Set behind wrought-iron gates on a generous plot, The Old Retreat House is an Edwardian property of unusual character, built in 1905 and quietly layered with over a century of history. Originally constructed as a place of conducted retreat for the Holy Cross Order, the house has since passed through a succession of incarnations, each leaving its imprint, from the stained glass artist who once lived here and used the adjoining Chapel as a studio, to the wartime years when a 36-person air raid shelter was carved out beneath the grounds. What remains today is a seven-bedroom family home of remarkable scale and warmth, extending to over 5,000 square feet and combining the proportions of a country house with the convenience of an in-town address.

The arrival is gracious. The sweeping gravel drive leads to the front door with a tile-floored entrance hall, where an arched inner doorway draws the eye through to a curved staircase rising beneath a leaded glass clerestory. To one side, the drawing room is a generous formal space with intricate cornicing, and a beautifully tiled fireplace, the kind of detail that anchors a room without dominating it. Next, the sitting room with its Art Nouveau tiled fireplace and the snug which has beautiful views of the garden.
The dining room has windows on three sides, its sash windows framing the striped lawn beyond and its panelled walls picked out in a confident deep red. The herringbone parquet underfoot and the brick fireplace lend the space a real sense of occasion.

At the heart of the ground floor sits the kitchen/breakfast room which opens out through French doors to a sheltered veranda. Hand-painted Plain English shaker style cabinetry in soft duck egg blue sits beneath solid timber worktops. Twin larders for proper provisioning then lead through to the laundry room with a classic chequerboard floor underfoot and matching additional kitchen units and workspace which makes light work of the practical side of running a house of this size. A cloakroom and WC complete the ground floor.
The first floor centres on a galleried landing, lit by leaded windows and finished with the same warm pairing of soft cream and sage green that runs through the lower hall. Four bedrooms sit on this level. The principal bedroom has an en-suite in the turreted corner, and views across the North Downs. Bedroom two enjoys a fireplace and a bay window with window seat and views across the garden, while two further double bedrooms share a family bathroom.

Climbing to the second floor reveals three further bedrooms tucked beneath the eaves, served by their own bathroom. These are characterful, light-filled rooms with sloping ceilings and sash windows looking out across the treetops, well suited as guest quarters, children's bedrooms, or a self-contained top floor for older teenagers.

Below ground, the cellar offers useful storage, while the former air raid shelter (accessed separately) has been converted into a generous workshop and wine store, a quiet nod to the property's wartime past and a practical addition for anyone with a hands-on hobby or a serious cellar to keep.

Outside, the gardens are the property's other great pleasure. The half-acre plot has been beautifully landscaped with mature planting, a manicured lawn, and different patio areas which allow you to follow the sun throughout the day. A York stone terrace runs along the back elevation, with a sheltered veranda strung with festoon lights, while an Alitex greenhouse leads to a kitchen garden of raised beds.

Located in Oxted, the property combines a quiet, established setting with quick access to the High Street, mainline rail services to London, and the open countryside of the Surrey Hills beyond.