life & spirit
Not even a resident ghost could put one couple off buying this 18th-century house in Kent
Alan and Tracey Depoel-wood’s search for a new house did not start well – after setting out from their south London home to explore the Kent countryside, the couple had a disagreement over directions, and returned home. ‘I was in such a mood that I decided to cool off by driving down to the south coast on my own,’ says Alan. ‘On the way back, I drove through a pretty village outside Tunbridge Wells and called in at an estate agents. That evening, on my return, I said to Tracey: “I think I’ve found our new home.”’
His enthusiasm was fired by its French country house-style exterior, but the best was still to come. ‘ When I first stepped through the door, I felt a real energy, and I knew this was the place for us,’ says Tracey. ‘We were particularly charmed by how
well-proportioned the rooms were and the fact that they retained many original features.’
But there was a fly – or a bee – in the ointment, in the shape of a beehive that was taking up a third of one side of the house. ‘In hindsight, it probably wouldn’t have bothered us or our sons, Sam, now 25, and Matthijs, 24,’ says Alan. ‘But, being townies, we felt we had to remove it, which was an enormous job.’ Undeterred, though, the couple bought the property.
Alan describes the interior he and Tracey inherited as classy, albeit with a Seventies colour scheme. ‘When we had our housewarming, our friends were afraid to comment on the paintwork, because they weren’t sure if we had done it ourselves.’ The couple were in no hurry to put their mark on the property, but they wanted to restore some of the character. Over a period of several years, the house gradually developed its own distinctive look. ‘Instead of just painting the kitchen area, we thought the back wall would suit being covered in metro tiles, which creates a very different look,’ says Alan. ‘Then we removed the plaster from one of the side walls, exposing the brickwork, which provides texture, and gives the room an earthy, edgy feel.’
But it is perhaps the pieces that adorn the walls and surfaces of this home that are most intriguing. ‘ We like to buy items that are beautiful yet, where possible, functional, too,’ says Tracey, pointing to the magnificent Fifties weighing scales that grace the kitchen sideboard. ‘Many of our purchases have been bought on a whim while away on our travels.’
As well as collecting historical objets, the Depoel-woods have personalised their space with an array of artworks that is as eclectic as the rest of their decor. ‘ We love the art on our walls and we can spend whole evenings rearranging paintings until they look just right,’ says Alan. The cheeky irreverence of some of the artworks reflects the sense of fun that Tracey and Alan have imbued this home with. ‘This is a real party house – for both ourselves and the boys,’ says Alan.
But Tracey, Alan and their sons may not be the only occupants of this happy home. At the end of the day, when silence falls, the couple have described hearing unexplained noises or even the odd ghostly sighting. ‘A lot of strange things have happened here and guests have often told us about seeing apparitions in various rooms,’ says Tracey. ‘But it isn’t scary, it’s a peaceful presence – and it gives the place real spirit!’
FAVOURITE FEATURE ‘We love how the rooms are all well proportioned with lots of original features – we used old restored radiators to reintroduce more character’