Grace and space

Three Kent properties show off the best that the Garden of England has to offer

- Penny Churchill

ONCE part of the Confederation of the Cinque Ports before the draining of the Romney Marshes led to the silting-up of its riverside port at nearby Smallhythe, the historic town of Tenterden, 10 miles from Ashford, Kent, stands on high ground on the edge of the High Weald AONB. Its picturesque high street is lined with Georgian and Victorian buildings that blend pleasingly with cottages of traditional Kent tile and weatherboarding.

For years, the eastern end of the elegant High Street was blighted by the semi-derelict gatehouse to Heronden Hall, a Grade II-listed building that was already in a poor state of repair when a tree fell on it during the epic storm of 1987. Left unrepaired, the crumbling gatehouse was in an even sorrier state when the current owners bought the 45-acre Heronden Hall estate from rock-and-roll legend Kevin Godley in 2003.

Imposing Heronden Hall itself escaped unscathed, although for years the owners were reputedly still clearing fallen trees and branches around the estate. The restoration and extension of the gatehouse as a separate dwelling, completed in 2010, was only one of several major projects undertaken during their 18-year tenure. These included the overall repair and renovation of the 10,224sq ft main house, also listed Grade II, and the creation of Hall’s outstanding gardens.