Reading (or the original Redyng) Street is steeped in history as it was originally established by Flemish refugees in the 17th century. The area includes distinctive architectural features on many of the fascinating flint covered Grade II listed buildings, reflecting the medieval influence. The individual and secluded character of the area increased even further in the 1800s when there was a focus on smuggling activities with many of the properties including underground tunnels.
So if character and history are top of your list one of these wonderful Grade II Listed buildings is the flint covered Rozine Cottage. It features Dutch gables at either end of the property and was granted the ‘Historic Building of Kent’ accolade with the red diamond shaped plaque proudly displayed on an outer wall. The property was originally built as two cottages in the 1600s and was renovated and extended in the early 1970s but still retains some fascinating original and period features that give it such a special character including exposed beams, oak doors and fireplaces.
The cottage is approached via a five bar gate leading to a driveway, bordered by high hedging and a dwarf flint wall, where you can park three cars. It leads to two adjacent and interlinked garages with workshop facilities, including one with a useful inspection pit. However, it could be possible to convert the garages into an annexe for family members or as a holiday let, subject to the appropriate planning permissions.
The main front door opens into a hall with a second staircase to the first floor and a cloakroom and leads to the gorgeous dual aspect dining room with multi-pane French doors to the garden and where guests and family members will want to linger over their meal enjoying the ambience created by the feature brick wall and exposed beams. This wonderful ambience is enhanced even further when you walk into the impressive and characterful sitting room with its original beams, fabulous inglenook fireplace with inset seating, two external doors to the driveway reflecting its past as two cottages, and an archway to the dual aspect kitchen/breakfast room.
This has a small entrance to the cellar that goes under the sitting room that is dry and high enough to stand up in so could always be converted into a study, cinema or bar/games room. The kitchen/breakfast room includes high quality units housing integrated and stand-alone appliances with space for a large table and chairs as well as access to the dining room and the garden.
The second staircase provides access to a dual access double bedroom and the family shower room with a recently installed large walk-in shower, an airing cupboard and eaves storage. A corridor in the original building has a vaulted ceiling, exposed beams and plenty of eaves storage and leads to a beamed third bedroom and to the second double bedroom that has ceiling beams, a fireplace and fitted cupboards, while the original landing includes the main staircase to the ground floor and stairs to the second floor. Here you will find a large double bedroom that leads through to a dressing room with a partially vaulted ceiling that has a vanity basin, so could have an en suite installed.
Outside the large garden wraps around two sides of the property and is mainly laid to lawn with trees and shrub borders.
- A charming Grade II listed detached property
- Double garage and gated driveway
- Spacious wraparound garden
- Origins from the 1600s with many period features still in situ
- Idyllic village location with local shops and transport
- Early possession possible as no onward chain
This historic property has been in our family for the past 54 years and is now sadly only being sold for health reasons. When it was purchased in 1971 the property was in a very dilapidated state and over the next few years it was renovated and extended to include the kitchen/breakfast room, dining room, hall, second staircase and a bedroom and bathroom upstairs. In order to be allowed to do this we had to ensure that a replica of the original rear Dutch gable would be included. We also put secondary glazing on the windows and reshaped part of the Kent peg tiled roof to provide more headroom, otherwise we were very careful to retain the historic features that gives this lovely family home its special character. Out of interest, it is called Rozine Cottage because apparently it was a shop in the 1900s run by a lady called Rozine.
Reading Street is a very friendly community with a variety of activities in the village hall and the White Swan pub that has its origins dating back to 1760 but was rebuilt in 1913. We are close to Joss Bay and there are lovely walks across the field to the lighthouse and along the beautiful coastline. Broadstairs town centre is only about a mile away with its variety of individual shops, bars and excellent restaurants, theatre and cinema as well as sandy beaches and annual events such as Folk Week, the Dickens Festival and the Food Fair.
Another advantage of Broadstairs and nearby Ramsgate is that they include some very good primary, secondary, grammar and private schools while the high speed trains from Broadstairs station can whisk you to London in under an hour and a half. If you want a bit more in depth retail therapy there is the nearby Westwood Cross shopping centre with its shops, restaurants, a casino and the Vue cinema complex. For the energetic there are plenty of sports clubs available including squash, tennis, bowls, cricket and rugby as well as the renowned North Foreland golf club for golfing aficionados.
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