A home with a Canterbury tale to tell
asking price: £2.5 million
With its romantic gardens drawing visitors from home and abroad, and a picturesque riverside location, Watergate house in Canterbury is as an idyllic a setting as you could hope for.
But the Grade ii listed property has an interesting backstory too thanks to two past residents.
Rebuilt in brick in 1560, it was owned by a number of families including the Blaxland family. John and Gregory Blaxland were born and raised in the house before becoming, in 1806, the first non-convict settlers of Australia. Gregory was later honoured for finding a route over the Blue Mountains and for making the first Australian wine.
in 1852, the house became the Rectory of Fordwich and in 1943 it featured in the film A Canterbury tale.
Watergate house is now for sale as a whole or in two lots: the house and gardens, and the Water Meadows, which has planning consent for an artist’s studio.
Arranged over three floors, four large square rooms on the ground and first floors of the house have been sensitively refurbished. A drawing room and dining room both have period features including a large 15th century fireplace and on the first floor there is an impressive dual-aspect library.
there are five first floor bedrooms and a further two on the second floor. A panelled master bedroom features a distinctive wall painting restored by an expert from Canterbury Cathedral.
■ Watergate House and The Water Meadows are for sale through Strutt & Parker, struttandparker.com