Anthony Eden's war-time Grade II-listed farmhouse estate complete with the six acres of gardens where he built anti-aircraft guns and a makeshift bomb shelter in the cellar goes on the market for £1.95million

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  • Winston Churchill lived at the property near Elham in Kent during World War II

Anthony Eden’s war-time Grade II-listed farmhouse estate complete with the six acres of gardens where he built anti-aircraft guns and a makeshift bomb shelter in the cellar has gone on the market for £1.95million. 

The then Secretary of State for War rented Park Gate, near Elham in Kent, in 1940 to give him a ‘front seat’ view of the English Channel and the frontline airfields during the Second World War. 

While Anthony Eden stayed at the Grade II Listed Park Gate near Elham in Kent, he hosted notable figures including Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax and US First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. 

The concrete slabs for the anti-aircraft guns can still be seen in the nearly six acres of gardens and there is a fortified partition built as a makeshift bomb shelter in the cellar.

At the time the property was owned by a friend of Eden’s who regularly attended the local church with his first wife Beatrice. His time there came to an abrupt end when details of his location were apparently leaked to the Germans.

Winston Churchill rented Park Gate, near Elham in Kent, in 1940 to give him a 'front seat' view of the English Channel

Winston Churchill rented Park Gate, near Elham in Kent, in 1940 to give him a ‘front seat’ view of the English Channel

Outside the immaculate gardens include apple and cherry trees, a walled herb garden, two paddocks, an all-weather tennis court (pictured) and a fish pond with ornamental waterfall

Outside the immaculate gardens include apple and cherry trees, a walled herb garden, two paddocks, an all-weather tennis court (pictured) and a fish pond with ornamental waterfall

The main house has over 5,000 sq ft of accommodation over three floors

The main house has over 5,000 sq ft of accommodation over three floors

Winston Churchill rented Park Gate in 1940 to give him a 'front seat' view of the English Channel and the frontline airfields

Winston Churchill rented Park Gate in 1940 to give him a ‘front seat’ view of the English Channel and the frontline airfields

A bombing raid in 1941 narrowly missed the property soon after a visit from Churchill. A similar looking timbered house in the village was bombed, believed to have been mistaken by the Luftwaffe for Park Gate.

Park Gate was built around 1460 and retains many attractive architectural features including exposed beams, inglenook fireplaces and oak floorboards.

The main house has over 5,000 sq ft of accommodation over three floors, with a kitchen/breakfast room, dining room, drawing room, sitting room and study on the ground floor, six bedrooms and three bathrooms on the first floor and two more bedrooms on the second floor.

Outside the immaculate gardens include apple and cherry trees, a walled herb garden, two paddocks, an all-weather tennis court and a fish pond with ornamental waterfall.

There is a stable block and hay store that can accommodate several horses, a spacious drive-through garage, two thatched pavilions, and a one-bedroom cottage where Eden’s chauffeur lived during the war.

There is a stable block and hay store that can accommodate several horses, a spacious drive-through garage

There is a stable block and hay store that can accommodate several horses, a spacious drive-through garage

Park Gate was built around 1460 and retains many attractive architectural features including exposed beams, inglenook fireplaces and oak floorboards

Park Gate was built around 1460 and retains many attractive architectural features including exposed beams, inglenook fireplaces and oak floorboards

The property is a mile outside the village of Elham, in the heart of the Kent Downs.

Alastair Hancock, regional director for Jackson Stops Kent and East Sussex, who are selling the property, said: ‘Park Gate is a lovely house in a beautiful spot.

‘It’s a lovely secluded hamlet and you’ve got land around you but there’s a high speed service at Ashford that takes you into London in 38 minutes.

‘The house is 15th century with later additions so it’s got variation of character within it.

‘During World War II Park Gate was the family home of Anthony Eden and Sir Winston Churchill visited him here. There are still traces of its wartime use there – the gun emplacements used to defend the house from enemy aircraft can still be seen in the gardens and there is a partition for a bomb shelter in the cellar.

‘Some buyers will really appreciate those historic elements.’