For Sale6 Bedroom Detached House in "Backshaws", Upper Hartfield, Hartfield, TN7 4DJ£2,350,000

This has been a fantastic family home for the past 20 years but it is time to downsize. The connection to A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh and the Ashdown Forest has been something truly special for us but especially for the children and grandchildren. The Ashdown Forest can be accessed from the gate at the bottom of the garden. It offers extensive walks, trails, bike rides and horse riding and don’t miss the opportunity to visit Pooh Sticks Bridge and other well-known A.A. Milne landmarks while, for a change of scene, it is only about 20 minutes to the South Downs. We are within walking distance of two country pubs – The Gallipot Inn and The Hatch. It is easy to dip into village life from Backshaws while the quintessential village of Hartfield offers the well-known Pooh Corner tearoom, shop, butcher, GP surgery, pub, tennis courts, cricket club, church, village hall and primary school. Forest Row is not far away and includes an array of organic cafes, independent shops and boutiques, restaurants, pubs, farmers market and excellent schools. This large and friendly village also has a supermarket, library, post office, GP surgery, 24-hour veterinary surgery and a thriving community centre. The world-famous Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club is located here too, along with a welcoming tennis club.  Trains from East Grinstead and Cowden are about 15 minutes away where journey times to London are under an hour and Gatwick is only half an hour away. Supermarkets including Waitrose, Sainsbury, Aldi and Morrisons can be found in nearby Crowborough, East Grinstead and Royal Tunbridge Wells. These larger urban centres offer the high street shopping experience as well as all manner of independent shops and eateries, theatres, cinemas, gyms, leisure centres, train stations, garden centres and recreation grounds. Weekends in the area can be busy should you choose, with village fairs, open gardens, artist studios and fun-run charity events. Annual celebrations and carnivals include Guy Fawkes Night, Christmas markets, pumpkin picking and the Forest Row Festival. Village primary schools in Hartfield and Forest Row are both rated ‘good’ by Ofsted, as is Sackville secondary school in East Grinstead. Beacon Academy in Crowborough is ‘outstanding’. Grammar schools in Royal Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge are a popular choice for people in the area. The world-famous Michael Hall Steiner Waldorf School is nearby, just on the edge of Forest Row while other independent schools that can be easily accessed comprise Brambletye, Cumnor House, Great Walstead, Ardingly College, Tonbridge School and Mayfield School.