White Hart Hotel 55 High St 23 Room Hotel Lewes BN7 1XE £2,150,000 (£93,478/Room)

Charles Wycherley Independent Estate Agents are delighted to present to the market this iconic Grade II Listed, 4 storey historic property, available for the first time in 32 years, which was the former home of the Marquis of Abergavenny, with the most outstanding elegant façade in Lewes High Street. The property is the largest in Lewes Town Centre (approx. 18000 sq ft) and has 19 en - suite bedrooms with potential for separating the accommodation section of the business from the extensive ground and lower floors with direct approach from Lewes High Street with fine Tudor beams, ex open fireplaces and oak panelling. There is further on the 1st floor, the well known Sheriffs room, historically used as the room frequented by Thomas Paine, famed for his works to secure American Independence. The ground floor has two large front rooms, one the bar and the other a front sitting room looking to Lewes High Street. Beyond the reception area is a coffee shop and well known dining room again with original wood panelling. The lower ground floor has a vaulted wine cellar (originally the martyrs dungeon where 7 of the protestant martyrs were imprisoned) as well as a beer cellar and kitchen. The property has been upgraded significantly, including modern updated boilers and pressurised updated hot water system and a refurbished façade.

Lewes is a vibrant and affluent Market Town with a thriving year round tourist trade, attracted by the towns wealth of historic buildings and the amenity opportunities afforded by the surrounding National Park. The town is internationally renowned for its November 5th Bonfire celebrations. Lewes benefits from its proximity to the cosmopolitan city of Brighton & Hove, which lies some 9 miles to the south west offering immediate access to regional shopping facilities, two universities and Europe's largest man made marina. Newhaven is also 8 miles to the south offering channel ferry links to France.

The County Town of Lewes regularly features in the Times list of the best places to live in the UK and offers an excellent range of private and state education facilities across all ranges including Lewes Old Grammar and Priory Secondary School. The town has excellent transport links with a direct railway line to London Victoria in just under 1 hour and London Bridge 90 minutes.

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE WHITE HART HOTEL

The Hotel which dates back to 1426 is rich with Tudor features including medieval oak panelling and Tudor oak beams. Other features include ancient stone and timber detail, original medieval open log fireplaces and oak floor boards. It was given a Georgian façade in the 19th Century.

Points of Note:-

In 1768 Thomas Paine began forging his radical policies in the Sherriff's Room of The White Hart which led to the American Revolution and the struggle for independence. English Heritage have awarded The White Hart Hotel the coveted blue plaque which is mounted on the entrance crediting the hotel with the mantel ‘The Cradle of Independence'

The powerful and wealthy Pelham family owned and lived in the hotel.

Two of the Pelham sons became British Prime Ministers, Henry Pelham & Thomas Pelham.

Celebrated 18th Century chef William Verrall published recipe books from the hotel from 1737 –1760

World respected writer Virgina Woolfe purchased ‘The Monks House' from an auction held at The White Hart.

Russia and Britain sealed historic Diplomatic Relation Agreement in the Sheriff's Room.

Notice
Please note we have not tested any apparatus, fixtures, fittings, or services. Interested parties must undertake their own investigation into the working order of these items. All measurements are approximate and photographs provided for guidance only.