Catsfield, Battle, TN33

A wonderful country estate in the historic Sussex village of Catsfield within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with some 433 acres of farmland, woodland and lakes offering great potential to develop existing enterprises and for further diversification.

The estate essentially comprises a three bedroom converted barn; a two bedroom annexe; a pair of two bedroom, semi-detached cottages; an equestrian centre with fourteen stables including a tack/feed room large store barn, outdoor manège and adjoining grazing paddocks; a range of modern farm barns and outbuildings; about 235 acres of productive grazing and cropping land and approximately 191 acres of woodland incorporating about 4 acres of lakes.

EQUESTRIAN
There are a comprehensive range of equestrian facilities with independent access off the main Estate drive leading into a main yard with large areas of hard standing for lorries and trailers. In total there are 14 stables arranged in two blocks, and additionally 6 loose boxes within the
traditional brick built stables adjoining Broomham Barn. There is a large 11-bay portal frame barn 93’6 x 40’6, and adjoining tack room with w.c. At the rear of the yard is an excellent 2-bay portal frame barn 39’4 x 29’5 with concrete flooring and a purpose built wash down area.
Lying to the south of the yard is the outdoor manége (40m x 20m) and a rectangular block of pasture land extending to about 7 acres, presently arranged into a number of grazing enclosures to serve the stables. The Estate offers excellent riding out via private trails over the farm and woodland.

BUILDINGS
Adjoining the equestrian yard, a further surfaced yard area with a range of modern agricultural buildings and storage facilities serves the Estate, notably twin span 5-bay portal frame barns of 98’11 x 48’5 and 98’11 x 49’7 and a smaller
storage barn of 71’1 x 22’9. The farmyard can be accessed through the equestrian yard or via a surfaced trackway that runs between Broomham Barn and the Stable Annexe.
Separately, located at the northern end of the estate and close to the cottages is an older timber framed barn with lean to and old brick built kennel building.

FARM LAND
The farm land extends to about 235 acres of productive grazing and cropping land. About 138 acres of the farm land is let out on a Farm Business Tenancy Agreement with the residual element retained and used for horse grazing and forage production.

WOODLAND
The Estate encompasses several distinct areas of
woodland covering about 191 acres, predominantly a mix of chestnut coppice, birch and conifer plantations with some magnificent specimen trees including some majestic pines and mature oak standards. Compartments are well
laid out with an excellent network of tracks and rides with the woodland harbouring an abundance of wildlife making it ideal for walking, riding and sporting activities.

LAKES
Created in the late twentieth century there are two centrally located lakes on the estate, extending to approximately 4 acres, the lower and larger of which is stocked with a good variety of species including common carp, mirror carp, rudd, roach, perch and eels and is let to a local angling club on a license agreement. Additionally, there is a smaller lake known as Bridge Lake found within
woodland further north on the Estate.

The Estate stands in 1066 countryside; the village of Catsfield is referenced in the Domesday book of 1086 and is considered one of the oldest settlements in the area. Historically, the wider estate had a succession of notable owners including Thomas Alfraye, the sixteenth century Lord Mayor of Catsfield, a rich and influential iron master; John Fuller - the uncle of Mad Jack Fuller of Brightling and the Earl of Ashburnham.

In 1865 the Estate came into the hands of Thomas Brassey, followed by his son Lord Brassey in 1870. Thomas Brassey made his fortune in railway building and was one of the pioneers of Victorian railway engineering; by the time of his death in 1870 he had built one in every twenty miles of railway in the world. He was also active in the development of steamships, locomotive factories and marine telegraphy, being a major shareholder
in Brunel’s The Great Eastern, the only ship large enough at the time to lay the first transatlantic telegraph cable across the North Atlantic, in 1864.
The modern day Estate is a wonderful legacy of the Brasseys’ vision and Victorian landscape architecture. Between 1875 and 1912 the Brassey family carried out a careful programme of landscaping, lake creation and emparkment at Normanhurst with numerous tree and plant specimens collected on their global voyages. The Brassey family opened the parkland to a curious public to marvel at the exotic trees, beautiful camellias and then still unusual rhododendrons.
The Estate has only been in the hands of two owners since the early 1970s and during this period, there has been a focus on the preservation and enhancement of the beautiful woodland landscape as well as establishing income sources to support ongoing management and conservation on the estate.

The Normanhurst Estate is situated in a wonderful rural location in the High Weald Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty. The principal estate drive emerges in the centre of the village
of Catsfield, a very popular village with its medieval church, well-respected primary school,
general store/post office, village hall and public house.
The historic town of Battle is some 3 miles with a good range of shops, supermarket,
public houses restaurants and a mainline station with regular services to London (London
Bridge/Charing Cross).
The property is well located giving access to a wide variety of diverse attractions, the
coastal town of Hastings with its charming Old Town and broad range of amenities is
about 9 miles. Bexhill-on-Sea and Eastbourne are about 5 and 13 miles respectively. Tunbridge Wells with its excellent modern shopping centre and wide ranging leisure opportunities is some 25 miles.
The estate has excellent access to the major road network; the A21 London Road is just
under five miles away and connects to the M25 London Orbital. Gatwick Airport, along
with Ashford International railway station and the Channel Tunnel at Folkestone are within
easy reach by road.
State and private schools in the area include both Ninfield and Catsfield Primary Schools, Claverham Community College and Battle Abbey at Battle; Bede’s at Upper Dicker; Vinehall Preparatory School at Robertsbridge; Claremont on the outskirts of Hastings and Senior School at Bodiam; Vinehall near Robertsbridge; St Ronan’s and Marlborough House at Hawkhurst.