Wealden Times | WT187 | September 2017 | Education supplement inside

HOUSE OF THE MONTH
1.
Making the Grade
Maggie Alderson takes a look at listed properties
It’s only now I’ve moved out of a house which was a Listed building that
I’ve realised quite what a privilege it was to live in one. And not just for the
bragging rights when filling in insurance forms and the like. Form: ‘Is it a
Listed building?’, Me (in my head): OH YES, MATEY.
Of course, Listed status doesn’t come without inconveniences. Even the humblest
of repairs has to be done using the appropriate materials and expert techniques,
or to put it another way, costs more. And there can be no cavalier pulling down
of walls in pursuit of the modern lifestyle ideal of the eat-in kitchen/family room,
which was why I left my adored Grade II Listed last year (1745, sob…).
It can even be difficult to remove 1980s plastic plug sockets and light switches, as a
friend of mine discovered when she was trying to renovate business premises in a Listed
building. There was much sucking of teeth by Conservation Officers before she was
allowed to replace them with more attractive ones, because they expressed the building’s
‘journey’ from its 16th century origins all the way to its current 21st century arrangement.
They had a point, of course. Later Victorians thought Gothic styles were much
more fabulous than restrained Georgian lines, so we’re lucky they didn’t rip out
all the curving staircases and Adam chimneypieces we love so much today, to put
in what they considered groovy.
Taste changes constantly, so we should be very thankful we have Historic England – the
body which governs the listing process – in place to preserve our architectural heritage
from the whims of fashion. Future generations will be grateful we Listed back-to-back
houses in Birmingham and mid-twentieth century office blocks in the City of London.
On a more personal level, I’ve come to understand that what makes the responsibilities
and restrictions of owning a Listed house worthwhile is the joy of living in a building
which has rare and unique character, a sense of history palpable in its very structure.
Here are four houses currently for sale with full Listed status.
1. Hollis Street
Where? Hollis Street Farm Barn is
surrounded by beautiful East Sussex
countryside in a quiet rural position, near
Ninfield village, five miles from Battle
with rail links to Charing Cross and
Cannon Street in around 1.5 hours.
What? A Grade II Listed barn
conversion formerly owned by the
pioneering architect Sir George Gilbert
Scott, famous for the Albert Memorial and
restoration of Westminster Abbey. With
parts of the house dating back to the 15th
century, it has been sensitively updated,
with an open plan kitchen/family room,
large drawing room and study, leading to a
further kitchen and two reception rooms,
which can be closed off as a self-contained
annexe or holiday let, with its own garden,
and staircase to two bedrooms and shower
room. The main house has three en suite
double bedrooms (one with Juliet balcony)
and two further bedrooms (seven in all,
including the annexe). The gardens are
beautifully landscaped, with a formal
walled garden to one side with lawned
area, mulberry tree, water feature and
paved seating area, orchard, greenhouse,
ten raised veg beds and space for chickens.
How much? Hollis Street Farm Barn
is listed at £875,000 with Freeman Forman
Call 01892 615757 and have a
look at freemanforman.co.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
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