Time seems to stand still at this sun drenched house on a hill with views over Hythe Bay.

The handsome ragstone property was built for the portly parliamentary sketch-writer Sir Henry Lucy. He was knighted in 1909 and died there in 1924 aged 78.

While the house was first known as Whitethorn when built in 1883, locals soon referred to it simply as Lucy’s and the name stuck.

The sea view is as impressive as it was in the days of the wealthy and childless Sir Henry, whose huge donations to charity included the founding of a lifeboat to save lives on these shores.

The five-bedroom property is now on the market with Lawrence & Co at £1.15m and comes with half an acre of established gardens and two double garages.

It has polished parquet flooring, a magnificent staircase, stone fireplaces, decorative friezes and ornate plasterwork cornices.

A drawing room and dining room both have a polished stone fireplace surround with carved detail. There is a study and a conservatory with a grapevine.

The kitchen/breakfast room leads to a utility room and a laundry room and the house has a downstairs cloakroom.The five bedrooms are all on the first floor, together with three bathrooms.

BLOB: For information ring Lawrence & Co 01303 266022