The Old Church Hall

Modern and stylish with a touch of what you might call industrial chic, The Old Church Hall can, at first, feel at odds with its name. This is no fusty old stone building and apart from the sign and the proximity to ancient St Mary Magdalene Church, what else is there to suggest this building’s former use? The double-height ceiling in the open-plan living space is the first clue. It strikes you as soon as you enter and while it’s now overlooked by a mezzanine family bedroom, it would have once echoed with voices at after-service teas. Look down at the floor as you pour yourself a glass of wine at the kitchen area’s central island – and you’ll notice the original floorboards have been retained. Scuffed and marked by the shoes of who-knows-how-many scouts who used the building as their meeting place for decades, their restoration adds to the charm. And there’s more, if you look. Those tin lampshades and retro coat hooks? They came with the building; a clapboard construction that was donated to the church some 90 years ago.

But that’s enough of the history, what about now? A full-scale refurbishment recently rescued The Old Church Hall from 20 years of neglect and it’s now a self-catering cottage with space for eight. It’s a dog-friendly, sociable place that’s just over an hour from London. Still at the physical heart of the village of Ruckinge, it’s tucked between houses and, although it only has limited outside space, it’s been put to good use with a pizza oven for guests to use. A couple of families or trio of couples would fill this space well – with the open-plan kitchen-living room the perfect place to catch up over board games and cooking. There are two double bedrooms, that mezzanine family room (sleeping three) and a cosy twin along with three bathrooms.

Beyond the church, which is well worth a look, the village of Ruckinge is little more than a cluster of houses on the road that runs through it, linking the historic towns of Hythe and Tenterden (about 10 miles in either direction). The location counters The Old Church Hall’s limited outdoor space with its proximity to wild open ones. It’s a lovely place for walking with the Romney Marsh a short stroll away, stretching all the way to beaches including the shingle at Dungeness and the sand at Camber. There's countryside and woods behind, homely pubs within hiking distance and plenty of family friendly attractions a drive away too. Port Lympne Reserve Wild Animal Park, the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway and The Rare Breeds Centre are all good ones. For grown-up distractions, this is wine country with Gusbourne and Chapel Down vineyards the closest and best-known.