Through the Keyhole: Five Amazing Heritage Properties for Sale in South East England
Are you still on the hunt for the perfect heritage property? As it turns out, you’re not alone.
On Instagram alone, the “listed building” tag has been featured on 181k posts, with some videos of listed building restorations reaching highs of 3.6 million views. What’s more, on average, listed buildings are searched 4,400 times on Google – 3,100 times more than “modern buildings” (1,300) and 800 times more than “modern house” (3,600).
There are two things we know for a fact:
- Heritage homes are still as popular as ever.
- Heritage homes, especially those grade I and grade II listed, are becoming increasingly rare – therefore increasing their value.
This makes true heritage properties increasingly desirable, with ever-climbing values and scarcity in high-demand communities.
Kevin Brown, heritage design specialist and marketing director at The Heritage Window Company, has looked through the keyhole at some truly beautiful heritage homes currently on the market that you could move into tomorrow.
Picturesque country house, Tenterden, Kent– £1.6m
A stunning grade II listed home in the Kent countryside, Watermill House is a c.17th century home that’s drenched in genuine heritage aesthetics.
Accompanying the home are four acres of greenery, a pond, outbuildings, a detached garage and a beautifully kept garden – including detailed planning permission for a hard tennis court! Kevin had this to say about the property:
“The best heritage properties are those that have been tastefully renovated with modern amenities, without compromising the gorgeous period features that make the homes so unique and so loved – this property does just that.
“My personal standouts here are the exposed wooden beams present throughout the property, the incredibly cosy fireplace and the original sash windows. Sash windows are a staple of Georgian and Victorian period homes and for good reason – they’re timelessly charming.
“With plenty of space across three floors, five bedrooms, three bathrooms, a detached garage and enough land for your dog to get lost in, you really can’t go wrong if you have the premium needed to put down on this property.”
At a glance:
- Grade II listed with original features
- Three floors
- Approximately four acres of land
- Five bedrooms
- Three bathrooms
- Garaging and workshops
16th-century thatched roof cottage, Stockbridge – £1.1m
Period cottages are often in the limelight on social media for their picturesque, almost fairy-tale associations. See “Cottagecore”, the aesthetic style associated with nature, toadstools and cottage-based whimsy, has 1.9m posts on TikTok dedicated to the trend – nearly 10x more than “cottage” alone, which has 251.4k posts.
Well, for those who love cottagecore aesthetics, this period cottage in Cheshire might as well be patient zero!
“Cottagecore, I feel, has been hugely influential in introducing Gen Z and Millennials to the wonderful world of heritage design,” says Kevin.
“This thatched-roof gem is a fantastic example of what so many have fallen in love with – especially online. It has a beautiful private garden, original solid wood doors, exposed beams, Tudor stylings, a log fireplace – the list goes on.
“This home is equally striking, cosy and quintessentially English. Throw in consistent renovations from the previous owners, a remarkable detached annexe and a great location close to Stockbridge and there’s no doubt that this is one of the best heritage properties available right now!”
At a glance:
- Grade II listed with original features
- Detached annexe
- Three bedrooms
- Three washrooms
- Gated driveway
Charming equestrian property with stable yard, Billinghurst – £1.2m
Set in grounds of 2.1 acres, this equestrian property is stylish inside and out, with striking interiors, a jaw-dropping brick fireplace and a host of original features.
This property is currently pending planning permission for a substantial expansion, which will pave the way for further modernisation throughout the property.
“This heritage property is the equestrian’s dream, isn’t it?” says Kevin. “It has a real Western vibe to it, in a way. It has its own paddock and stables, an incredibly traditional yet stylish kitchen, huge sash windows throughout that let in tonnes of light and plenty of bedroom space – five in total.
“For those with enough space to fill it, this very large home is the perfect opportunity for those who want to live in a piece of countryside history – especially if you wish to get into equestrian yourself.
“Even if horses aren’t particularly your thing, anyone can appreciate the 2.1 acres of private land, exposed stonework and timbers throughout the property, incredibly high ceilings and plenty of earthy features – such as the blue timber kitchen, brick fireplace and wooden beams presented in most rooms.”
At a glance:
- 1 acres
- Five bedrooms
- Three bathrooms
- Two reception rooms
- Self-contained annexe
Victorian home with dual aspect bay windows, Haslemere – £1.275m
A beautiful Victorian house, this 1881 property is full of period charm – as well as thoughtful, modern-day amenities such as secondary glazing to make the home fit for life in 2025.
This property is a fantastic example of tasteful restoration, uplifting the home where needed and leaving original features where possible. The bathrooms and living rooms are particularly modern, without looking out of place in the home’s heritage stylings, as Kevin explains:
“For a home dating back to the 1880s, I am astonished at how well this home has been restored – especially when it comes to the glazing of all windows in the home. It sounds like a small thing, but installing grade-listed properties with secondary-glazed windows is the optimum solution for renovation, as it can save you a long back-and-forth over securing planning permission for double-glazed windows.
“This means you could move into this period property and enjoy modern-day energy efficiency from your windows, as well as the beautifully remodelled kitchen, sash bay windows, two modern bathrooms and a lovely-sized private garden.
“For those who want a heritage property but don’t want to lose any modern comforts, this heritage cottage is for you.”
At a glance:
- Three bedrooms
- Two bathrooms
- Three living rooms
- Period features throughout
- 32 acres of land.
Bright barn conversion with tall windows, Great Dunmow – £900,000
This four-bedroom barn conversion stands out thanks to its fantastic use of tall windows that let in an incredible amount of natural light. This can be seen immediately in the property’s frontage, bright, airy office, and well-placed skylights.
The property is suitably heritage in both aesthetic and age, with plenty of original features such as exposed wooden beams, as well as a host of modern amenities – including underfloor heating throughout.
Not to mention, the property is well-connected, with three local train stations within six miles.
“Now this is a very stylish property, renovated beautifully with an abundance of natural light – a huge plus when looking for a heritage home,” Kevin says. “It can be quite hard to find a grade II listed building with modern, double-glazed windows of this size – as well as underfloor heating.
“Many struggle with heating when renovating properties like this, so the measures the previous owners have taken to keep this home warm make the property even more desirable. What’s more, there’s a huge gated driveway and a stunning open-plan kitchen, living room and dining space – which is a smart choice, as it really pays homage to the open and functional space the barn would’ve originally been.
“This being a conversion, the property benefits from very high ceilings, with additional skylights that make this home incredibly bright and welcoming. All and all, this is a grade II listed, turn-key property – which is a rare sentence to say for a home that is dripping in period aesthetics, this close to Essex and at this price point.”
At a glance:
- Four double bedrooms
- Open plan vaulted living, kitchen and dining room
- Five-piece family bathroom
- Electric gated driveway
Are you on the hunt for a heritage property? We hope your dream home is just around the corner!
