Believed to date from the early 1400s, Howells is a pretty timber-framed house, listed Grade II – of special historic or architectural importance. The house is attractively situated in a small hamlet of properties on the edge of Rusper; rural and yet not isolated, benefitting from over 14 acres of gardens, grounds, paddocks and woodland and an extensive range of versatile outbuildings (some in need of repair) including a separate, modern two bedroom bungalow.

Set behind wrought iron gates with a large driveway offering ample parking for a number of cars, the main house is full of character features in keeping with its age, and is clearly a comfortable home. Points of note include a wealth of exposed timbers, leaded light windows, some original doors, and open fireplaces. There are two main reception rooms on the ground floor lying off the vaulted entrance hall: a spacious dual-aspect sitting room with fireplace, and a dining room with clay tiled floor and handsome inglenook, both with woodburners. The traditional-style kitchen also has a clay tiled floor and is fitted with a good range of wooden units, a central island, walk in pantry and a two-oven Aga; it is served by adjoining utility and boot rooms, both opening to the garden. A cloakroom with WC completes the ground floor.

There are three vaulted bedrooms on the first floor, accessed by two staircases. Bedrooms two and three have wash basins (currently disconnected); bedroom one is adjacent to the good-sized family bathroom which is fitted with a suite including a freestanding roll top bath and separate shower cubicle.

Howells Bungalow
Dating from the 1950s, Howells Bungalow is a modern, single-storey detached property comprising a sitting room, kitchen and dining room, two bedrooms and a bathroom.

Outbuildings
There are a number of outbuildings arranged around the driveway, including a timber framed single storey coach house (currently used as a workshop) with power connected and an adjoining open car port, together with a double garage and various stores in need of repair (one housing the oil tank and one a former aviary). To the rear of the garaging is a studio, with shower room, WC and small kitchenette, used as an occasional guest suite.

In addition, there are three timber cabins within the grounds in various states of repair, two with power connected and all offering useful storage or the potential for home working.

Within the paddock, and separately accessed via a secondary driveway from Friday Street, is a large former stable block. Currently used as a mechanics workshop, the building retains the original stalls and could be reinstated as a stabling. There are two steel containers and a separate timber shed adjacent to the workshop offering excellent storage, and two open field shelters.

Gardens, grounds, paddocks and woodland
Lying immediately to the south of the house is an area of garden, dotted with mature trees and large shrub beds, which slopes down away from the house to the stream. The swimming pool lies to the south east of the house, in an area enclosed by mature trees, and is in need of restoration.

Footbridges cross the stream to a part-wooded meadow planted with fruit trees, from which a further five-bar gate opens to the fenced footpath and the tree-lined paddocks beyond. A band of mature deciduous woodland forms the eastern boundary, and is carpeted in bluebells and some rare orchids in spring.

Please refer to the site plan for the full extent of the land and position of the outbuildings.

Agent's Note
A fenced footpath runs west to east between the gardens and paddock, and through the woodland. Pease refer to the site plan.

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