Wealden Times | WT166 | December 2015 | Interiors supplement inside

Above: The magnificent hall, with oak panelling on all sides is the perfect place to entertain at Christmas. The table, which comfortably seats 14 is from
Maison in Tunbridge Wells, the antler chandelier from Georgia Lacey and glass drops from Le Petit Jardin
A secret door in the wood panelling by the fireplace opens from the hall into what was a
small and dark extension added to provide the Victorian owners with lavatories and a scullery
OK, I’ll admit it, I’m a Downton Abbey fan. So
what a treat it was to visit this splendid house
near Wadhurst, that still has many of the relics
of its illustrious upstairs-downstairs past.
Turning off the public road you dip down through the
most picture perfect parkland – sheep grazing under huge
oak trees, fields fenced in by old estate iron railings – and
eventually happen across the magnificent house. It’s quite
breathtaking and not surprising that when Jamie and Becky
Gunning first drove up to the house, before even getting out
of the car they were quite sure they would be buying it!
They had originally lived in London but, like so many
couples, they wanted more space for their two young
boys and the country beckoned. Their first move was
to a cottage near Lamberhurst but before too long this
proved rather small and, being on a fairly busy road, ended
up feeling noisier than their original London home.
Funnily enough Becky had looked at the other side
of the house – which was divided in the 1980s – but
it was over budget and seemed like too big a project.
Then the other half came on the market and, looking
to move on from Lamberhurst, she urged Jamie to
go with her to take a look – the rest is history.
The house was built in 1586 but had extensive additions
in the Georgian period and again in Victorian times. When
they looked round, although all the interior furnishings
were very pink and very eighties, the house still retained
glimmers of its original grandeur and the Gunnings could
see the potential for the most perfect family home.
Entering through the front door you step into a
really magnificent hall, huge and fabulous – and as
Becky says, the perfect room for Christmas. Many of
the original features such as the oak panelling (which
luckily avoided being painted pink), the stone fireplace,
the light fittings and shutters remain but here, and
throughout the house, Becky has carefully added colours,
49 www.wealdentimes.co.uk