Fairlawne

Fairlawne is a grand manor house in Plaxtol built with carefully dressed Kentish ragstone and featuring refined stone details at its corners. The building has an elegant covered entrance with three bays and classical columns that mark the formal character of the structure.

The estate was substantially reshaped between 1630 and 1655 under Sir Henry Vane, taking on much of its present form. Later alterations by Lord Barnard in 1680 and Lord Vane in 1723 added further refinements to the building.

The name Fairlawne comes from the open moorland that surrounds the estate. Today, the rooms reveal details of how residents lived through different periods, with woodwork and decorations that tell stories of the people who called it home.

The house sits on agricultural grounds outside the village center and is best reached by car or taxi. It is wise to check beforehand if visits are possible at specific times, as this is a private residence.

A remarkable seven-bay glass house built in the 1870s combines classical columns with an ingeniously designed barrel vault of glass. This structure shows how craftspeople merged traditional architecture with new building techniques for creating light-filled spaces.