This could easily be a country manor house. Instead, it's 500 metres from Highgate Village. The dream.
It is difficult to imagine that there are many hidden gems left in London these days. The city boasts a population of almost 9 million people, plus countless more tourists, who spend their days going To Things and taking pictures of them on their phones. You could argue that London is one of the most well-documented places on earth.
The front of the house as viewed from the street, with its private driveway.
Not so, say Savills, who have recently launched this late 17th century Grade II*-listed house in Highgate as one of London’s ‘hidden gems’. It is coming to the market for the first time in more than 40 years, with a guide price of £5.95 million.
The rear of the property, viewed from the extensive gardens.
What does that get you? Quite a lot, even for London. Identifying Highgate as ‘one of the nicer places to live in the capital’ is not exactly market insight, but that doesn’t make it any less true. And this is a proper family house.
The beautiful entrance hall.
The property comes with seven bedrooms and four reception rooms, with off-street parking for three cars. Outside, the property is relatively unassuming behind its brick façade. So it brings me great pleasure to lead you into the interiors.
One of the principal reception rooms on the ground floor.
With four reception rooms, and the property as a whole spread over three floors (plus a cellar), there is plenty of space. There is also, as Savills says, a ‘plethora of period detailing’, some of which is believed to date as far back as 1692.
This kitchen could be straight out of a farmhouse in Yorkshire.
We say this a lot, but this home really does look like someone dropped a country manor house inside the M25. Look at this wooden bathroom, for example.
No splashing.
Outside, the walled gardens are pretty large for a London home, with a large lawn, mature shrubs and trees, as well as a former kitchen garden.
The principal bedroom comes with some very groovy wallpaper and a balcony.
The property is situated on the western side of North Road, almost opposite Highgate School, and just 500 metres from Highgate Village, with its bountiful amenities, as well as Hampstead Heath, Waterlow Park and Highgate Woods.
The walled gardens.
Former neighbours of note? One springs to mind. Adjacent to the property is the former home of poet and scholar A. E. Housman.
3,600 acres on the shores of Loch Lomond in which to lose yourself and save the planet
The Stuckendroin Estate comprises enormous amounts of land on the shores of Loch Lomond, as well as two detached houses
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The Cellars is a blue-stone retreat, with astounding views over the Atlantic Ocean and easy access to the South West
