Scotches Farm Malthouse Lane, Hurstpierpoint, Bn6 9 Jz

Welcome to Scotches Farm There is something particularly compelling about a house that feels entirely of the countryside, yet remains connected to the everyday rhythms of village life. Scotches Farm achieves precisely that. Set within approximately 3.5 acres on the edge of Hurstpierpoint, this handsome Georgian house is surrounded by gardens, meadow, mature trees and water, with long views travelling south towards the Downs. And yet, remarkably, Hurst College and everyday shopping are within walking distance, while the village High Street, Hassocks and Burgess Hill stations and the A23 are all readily accessible. The house dates from around 1750, with later Victorian additions, and extends to approximately 3,643 sq ft. Its architecture has the calm proportions of the Georgian period: tall sash windows, generous rooms and a wonderfully straightforward relationship with the garden. Over time, the house has evolved into something more relaxed and informal, with a glazed orangery, a large family kitchen and a series of interconnected reception rooms that make it particularly well suited to family life. Scotches Farm sits behind mature planting, its pale elevations and tall chimneys emerging gradually through the garden. The approach has an almost hidden quality, with the house revealing itself within a landscape of established trees, lawns and old boundary planting. The position is perhaps its defining feature. Looking away from the house, the ground falls towards open farmland before rising again towards the South Downs. The view is broad rather than framed: fields, hedgerows and treetops stretching away into the distance. It gives the house a genuine sense of rural seclusion, despite being so close to the village. Character & Comfort The entrance hall establishes the character of the house immediately. Limestone runs underfoot and the pale, simple palette allows the architecture to come forward. Rooms radiate from here in a plan that is generous without feeling overly formal. The principal sitting room is particularly impressive, extending to over 24 feet in length. Large sash windows with internal shutters bring in light from the garden, while a substantial fireplace provides a visual anchor. It is an elegant room, but not a precious one; there is ample space for several seating areas, books, art and the accumulation of family life. A second reception room sits alongside, creating useful separation between the more formal and informal parts of the house. The adjoining music room offers further flexibility and could work equally well as a library, study or quieter sitting room. Across the rear is an impressively proportioned Orangery. It projects into the garden and changes character throughout the day as the light moves around it. In summer, doors can be opened directly to the lawns; in winter, it becomes a sheltered place from which to watch the garden and landscape beyond. It also provides a natural connection between the principal reception rooms and the outside. Effortless Entertaining The kitchen and dining room occupies the opposite end of the house and feels appropriately generous for a house of this scale. Painted cabinetry is arranged beneath dark stone worktops, with a deep butler sink and a richly coloured Aga at its centre. Limestone flooring continues through the room, while large windows and glazed doors bring the garden firmly into view. There is room here for a substantial dining table, making this very much the everyday heart of the house: breakfast before school, doors open onto the garden in summer, friends arriving through the side entrance, children coming and going. A utility room and cloakroom sit conveniently alongside. The plan works particularly well because it provides several different places to gather. A family can occupy the kitchen while others retreat to the sitting room; the orangery can become an entertaining space in its own right; the smaller reception rooms offer quiet places to work, read or play music. It is a house capable of absorbing a busy household without ever feeling crowded. And So To Bed... Five bedrooms are arranged across the first floor, connected by a broad landing where a large sash window draws the landscape into the house. The principal bedroom is unusually generous, extending to almost 26 feet in length. Tall windows, timber floors and a restrained decorative scheme give it an airy quality, with ample room for seating as well as a bed. The remaining bedrooms are all proper rooms rather than afterthoughts, with pleasing proportions and outlooks across the gardens or surrounding countryside. This makes the arrangement especially practical for a family, but equally useful for guests or those wanting dedicated work-from-home space. Glorious Gardens The grounds are integral to the experience of Scotches Farm. Approximately 3.5 acres surround the house, creating a private landscape rather than simply a garden. Close to the house are broad lawns and areas for