pub. St Thomas’s is renowned for its 20^th-century stained-glass windows and the medieval Alard tombs. When you’re finished here, simply wander through the picturesque streets, lined with charming cottages and historic buildings. There are many vineyards in the area, including Oxney Organic Estate (10 miles). Keen walkers can also enjoy exploring the many local footpaths on offer including the 1066 walk, whilst ornithologists will delight in the nearby Rye Harbour Nature Reserve (4.5 miles). The vibrant town of Rye (3 miles) with its historic landmarks, has at least six good restaurants. Family-friendly Camber Sands is 7.5 miles away and Winchelsea Beach (2 miles) and Pett Level Beach (4.5 miles) are even closer offering great low tide walks.

This property was built in 1953 by High Court Judge Sir Melford Stevenson, famed for unsuccessfully attempting to defend Ruth Ellis the last woman to be hanged and for sentencing the notorious gangsters the Kray twins. It has been recently refurbished (in 2024) preserving many of the 1950s features, including the original yellow bathroom. The spacious entrance hall has original paintings by the respected local landscape artist William Warden. From here, you can enter the light south-facing living room, which offers lovely views across the garden and fields to the sea. This room is furnished with comfortable mid-century style seating for everyone, a Smart TV, and an open fire for chilly evenings. A retro card table plus a piano keyboard, record player and a varied vinyl collection provides the perfect after dinner entertainment. Folding doors from the living room lead into the dining room (seating 10) which in turn is open to the newly fitted kitchen with an AGA, well-equipped for whipping up delicious family meals. French doors from the dining room open out onto the patio and into the garden. Adjacent to the kitchen is the scullery, which houses two dishwashers, and an additional fridge/freezer. There is also a separate utility room and a garage with a 7kw EV charging point. Just off the main hallway, you'll discover the study, furnished with oak panelling originally from the Old Bailey, a comfortable sofa, a varied collection of books, and another Smart TV. A desk makes this the perfect retreat for those looking to catch up on emails or for a little peace and quiet. Completing the ground floor is a new shower room with the original 1953 cloakroom WC. Heading up the elegant staircase to the first floor, you will find a wide landing with five comfortable bedrooms. The master bedroom offers a super-king-size bed and adjoins the neighbouring twin room should you need to create a family suite. Alternatively, the twin room can also be accessed via the main landing. There are a further two double bedrooms and a twin bedroom. Both the double rooms and one of the twin rooms offer vanity basins. Completing this floor is a shower room with WC and the original yellow family bathroom.

Outside, you will find the ‘green’ room, a covered seating area with sofas, a BBQ and a ‘harlequin’ dining table which seats ten, making this the perfect spot for outside entertaining, even on cooler days. The flat garden with several secluded spots has a croquet lawn and is perfect for children (and adults) who want to play games including badminton. A separate pavilion hosts a table tennis table. There is additional seating area on the south facing patio which benefits from views across the croquet lawn and the ha-ha, over the National Trust fields to the sea in the distance. There is parking for four cars.

Special rates available for longer stays (14 or more days), please enquire.