Peter and Jilly Burnet’s spacious farmhouse has provided the couple with a glorious family home for over twenty years. Spread over three floors, this stunning beamed property has borne witness to many a party, celebration and even church fêtes.

TEST Leading from the hall – which is the heart of the house – is the traditional farmhouse kitchen, the original and oldest part of the house. Enclosed with massive honey coloured timbers and diamond leaded windows to three sides, this expansive open plan room combines the light and cheerful breakfast / dining area with the generously sized kitchen

Leading from the hall – which is the heart of the house – is the traditional farmhouse kitchen, the original and oldest part of the house

TEST Enclosed with massive honey coloured timbers and diamond leaded windows to three sides, this expansive open plan room combines the light and cheerful breakfast / dining area with the generously sized kitchen

Enclosed with massive honey coloured timbers and diamond leaded windows to three sides, this expansive open plan room combines the light and cheerful breakfast / dining area with the generously sized kitchen

TEST Expecting it to be quite dark with low ceilings, typical of such old houses, Pennybridge surprises

Expecting it to be quite dark with low ceilings, typical of such old houses, Pennybridge surprises

TEST The sitting room stretches the entire depth of the house with leaded windows on three sides. Painted in subtle tones of pale blue and yellow, and housing a magnificent baby grand piano it is a really light, elegant and quite formal room and perfect when the house is full of people but not otherwise much used

The sitting room stretches the entire depth of the house with leaded windows on three sides

TEST Painted in subtle tones of pale blue and yellow, and housing a magnificent baby grand piano it is a really light, elegant and quite formal room and perfect when the house is full of people

Painted in subtle tones of pale blue and yellow, and housing a magnificent baby grand piano it is a really light, elegant and quite formal room and perfect when the house is full of people

TEST In the 1920s it was owned by a particularly tall gentleman, and as you do, he decided to raise all the ceilings on the ground floor to accommodate his height

In the 1920s it was owned by a particularly tall gentleman, and as you do, he decided to raise all the ceilings on the ground floor to accommodate his height

TEST From the sitting room, stairs lead up to Pennybridge’s two further floors

From the sitting room, stairs lead up to Pennybridge’s two further floors

TEST A day bed nestles into an alcove on a landing

A day bed nestles into an alcove on a landing

TEST Two of the children’s beamed bedrooms

One of the children’s beamed bedrooms

TEST References to photography and film can be found dotted about this wonderful home

References to photography and film can be found dotted about this wonderful home

TEST There are two other bedrooms on this floor, all adorable with whitewashed walls and beams, brass beds and vintage bedspreads creating a warren of cosy bolt holes for their now grown-up offspring and visitors alike

Aside from the master bedroom there are two other bedrooms on this floor, all adorable with whitewashed walls and beams, brass beds and vintage bedspreads creating a warren of cosy bolt holes for their now grown-up offspring and visitors alike

TEST The master bedroom at the south end of the house has a wonderful colonial feel with lots of old mahogany furniture bought off the set of Room with a View on which Jilly worked as a location manager

The master bedroom at the south end of the house has a wonderful colonial feel with lots of old mahogany furniture bought off the set of Room with a View on which Jilly worked as a location manager

TEST Simple linen mushroom coloured curtains look fabulous and with big windows to the east the bedroom gets bathed in morning sunshine

Simple linen mushroom coloured curtains look fabulous and with big windows to the east the bedroom gets bathed in morning sunshine

TEST An upholstered mahogany chair sits in the master bedroom

An upholstered mahogany chair sits in the master bedroom

TEST Beyond the kitchen is Jilly’s office from where she and her friend Van Keeling run JV Productions, a company that regularly brings the best of comedy from the Edinburgh festival to London and to deepest Sussex – now resident at The Bell in Ticehurst. It’s a very peaceful room, painted in pale green with lots of treasured objects picked up in her travels to Tibet, India and Morocco interspersed with paintings from local artists and some of Jilly’s own work

Beyond the kitchen is Jilly’s office from where she and her friend Van Keeling run JV Productions, a company that regularly brings the best of comedy from the Edinburgh festival to London and to deepest Sussex – now resident at The Bell in Ticehurst. It’s a very peaceful room, painted in pale green with lots of treasured objects picked up in her travels to Tibet, India and Morocco interspersed with paintings from local artists and some of Jilly’s own work

TEST The way through from the kitchen to Jilly's office

The way through from the kitchen to Jilly's office

TEST Looking through into the Garden Room

Looking through into the Garden Room

TEST The Garden Room is where Jilly and Peter spend a great deal of their time. With underfloor heating and a southwest aspect it’s a warm and cosy place to soak up the winter sunshine

The Garden Room is where Jilly and Peter spend a great deal of their time. With underfloor heating and a southwest aspect it’s a warm and cosy place to soak up the winter sunshine

TEST A relaxing space in the Garden Room

A relaxing space in the Garden Room

TEST A corner of the pool house

A corner of the pool house

TEST Monty, the family’s spaniel stands guard by the front door

Monty, the family’s spaniel stands guard by the front door with a couple of friends

TEST An old farm building that was once a dairy and stable has been sensitively restored to create additional living space, with many of the original features remaining like the doors and old iron stall dividers

An old farm building that was once a dairy and stable has been sensitively restored to create additional living space, with many of the original features remaining like the doors and old iron stall dividers

TEST Artworks – such as a wonderful sculpture created by Jilly using her father’s Second World War RAF tools – create a really rustic ambience

Artworks – such as a wonderful sculpture created by Jilly using her father’s Second World War RAF tools – create a really rustic ambience

TEST A tree felled on the estate was milled and kiln dried to make the floor boards

A tree felled on the estate was milled and kiln dried to make the floor boards

TEST The view from the garden room

The view from the garden room

TEST Pennybridge has 55 rolling acres of grass pasture but the house is set in a beautiful, blowsy cottage garden looking across the lawns to the swimming pool

Pennybridge has 55 rolling acres of grass pasture but the house is set in a beautiful, blowsy cottage garden looking across the lawns to the swimming pool

  • words:
  • pictures: David Merewether
  • styling: Helen Barton

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