The rural idyll that was home to one the finest British actors of the 20th century for 60 years
‘An actor who knows his business ought to be able to make the London telephone directory sound enthralling.’ So said Sir Donald Sinden, the late British actor renowned for his distinctive voice, commanding stage presence and remarkable versatility. That voice was his greatest treasure, honed by a training exercise as a young actor in which he tested his lungs by making sure he could be heard while bellowing from a quarter of a mile away across the South Downs. The result is a voice that his one-time co-star Judi Dench described as ‘a Christmas pudding of a voice, soaked in brandy.’
Sinden — whose home is currently up for sale — reportedly fell into acting by chance during the Second World War, stepping into his cousin’s role in an amateur production. Before long, he was appearing in films in the 1950s alongside some of the era’s biggest stars. His credits included The Cruel Sea with Jack Hawkins, Mogambo with Clark Gable, Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly, and Doctor in the House and Doctor at Large with Dirk Bogarde.
(Image credit: Harding Green)
Sinden became a household name after the stellar start to his career, but raised his domestic profile still further in the 1970s and 1980s as he starred in the popular sitcoms Two’s Company and Never the Twain. In later years, he again became a familiar face on the small screen with his role in the legal drama, Judge John Deed.
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The screen might have brought the great fame but Sinden was happiest treading the boards, note least performing Shakespeare with the RSC. He sunk his teeth into a myriad of high-profile roles over the years, from the Duke of York in The Wars of the Roses and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, to King Lear, Malvolio in Twelfth Night, and Othello. For all that he still believed that comedy and farce are harder to do than tragedy. ‘Any old fool can play Hamlet,’ he once said, ‘but to succeed in farce is the highest accolade you can hope for.’
Donald Sinden pictured in 1977.
(Image credit: Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
His passion for theatre even extended to the props. According to the Guardian, Donald would regularly appear on stage with a treasured theatrical item: Henry Irving’s boots, Fred Terry’s eyeglass or John Martin Harvey’s hat apparently all found their way into his own props department.
He worked continuously — he claims to have only had five weeks of unemployment in 60 years — and earned a knighthood in 1997.
And throughout almost his entire career, there was once constant: the countryside idyll where he lived, a place with the unlikely name of Rat’s Castle, near Tenterden in Kent, which is for sale for £1,000,000 via Harding Green.
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Despite its title, Rat’s Castle is very much a house — albeit one with a rather extraordinary history, given that this is a man who rubbed shoulders with Dirk Bogarde and Richard Burton, and who counted Dench, Penelope Keith, and Ronnie Corbett.
Judi Dench and Donald Sinden at a photocall for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ in London, March 1976.
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The house is being sold reluctantly, with Sinden’s granddaughter, Harriet, having put it on the market. It’s a place that holds many happy memories of the Christmas, Easter and summer holidays she spent there as a child – and more recent times too. ‘The Easter egg hunts in the garden were epic,’ she says. ‘We have this huge hedgerow maze so the Easter bunny did very well hiding all the eggs there. And what’s nice is we’ve continued that with our kids as well.’
The house has clearly had something of a makeover since Sinden’s days at Rat’s Castle. This is no theatrical time warp. The period features are still very much there — exposed beams and lovely fireplaces. But the interiors are light, bright and modern.
(Image credit: Harding Green)
The kitchen and two reception rooms are the heart of the home. The walls are lined with bookshelves built by Sinden to accommodate his book collection. ‘There’s a bookshelf over the doors looking out over the terrace from the dining room that fits Shakespeare scripts — tiny ones — perfectly,’ says Harriet.
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She fondly remembers the family sitting around the dining room table doing crosswords together. ‘Being the youngest grandchild at the time, and living in a family of actors, trying to get a word in edgeways, was not the easiest thing,’ she laughs.
(Image credit: Harding Green)
Also on the ground floor are two bedrooms, a bathroom and a loo. Upstairs, there are three further bedrooms, each with their own bathroom.
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Outside, there’s a garden house which Harriet and her family used to call the rabbit hutch. It was, she says, Sinden’s man cave which was full of his theatrical memorabilia.
It’s still put to good use and ‘provides exceptional additional space, featuring a fully equipped games room, workspace, and flexible accommodation for guests’, according to Harding Green.
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The garden itself is quite the oasis, featuring a hot tub and far-reaching views of the surrounding countryside.
‘He put a lot of effort into the garden for my grandmother because she had great aspirations of matching Sissinghurst Castle Garden,’ says Harriet. ‘They actually planted the yew hedge. He admired his work of cutting the edges very straight.’
(Image credit: Harding Green)
Natasha Moore, of Harding Green, says: ‘What makes Rat’s Castle so remarkable is not simply its beauty, but the sense of history and creative spirit woven into its fabric.
‘Once the home of the celebrated actor Sir Donald Sinden, and distinguished by its coveted blue plaque, it has welcomed generations of family, friends, and fascinating guests, yet it remains wonderfully warm, welcoming, and unpretentious.
(Image credit: Harding Green)
‘Its wisteria-clad façade, elegant interiors, and breathtaking views across the Isle of Oxney are the epitome of idyllic English country life, while the generous accommodation, enchanting gardens, and versatile garden house make it exceptionally liveable.’
Rat’s Castle is for sale at £1,000,000 via Harding Green – see more details.
