17th Century Country Manor House - 15 Mins Gatwick, 40 Mins London, Balcombe

East Sussex. Sleeps up to 10

This incredibly beautiful home is perfect for family or group get togethers. It's 15 mins away from Gatwick, 30 mins to Brighton Beach, 40 mins to London. It also has a separate party room which is 15m x 9m and also a small wooden roundhouse which can be set up for intimate dinners. Built in the 1670's, we've lived here for 17 years and it really is a very welcoming and joy filled home.

The space:
Kemps House was built in the 1670's and has many original features including huge fireplaces and a wonderful Oak and Elm staircase. The ground floor ceilings are over 2.7 metres high with beautiful windows throughout. Kemps is very much a family home and is filled with our personal possessions, many of them very precious. As with all old houses, it has a lot of character which most people will love. Please don't expect perfectly straight floors and walls and no cracks or marks on anything, because we have all of these, they are all very much part of the charm of the house.

There are lots of very comfortable sofas and beds throughout the house.

There are two main living rooms, both with wonderful fireplaces. We have many candles and candlesticks so if you like natural light at night, you've come to the right place!

The kitchen is large and it's easy to host 8-10 for lunch or dinner. The Aga is wonderfully warm in winter.

There are 5 bedrooms with double beds, most of the rooms are very generous in size and one of them has an en-suite.

You'll see images of our party room which is huge - just over 1,400 square feet. We have hosted some amazing parties here and we're open to helping you decorate the room to make it whatever you want it to be. This would obviously come at an additional cost.

Our wooden roundhouse in the woods above the house is the most incredibly romantic place to have a meal together. There's a wood burning stove and candles - it's really quite magical.

As you'll see from the photos, Kemps is a very comfortable family home. Please understand that it's not a hotel and neither is it a 'professional' rental. So if you are looking for everything to be brand new and perfect looking, then it probably isn't for you. It's a very very special place that many people have loved to be in for hundreds of years - there's something about this place that seems to exude joy and love.

Guest access
All rooms of the house apart from two small storage rooms that house some of our more personal belongings

Located in Haywards Heath, this vacation home is in a rural area and near the beach. Priest House and Hawth Theatre are cultural highlights, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Ockenden Manor Spa and Haywards Heath Golf Club. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Hanbury Stadium or Broadfield Stadium. Kayaking and windsurfing offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with mountain biking and cycling nearby.