A moated manor dating back to the days of Edward II which features a working drawbridge has been put up for sale for an eye-watering £4.5m.

The Manor of Wachenden, on the outskirts of Biddenden near Tenterden, features a grand and lavish home, oast house, barn and cottage on a farmland plot the size of 48 football pitches.

The sprawling property has now hit the market, while surveyors say the new owners may be able to generate income by letting out one or more of the buildings.

“This is a property where you can literally pull up the drawbridge and leave the world behind,” said Alex Cornwallis, director of BTF Partnership, the property experts handling the sale.

“This is a truly unique property with a real ‘wow’ factor as you come down the sweeping drive in the heart of the Weald of Kent.

“The property has considerable flexibility for the new owner who might be looking to generate an income from the existing residential properties and barn or for someone who just wants the peace and privacy of their own space, surrounded by their own land.

“There are not many places like Washenden left in Kent and I believe it will not take too long for someone to fall for its charm, tranquillity and position.”

Ownership documents of the Manor of Wachenden date back to 1313, while the Grade II-listed manor house was first built in the 17th century.

The 4,530 sq ft house boasts three reception rooms and six bedrooms with historical architecture features, such as old wooden beams throughout the building, which is surrounded by a water-filled moat.

Beyond the aqueous boundary lies a three-bedroom oast house, over 2000 sq ft in floorspace, with an attached garage and farm workshop.

At the end of a long drive way sits a smaller, cottage about half that size, but planning permission has already been granted to replace the structure with a larger, four-story home.