For Sale4 Bedroom Detached House in Church Hill, Hythe, Kent Ct21 5bp£1,000,000

We fell in love with the building when we first saw it 10 years ago and have felt privileged to have made ‘Centuries’ our home. The house is very close to the town centre of Hythe with its individual shops, pubs and restaurants as well as three supermarkets. There are wonderful walks along the Military Canal, which was originally built in the 18th century to help repel a possible Napoleonic invasion, and it is not far from the beach. You can even cycle along the seafront to Folkestone and enjoy the regenerated Harbour Arm and Creative Quarter and have fun with the family, taking a trip on the famous New Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch railway. There is a swimming pool together with cricket, tennis, squash and sailing clubs within easy walking distance of ‘Centuries’ while for golfing enthusiasts there are two local golf clubs. Transport links are good with Sandling station not far away and less than an hour to London on the high speed train from Folkestone West or about 35 minutes if you drive to Ashford International. If you fancy lunch in France, it is only about a short drive to the M20 for the Channel Tunnel. From an education point of view Hythe has its own local primary schools and excellent grammar schools in Folkestone and Ashford with top class private schools available in Ashford, Canterbury and Dover. History Centuries was originally constructed in 1107 with later additions. It is one of Kent’s oldest inhabited vernacular buildings and Roman finds under the undercroft indicate that there was possibly an even earlier building on the site. At the time the sea came up to the road beside the property so it was in an ideal location by the docks and on the corner of the 12th century road to Canterbury via Saltwood Castle called Clyme Hill. An original mooring bollard still stands outside the house and legend has it that the boat carrying three of Thomas Becket’s murderers landed there from France before going on to murder Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. The property was initially built by the Noble family from France. They were ancestors of Hamo Hethe who was born at the property. He later became Bishop of Rochester in 1319 and extended the building in 1335 using it as his summer residence. He bequeathed it to the church on his death and it continued to be owned by the church until 1949 when it sold for residential purposes. In 1685 it became St Bartholomew’s Hospital, an alms house for between 10 and 13 people and was extended further in 1811 to provide a total of 16 rooms and remained an alms house until 1949 when it was ordered to be destroyed but it was bought by a local family who converted it into two apartments. The house is currently listed on the Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest as a Grade II*.