Penny Churchill takes a look at the grand yet pretty Galleys Wood, a wonderful family home in Kent.
Kent is always a good place to look for a historic family house of character and charm. One such example has just come to the market: the handsome Galleys Wood in Honeypot Lane, Edenbridge, an imposing Victorian/Edwardian house set in 12 acres of gardens, grounds and woodland on the Kent-Surrey border. It’s two miles from Edenbridge town centre, a 10-minute drive from Waitrose — these things do matter — and is currently for sale through the Oxted office of Jackson-Stops at a guide price of £3.25 million.
Built to last for the next millennium, the house offers more than 8,600sq ft of accommodation on five floors, including a spectacular reception hall with an impressive oak staircase that immediately sets the scene.
Galleys Wood was once home to the Prestwich family of JAP motorcycle engine fame. The current owners, who were married at the house 25 years ago, recall the previous owner saying that she used to skate around the cellar, which they have converted into a cinema and bar, a large games room and a home-office area with an adjoining kitchen, wine cellar, store room and boiler room.
The drawing room and…
