An Art Deco 'sailor's paradise' in Suffolk with glorious views across the water

An Art Deco house in one of Suffok’s most enticing towns has come to the market. Penny Churchill reports.

The gem in Suffolk’s crown, the vibrant market town of Woodbridge on the banks of the River Deben, eight miles from the coast, has a proud maritime history.

It’s been a centre for boat-building, rope-making and sail-making since medieval times. And today, sailing on the tidal waters of the Deben, Alde and Orwell is a favourite pastime for local residents. Houses with views of, or access to the water, command premium prices.

And no house could have finer views of the water than Kings Knoll, a 1930s house described as a ‘sailor’s paradise’ in the village of Broomheath, a couple of miles along from Woodbridge itself.

It’s an Art Deco Modern house which boasts panoramic southerly views over its own four acres of recently landscaped gardens and grounds and across Martlesham Creek to the River Deben.

Savills in Ipswich quote a guide price of £2.5 million for the 5,033sq ft, seven-bedroom house, built in 1933 to the design of Hilda Mason ARIBA, a noted architect in her day.

During their seven-year tenure, the owners have made a number of judicious alterations to the house – upgrading boilers, windows, the kitchen and bathrooms, reconfiguring the master suite and redecorating throughout.

The house retains a real period feel inside, something which is helped by the clever choice of furniture and fittings. But the appeal goes way beyond such concerns: there’s a wonderful sense that everything about the place was conceived from the start to make the most of the spectacular views.