Fox's Cross Road, Whitstable

A “Once in a lifetime" opportunity to buy an extremely privately located residential farm with a Grade II Listed Georgian house, now in need of renovation, a pair of detached cottages and extensive buildings, set in about 378.33 acres (153.11 ha) of meadows and woodland.

Description
Ellenden Farm offers a rare opportunity to acquire approximately 176.97 acres (71.62 hectares) of productive Grade 3 former arable and grassland, as well as 201.36 acres (81.49 hectares) of woodland within a ring fence.

Lot 1 comprises the beautiful Grade II Listed Ellenden Farmhouse, dating from the early 19th century, together with its gardens, a comprehensive range of traditional and modern farm buildings, farmyard and a manège, all approached via a long private driveway from Fox’s Cross Road. The farmhouse, which enjoys a gently elevated position with gardens extending to the front and side, sloping towards a natural pond, is complemented by two detached cottages.

The farmhouse provides generous accommodation over two floors. The ground floor includes a large drawing room, a family room with adjacent study, a sizeable kitchen/dining room with an oil-fired Aga and a feature well. A conservatory running the width of the rear of the house overlooks the yard. The utility room, boiler room, cloakroom and practical storage areas complete the ground floor. The first floor comprises a master bedroom suite, five further bedrooms and two family bathrooms. The house would now benefit from updating, offering purchasers an excellent opportunity to restore this beautiful period home in a very private rural setting.

A most attractive feature is the extensive and varied collection of traditional outbuildings, arranged around the farmyard immediately behind the house. These include a granary, a garage and workshop, a tank room, and a farm worker’s WC and shower. The farm workshop is divided into three bays and used for machinery and equipment storage. On the south side of the yard there is a stable barn with seven loose boxes and a covered lean-to with additional stores, a further stable and an open fronted store.

Beyond these lie three Dutch barns used for farm storage, together with a pole barn to the rear. On the north side of the driveway is a grain store with a fan house to the rear and housing the drying machinery, the building incorporates a reception pit and Brinkman elevator.

Just off the farm drive are Tanglewood and The Willows – two detached cottages, one of which has been run as a successful holiday let for a number of years.

Please see the floorplans of the house overleaf and plans for the cottages and buildings are available online.

Location
Ellenden Farm is approached over a long private drive from Fox’s Cross Road, approximately 3 miles to the south of Whitstable and 5 miles north of Canterbury. The woodland is accessible independently from Denstroude Lane.

The vibrant harbour town of Whitstable is 3 miles away, over which there are views to the sea from all across the farm. Regular High Speed rail services run from Canterbury West (5 miles) and Faversham (7 miles) to London, taking about one hour.

Canterbury has an excellent selection of shopping and leisure facilities, with a wide choice of schooling for all ages and abilities, including the Simon Langton Grammar Schools, King’s School, Kent College and St Edmund’s in Canterbury and Junior King’s in Sturry.

The Land
All of the land is classified as Grade 3 by DEFRA. According to the arable soils are described as “slowly permeable, seasonally wet, slightly acidic but base-rich loamy and clayey soils”.

Whilst the land had previously been actively farmed, in recent years the arable production ceased and the farm was put into a variety of environmental schemes under the Countryside Stewardship Agreements with the management focused on environmental benefits. To the south east of the house is a large pond used for coarse fishing in the past and could offer potential for expansion, subject to any necessary consents for sporting use.

The Woodland, designated as Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland, comprises Oak standards with an understory of Beech, Hornbeam and other species. It has good access onto Denstroude Lane for timber extraction.

Tenure and Possession
Freehold with vacant possession upon completion.

Method of Sale
For sale by Private Treaty as a whole or in up to 5 Lots. The sellers reserve the right to take the land to informal tender, formal tender or auction, should they so wish.

Viewing
Strictly by confirmed appointment with Nicholas Rooke – .

Given the potential hazard of the working farm, we ask you to be as vigilant as possible when viewing for your own safety.

Postcode and What3Words
CT5 3BX is the postcode for Ellenden Farm. What3Words is ///rocks.lectured.minivans
Lot 2 access to track: ///hero.vesting.attending
Lot 3 and 4 access off Carlton Road, CT5 3BT: ///fonts.muscular.resorting
Lot 5 access gate from road: ///fonts.dockers.chariots

Exchange of Contracts and Completion
A 10% deposit will be payable on exchange of contracts with the balance of the purchase price payable upon completion.

Sporting Rights
In so far as they are owned, these are included in the sale.

Overage
Ellenden Farm will be sold subject to an overage agreement across the whole farm reserving 50% of the uplift in value for any non-agricultural use for a term of 30 years from completion.

Easements, Rights of Way & Restrictions
The farm is offered for sale subject to and with the benefit of all existing wayleaves, easements, quasi-easements, rights of way, covenants and restrictions whether mentioned in these particulars or not. The land is crossed by a number of public rights of way. A plan is available from the selling agents.

Boundaries, Plans, Areas, Schedules & Disputes
The boundaries are based on the Ordnance Survey and are for reference only. The purchaser(s) will be deemed to have full knowledge of the boundaries and any error or mistake shall not annul the sale or entitle any party to compensation in respect thereof. Should any dispute arise as to boundaries or any points arise on the general remarks and stipulations, particulars, schedules, plan or the interpretation of any of them, such questions shall be referred to the selling agent whose decision acting as expert shall be final.

The boundaries on these plans are indicative only and the land will be sold in accordance with the registered title, subject to any minor amendments required. Plans are reproduced from the Ordnance Survey under Licence No. .

Services
All properties have mains electricity and water. All three properties have oil fired central heating. There is a deep well which has been used for watering the garden in the past. We understand that private drainage systems serve the properties. Three phase electricity to the buildings. No services have been checked.

Assessments
Ellenden Farmhouse: Council Tax Band “G”.
The Willows: Council Tax Band “C”.
Tanglewood: Rateable Value of £3,000 per annum

Energy Performance Certificate
Ellenden Farmhouse: Rating – “D”
The Willows: Rating – “E”
Tanglewood: Rating – “E”

Planning
Ellenden Farm falls within an Area of High Landscape Value. It is inside both the Thames, Medway & Swale Estuary 6km Zone of Influence and the Thanet Coast & Sandwich Bay 7.2km Zone of Influence. A significant part of the holding, Ellenden Wood, is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area for Conservation (SAC). The farmhouse is Grade II Listed, with the adjacent traditional buildings treated as curtilage listed. Both Tanglewood and The Willows were originally subject to Agricultural Occupancy Conditions. These were removed in 2025 – Canterbury City Council planning application CA/25/01319.

VAT
Any guide price quoted or discussed is exclusive of VAT. In the event that a sale of the property or any part thereof, or any rights to it becomes a chargeable supply for the purposes of VAT, such tax will be payable in addition.

Anti-Money Laundering
In accordance with the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, prior to acceptance of an offer, the purchaser(s) will be required to provide proof of funds, identity and address prior to the instruction of solicitors.

Local Authority
Canterbury City Council -
Kent County Council –

Particulars
These particulars were prepared in September 2026 and photographs were taken in May 2025.