Welcome to our country home
Set in two-acre gardens with stunning country views, Barnfield House lies on the edge of Hawkhurst village in the Weald of Kent (called the Garden of England). It offers plenty of space for up to ten guests and is ideal for families and groups of friends who wish to spend time together in comfortable, relaxing surroundings. This country house has hosted over 100 rental groups – from multi-generation families (aged from 2 months to 90) gathering for a weeks vacation, to groups of friends enjoying a weekend country break.
You’ll find this very different to ‘full time’ holiday lets: it is our family home full of furniture and artifacts collected during our time working in Asia. We’ve left a huge selection of personal books and CDs for you to enjoy, and lots of board games and puzzles! There’s WiFi throughout, with super-fast fibre optic broadband internet, and multi-channel Freesat TV with Amazon Prime and Netflix.
The generous living areas – large drawing room, sitting/TV room, study, and dining hall – are handsomely furnished with comfortable sofas, Chinese cabinets, Tibetan chests, and Turkish rugs. The kitchen is well equipped for people who love to cook, right down to our favourite recipe books and spices! Its large farmhouse table overlooks the apple orchard – perfect for family breakfasts. From the dining hall (with extending table for 10 and Thai silk-covered chairs), bi-fold doors open onto a large deck with wisteria-covered pergola and a teakwood table for 10. The views from here are magnificent, with lawns sloping towards farmland beyond the large unfenced pond. (You’ll find a second, smaller alfresco breakfast area tucked away on the kitchen patio.)
Five bedrooms and 3 bathrooms occupy the 1st floor –there’s a 4th bathroom and landing library on the 2nd floor. The master bedroom suite has an Indonesian teakwood four-poster super-king bed, walk-in wardrobe and ensuite bathroom with bathtub for two, separate shower enclosure etc. Two guest bedrooms have double or king size beds, one has twin beds, and the smallest bedroom has a trundle bed that can be configured as a single, twins or a king-size bed. The guest bedrooms share three bathrooms, and there is a guest washroom downstairs.
Outside, there’s a large flat lawn for football, cricket or badminton, and plenty of places to explore within the extensive gardens which slopes down towards farmland and a deep unfenced pond ringed by oak trees.
For more photos, please visit our Galleries page.
What's Included...
- Central heating
- Wood-burner
- Wifi
- 55-inch TV
- Netflix/Amazon Prime
- Sonos speakers
- Board & garden games
- Fridge Freezer
- Range cooker
- Microwave/convection
- Dishwasher
- Washing machine
- Dryer
- BBQ
- 100% cotton bedlinen
- 100% cotton towels
- Hairdryers
- Soap and loo rolls
- Hangers
- Books/DVDs/CD library
- Kids books & games
- Travel cot
- High chair
- Carbon monoxide detector
- Fire extinguisher
- Smoke detector
So much to do in the area!
Barnfield House is a short walk from Hawkhurst, a pretty Kent village with a Victorian colonnade with speciality shops, the Kino digital cinema, Waitrose supermarket and a number of pubs. It’s an excellent base for exploring the many beautiful villages of Kent and Sussex as well as places further afield. Countryside drives reveal picturesque villages and pubs, including the Oak & Ivy Inn, famous gathering place for the infamous 18th century Hawkhurst smugglers. In addition to the famous National Trust and English Heritage historic castles, houses and gardens that attract many visitors to the area (Sissinghurst Gardens and the gardens of Great Dixter shouldn’t be missed), there are many other experiences to consider, such as the Observatory Science Centre at Herstmonceux, Smugglers Adventure at Hastings, Hever Castle (family home to Henry VIII’s Ann Boleyn), and myriad museums covering everything from musical instruments to vintage cars, 1066 battlefields to 18th century smugglers. After all this activity, guests love returning to the comfort of Barnfield House. This 1938 home – made of Canadian cedar from its floorboards to roof shingles – has its own history: the large pond in the garden is thought to be the remains of an iron ore open mine from the middle ages.
What Our Guests Say...
Barnfield House is a wonderful place
Barnfield House is a wonderful place, easily catering for all 8 of us and one little one, with room to spare, it is set in its own spacious grounds in beautiful countryside, with plenty of amenities for its guests, you will not be disappointed with the hospitality of Philip and Jenny, they really know how to make their guests welcome!
a very comfortable and relaxing stay
We had a very comfortable and relaxing stay at Barnfield House. There was plenty of space for 8 of us, with enough separate sitting areas to suit all members of our group, ranging from Teenagers (great Wi-Fi!) to 90 year olds (who enjoyed sitting on the decking and taking in the view). The house is in a very convenient location near local shops and in reach of many attractions and places to visit. The owners were helpful and responsive to any queries we had. We felt we were in a lovely family home, enjoying the books, using the excellent sound system, preparing food in the big kitchen, relaxing in front of the huge TV (Teenagers again!) and admiring the lovely wedding photos!
Vist No 7
Once again a most enjoyable stay in your beautiful house. Christmas decs much appreciated and looking very festive. As always the time passed far too quickly. We leave with happy memories as always.
Another wonderful week
Well, “How do”, as we say up North. Another wonderful week has flown by. The weather was not so kind to us this year, but that didn’t stop us doing all the things we got up to – old places, new places, and still lots to find? Your wonderful home have us as ever a spacious base from which to explore Sussex and beyond. Please pass on our thanks to your team who clean and prepare the house on change over, as it is immaculate when we arrive. Til next time!
Another 2 wonderful weeks
Another two wonderful weeks at our Hawkhurst home away form home! We all settled right in and despite the busyness of our schedule, managed to sneak in some coffees on the back veranda in the morning and wines on the back bench at night. Thank you so much for all you did to welcome us again into your lovely home. Until next time!
Wonderful few days
Communication with Jenny from start to finish was friendly and excellent She continually checked everything was ok. The house and location were beautiful. Everything we could possibly need was there. The best equipped kitchen we have ever had. As a group of 9 friends we felt very comfortable and at home at Barnfield house. Thank you Jenny for allowing us to share your beautiful home.
Weekend reunion of old friends
A beautiful house in a beautiful place full of beautiful things.
Comfortabel huid
Groot, comfortabel huis met enorme tuin met fraai uitzicht. Ruimte genoeg voor 10 personen! Keuken volledig ingericht, maar 8 stoelen rond de tafel is beetje weinig. Zo ook in de eetkamer, maar is makkelijk op te lossen. Gezellige zitkamers en voor kids aparte speelkamer met veel spelletjes! Al met al aanrader voor grote familie.
Perfect for a large family
We were a group ranging from 2 to 8 people, ages 21 to 62, meeting for the 90th Birthday week of an Aunt who lives in Biddenden. Many birthday activities and three generations coming and going. The house, the responsiveness of Jenny and Phillip, the clarity of directions and instructions, could not have been better. We had a dinner here one night where one cousin, a professional chef, loved the kitchen. Beds spectacular, plenty of room for togetherness or solitude, countryside quiet, flowers and plantings gorgeous, and just watching the rabbits, and watching the fox watch the rabbits yet not catch any—a happy happy house! And the books! Don’t bother to lug your own, a dream selection. We’ll be back.
A wonderful property with everything you need for a comfortable stay
This is beautiful place to stay, feels like home from home. There were 9 friends staying there was plenty of space for everyone. The kitchen is well equipped and there are lots of personal touches to make it feel homely. The weather was fantastic and we breakfasted on the terrace in October! Stunning views and surrounding countryside added to the experience.
Comfortable home away from home in fantastic location
Wonderful house comfortably furnished with many personal and interesting pieces. The garden and terrace are great – secluded with amazing views across the fields and perfect for stargazing. Excellent location with good amenities nearby in Hawkhurst and a great choice of historic properties, gardens, open spaces, farm shops, coffee shops, pubs, restaurants and the coast all within close proximity.
The view will grab you !
The house is exactly like the photos except the paintings, furnishings and view are even better in real life. A pleasant surprise, not mentioned in the house description, was a small apple orchard on the side of the house. Our grandchildren had a great delight in picking a few fresh apples. The house had ample room for our party of ten (eight adults and two children) and some wonderful family gatherings were had. Whether it was a cup of tea in the morning or a refreshing glass of wine in the evening the view of the countryside on the back deck were spectacular. The house is situated just outside the village of Hawkhurst and a stroll of ten minutes gets you into the center where there are two pubs and some shops including a baker. I found the best pub in the area is the Oak and Ivy just out the far side of the village, for that you need to drive. The pub has great pub food reasonably priced, it also has a huge inglenook fireplace. There is so much to see and do in this area of England, London is only a forty minute train ride and the towns of Hastings, Rye, Battle (Battle of Hasting 1066 took place there) and Canterbury are no more than a forty minute car ride at the most. The number of gardens and castles within forty minutes is astounding. See a theme here, forty minutes is the most you will have to travel to see the sights. If driving is not your thing than there are plenty of walks close by and it all ends up back at the beautiful house. Our family had a wonderful time and after two weeks it was sad to leave. For me every day was akin to waking up in a Constable painting.
Delightful!
Gorgeous house in a fantastic location! We were fortunate to have glorious weather which meant we could take full advantage of the beautiful gardens and spectacular views. There were 10 of us on our annual walking weekend and this house suited us perfectly. The house had every amenity you could ask for and the owners and managers could not have been more accommodating. Thank you!
A brilliant getaway for friends!
I rented Barnfield House for 9 friends for the Bank Holiday weekend and we had an absolutely fantastic time. The house is beautifully decorated (the art collection, ornaments and tapestries from all over the world really give it a unique feel), and very well equipped.
We had plans to explore the surrounding areas but enjoyed the house so much we ended up spending most of our time playing cricket & football in the gardens and enjoying the large collection of board games Jenny and Phillip have.
The kitchen is really well equipped and our friends really enjoyed cooking breakfast together and sitting in the dining area which faces the beautiful gardens.
The rooms were also very comfortable.
We’ll definitely be coming back again!
Bringing in The New year!
We stayed here for a few days over the New Year and had a fabulous time with family.
(unfortunately flu was going around and we had a few causalities) But it did not deter from our excitement and enjoyment at being at Barnfield House.
Its such a beautiful comfortable home…..very well equipped, as the other reviewers have mentioned.
The views are stunning and we could only imagine how magnificent it would be in Spring Summer and Autumn.
The terrace with the Wisteria is such an amazing place to sit and relax with a drink !
We sat outside a few times, even though it was chilly in December….
Jenny and Philip are wonderful hosts and very accommodating and friendly.
We could not recommend Barnfield house more highly and we hope that we might return again in the future.
Its such a lovely space to all get together and share precious moments…
Sixth Stay at Barnfield
I think our heading speaks for itself. We are a group of six ladies who thoroughly enjoy our stay at Barnfield House. There is everything there you could possible want or need, plenty of bathrooms, lovely bedrooms and beautiful rooms downstairs. The kitchen is so well equipped too. Our stays are in the winter and we always cook a Christmas dinner which we enjoy in the elegant dining room. We sit and chat for hours in the fabulous large comfy lounge and we have been known on quite a few occasions to all decamp to the tv room and watch a film. What more could we want, a truly blissful stay.
And yes we have booked our 7th holiday at Barnfield House.
Extremely spacious!
Highly recommended
Barnfield House wraps its arms around you with its warmth, elegance & comfort
We loved the perfect privacy of the house & gardens. The iconic English view across the rich green fields to the Norman church tower was a delight to behold from the expansive sundeck. We very much appreciated the huge windows – with either large panoramic views or views out to the garden. This spacious house was the perfect venue to have friends & family stay over for a night or two after celebrating my husbands 70th birthday. So many intimate areas to chat and to spread out. And there was tons of parking for all the cars. Barnfield House doesn’t feel like a rental house. It feels like a real home complete with family photos & treasures, and all the conveniences that you could wish for. Thanks Philip & Jenny for allowing us to share your home. It was a lovely finale to our trip to England & it was so easy to get to Heathrow for our return flight home to Australia.
Barnfield House is generous, gracious, welcoming and hospitable
I felt embraced by the energy of the house as soon as I entered: there is an almost Asian sense of hospitality and welcome to the house even though it is set in a quintessentially English part of the Kent countryside. Barnfield House is spacious and gracious enough for a large house party and cosy and comfortable enough for an intimate holiday away. Beautiful sweeping views over the Kent countryside, a country style kitchen, drawing room designed for long evenings of conversation and companionship by the fire, some well appointed bedrooms – i could not commend a stay in this House more highly. We will be back!
Our home away from home
We are an Australian family with small children that have stayed consecutive years at this home because we love it. Our kids can’t wait to roam the extensive gardens and we find that the house very comfortable and able to accommodate quite a few of us. We had a number of lunches for my extended family and there is no better place to be than in the garden on a summers day. It’s a perfect base to explore Kent and Sussex and the owners Jenny and Phillip are lovely to deal with. Highly recommended
A wonderful house with everything you need
Barnfield House is a large, beautiful, well-kept, family home. It doesn’t feel like a holiday rental but rather a friend’s house that you are using whilst they’re away. It has everything you could need including a very well-equipped kitchen. The formal lounge is beautfiul, the kitchen and dining area are lovely and the views are something special. There are plenty of bathrooms ( a rare find!) and lots of room if you are in a large group. I cannot recommend this house enough. The owners are lovely and a pleasure to deal with which always makes things easier as well!
Beautiful grounds, lovely homely house, a lucky find
A group of us stayed here for a wedding in Hawkhurst. Such A beautiful view and garden, could have sat there all day (imagining I had another glamourous life) such a nice house with a definite “you are home” feeling. Everything you need is here. Nice pub 10 min walk away too, but you might want to bring a torch for way home. If you have toddlers or night walkers watch out for large pond at bottom of garden. Great place, I loved our weekend there
Une maison inoubliable pour des vacances entre amis
Barnfield House est une maison très agréable pour passer un séjour dans le Kent. Partis à deux familles pour une semaine en juillet dernier, nous avons pu apprécier la très belle décoration intérieure de la maison, son côté cosy et très britannique ainsi que son immense jardin. Il est par ailleurs facile de se rendre à Londres à partir de cette maison en prenant le train à la gare d’Etchingham située à quelques kilomètres de là. La communication avec les propriétaires est parfaite. Fortement conseillée pour un séjour entre amis avec des enfants.
Spacious, comfortable home in expansive garden
Our extended family spent a week in this lovely, spacious and comfortable home. It was convenient to many attractions and within walking distance of a cute village with interesting shops. The actual property was so large that we had the feeling we were way out in the country on a large estate. The gardens were lovely, and quite enjoyable from a large deck, complete with a large teak table and chairs for enjoyable dining. The beds were comfortable and we appreciated having access to good laundry facilities, too. The kitchen was well equipped for the meals we cooked there.
Enchanting idyll with brilliant hosts!
From the moment we arrived at Barnfield House, the serenity and warmth of this beautiful spot won us over. The house is spacious and comfortable, with everything needed to accommodate our large group of friends with three toddlers, who loved exploring the gardens, spotting bunnies and searching for the elusive ducks. The kitchen is the best-equipped we’ve encountered. A great stay – thank you!
Fantastic house with amazing views
We had a lovely stay at the house over New Year with friends; the owners were very welcoming and the house was everything we hoped for with plenty of living space and good size bedrooms and bathrooms. The views are stunning and the local area has lots of nice walks and great country pubs. We would definitely visit the property again
Wonderful place for a get-together with friends or family
Spent 4 delighted nights at Barnfield House during half term. The house is large with 5 good sized double or twin bedrooms upstairs, 3 reception rooms and a kitchen downstairs. Plenty of room for a large group to spend time together without feeling on top of each other. Excellent water pressure in bathrooms and the kitchen is extremely well-equipped. I personally loved the decor with its oriental inspiration. Reminded me of happy times in South East Asia. The garden is huge and perfect for exploring (and exercising small children). Lots of good walks or running routes direct from the front door.
Fantastic, big cosy house – perfect in rain or shine
I stayed at Barnfield with large group of friends on a rainy weekend in November. Despite the dreadful weather, the weekend was great. The house is wonderful – big, but cosy and homely. Booking was really smooth and Jenny was really fast at replying to emails and queries. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend!
Idyllic Vacation
I stayed at Barnfield with large group of friends on a rainy weekend in November. Despite the dreadful weather, the weekend was great. The house is wonderful – big, but cosy and homely. Booking was really smooth and Jenny was really fast at replying to emails and queries. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend!
Amazing Easter
We stayed here for Easter with my family, which included my parents, my sister, my nephew, his girlfriend as well as myself and my husband and daughter. The house was big enough for all of us to have our own space. The two separate living areas was fantastic for us to be able to spread out. The garden was beautiful, and there were great walks in the area. Highly recommended!
Most enjoyable country house
A marvellous spacious country house,well equipped and tastefully decorated.We felt at home from the moment we arrived. Close to village and within short driving distance to many attractions such as Sissinghurst,Bodiam Castle and Rye.Large gardens.Quite property with views over the countryside. Friendly and caring owners.Recommendation without any reservation.
Fantastic property with excellent facilities, a real home from home.
The house was fantastic, lovely kitchen, breakfast dining and utility area with a fully equipped kitchen which made life so much easier for us on arrival. The main dining area had a fantastic view of the deck and the lovely grounds, as the weather was good we ate breakfast outside several times during our stay and the children loved the games and TV rooms which were very well stocked to keep everyone from 0 – 99 occupied including a great range of DVDs and music. The main lounge was wonderfully comfortable, as were all the bedrooms and the second floor area was a real find for the children in our party who used it as a den and private retreat for reading. We really couldn’t have asked for more from the house. There was so much to do in the surrounding area, many NT and English Heritage places to visit, in addition to other historic homes and towns such as Hever Castle, Rye and Tonbridge Wells. With plenty of places to eat or get a takeaway we would have no hesitation in recommending the house to any and everyone, it was one of the loveliest places we’ve stayed in during our 18 years of holidaying in UK holiday homes/cottages. Thanks to Jenny and Philip for allowing us to use their beautiful home.
Great property for larger family get-togethers
The setting and size of the property allows for a very relaxed and tranquil get together. There is plenty of elbow room and the picturesque views over the Kent countryside at the end of the day really is beautiful. It’s in a great location for the areas of interest around Kent.
I can’t recommend enough!
We had a wonderful stay at Barnfield House and a lovely welcome from Jenny and Phillip. The house had everything you needed and was very clean. It was also close to some great pubs and a 30minute drive from Rye where we spent the afternoon. We all loved the house so much that we’re planning to return in April! I can’t recommend enough!
Amazing, superbly equipped home!
We had the most wonderful trip to this beautiful home in Hawkhurst and from beginning to end it was an absolute pleasure to organise everything due to the owners fast responses and efficiency. This home is in a beautiful part of England with lots to do near by for all age groups.Our party of 6(from ages 7 yo to 70) visited castles(Sissinghurst, Leeds, Bodiam), beautiful towns and cities(Rye,Hastings,London,Tunbridge Wells) and amazing National Trust properties. However the most fun had on our trip to England during the mid term break was in this very comfortable house and 2 acre garden-every day the children climbed trees, played hide and seek and chasing and rolled down the hill for hours on end, and thanks to the owners helpful advice on local markets and the superbly equipped kitchen, the adults enjoyed preparing some great meals.After lots of action packed days we all enjoyed relaxing in the large, cosy sitting rooms.The house was huge, obviously well loved by its owners and extremely comfortable with large bedrooms and lots of bathrooms, in addition it had the most beautiful views.The owner is very obviously an expert homemaker! We all had the most relaxing, enjoyable week there and would definitely go back to this house and this part of the UK.
A home from home
A beautiful home and equally beautiful grounds (complete with bunnies!) – you don’t feel you are staying in a holiday rental. We had a wonderful family Easter break. Would certainly book Barnfield House again.
Perfection!
My family and I, 7 adults and 3 children had a truly amazing holiday in this beautiful house. Jenny is a wonderful host before, during and after our stay. A great communicator. From the moment we stepped through the front door we were made to feel home from home. Everything was there to make our retreat perfect. The weather was kind to us so we had fun in the garden with its large table and chairs and great BBQ equipment. The children loved playing with the ball games especially the badminton equipment. Highly recommended!
Relaxing and peaceful home from home
We stayed àt Barnfield House in June. We travelled with a family group aged from 19 through to 84 years. We all found the house to be a lovely, relaxing place to be and the many artifacts, photographs and artworks gave the house a unique feel. The gardens are mainly laid to lawn with mature trees which give the property a secluded feel. We loved watching the rabbits, squirell and birds and even saw a fox crossing the garden on one occassion! The terrace has the most lovely view which is shared by 3 of the 5 bedrooms, although all 5 bedrooms are very comfortable. The house is light and airy and comfortable to be in. The kitchen has eveything you need to prepare, cook and serve up a family meal. We wouldn’ t hesitate in returning and indeed hope one day soon to do so!
Evenings on the back deck looking over the countryside
We loved our stay at this very nice house set walking distance from Hawkhurst center. A great base for a tour of local castles, pubs, the beautiful countryside and easy access to London via the train as well as tons of local history. Our kids loved playing in the garden in the evenings, and we enjoyed coffee in the morning and wine in the evening on the back deck overlooking golden fields of wheat and mature oak trees. We even had a visit one evening from a stag and doe. The house is very nice, but the garden and its views make it special! We hope to be back 🙂
A marvellous house for a family stay
House and garden more than met our expectations. The house is beautifully furnished and equipped. The beautiful garden with its lovely view is a magnet for adults to relax and children to run and play. Hawkhurst is ideally situated for various day trips to the seaside, castles, lakes and charming villages or towns.
Evenings on the back deck looking over the countryside
We loved our stay at this very nice house set walking distance from Hawkhurst center. A great base for a tour of local castles, pubs, the beautiful countryside and easy access to London via the train as well as tons of local history. Our kids loved playing in the garden in the evenings, and we enjoyed coffee in the morning and wine in the evening on the back deck overlooking golden fields of wheat and mature oak trees. We even had a visit one evening from a stag and doe. The house is very nice, but the garden and its views make it special! We hope to be back 🙂
Cosy Welcoming Large Home, in Pastoral Setting
Excellent location as close to so many amenities and provides easy access to many villages, towns and the coast. Ideal for family get togethers as has numerous rooms for everyone to enjoy and lovely verandah to eat out on and take-in the lovely views surrounding.
A Holiday to Remember
A family party of eight, aged 38 – 92 all had a wonderful time at Barnfield House. We all enjoyed meal times gathered around the large kitchen table in the very well equipped kitchen and spent the day after arrival relaxing in the sunshine and exploring the large garden. The choices of lounges meant that you could watch TV or just relax and chat about where we had visited that day. Barnfield House is a very homely and comfortable place to stay and we all agree we will visit it again.
Beautiful Location, Fantastic House
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Barnfield House. The house itself was lovely and just the right size. The surrounding area is lovely and great with kids. Thank you so much, really relaxing break.
Great House with Amazing Views
There were 10 of us staying at Barnfield House with ages ranging from 1 to 81 and we had a fabulous week of family fun! We had a Tesco delivery to the house on our arrival day but there is a Tesco store just up the High Street if you need to shop and there is also a Waitrose in the town. In the house, there are two sitting rooms, enabling the quieter members of the family to spend time together, in our case over a jigsaw, whilst the rowdier lads could football in the TV room! There is also a small downstairs study with garden games and board games plus loads of books to read! The kitchen is well stocked too, each of the bedrooms are roomy, clean and comfortable – as is the whole house – and there were enough bathrooms and toilets to make our inter-generational stay easy and very comfortable. The outside space is amazing too, although ours was not a good week for weather which meant that we made full use of the inside space for most of our stay. Jenny, the owner was a great communicator throughout and nothing was too much trouble for her. Great house and garden, would definitely go back!
Our Fifth Stay At Barnfield House!
This is our fifth stay at Barnfield which speaks for itself. The house is lovely, big and spacious yet cosy with beautiful views over the Kent countryside. We are a group of six ladies who don’t usually venture far as we enjoy all the facilities that Barnfield has to offer, although some of us did venture out to the local Christmas Market which was lovely and festive. We are made to feel so welcome by Jenny and Philip and we are now looking forward to our sixth visit in 2018. Highly recommended.
Family Christmas At Barnfield House
We booked this lovely, spacious house for our extended family to get together over Christmas. It is within walking distance of Hawkhurst village with supermarkets, pubs, shops, playground, cafes etc. The accommodation is roomy, comfortable and furnished to a high standard. We enjoyed log fires in the log burner in the main lounge. The kitchen is well equipped and suited to those who like to cook; we were easily able to cook Christmas dinner for 8. There is a large utility room with an additional sink, a washing machine and tumble dryer. We arranged for a high chair and travel cot to be provided, and these were of good quality. The owners were very helpful and responsive.
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