London E9Sold

Brookfield Road

Light pours through the panes of a grand sash window to fall on stained original floorboards

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This delightful apartment in Hackney’s Victoria Park Conservation Area occupies the ground floor of a handsome double-fronted residence dating to 1901. The home has been carefully arranged to make clever use of the plan and is adorned with period features, such as sash windows, panelled shutters and patinated floorboards. Brookfield Road runs perpendicular to the north side of Victoria Park, with its expansive green spaces, formal gardens and the offerings of the adjacent Victoria Park, Hackney Wick and Chatsworth Road all in short walking distance.

Setting the Scene

Victoria Park was laid out between 1842 and 1846 to designs by notable London planner and architect Sir James Pennethorne. Intended as a recreation ground for the people of the East End, the park is a fine example of a 19th-century pleasure garden. Paths meander through its curving lawns, trees are planted informally and lakes are implemented across the landscape.

The arrival of Victoria Park spurred the development of south Hackney, to the northern side of the park. Brookfield Road, along with several other streets, was laid out in 1855 for building as a freehold estate by the Suburban Villa and Village Association. For more information, please see the History section.

The Grand Tour

A flight of steps leads to the communal front door of the building, which is flanked by heavy piers and topped with an entablature and moulded cornice. The door opens to a shared hall, where the apartment’s private entrance is. Beyond is a hallway painted in a deep shade of red, with space for hanging up coats and kicking off shoes after a stroll in the park.

An open-plan living space extends beyond the hall. Victorian features in the sitting area characterise the space; a grand sash window with margin lights is fitted with embrasure shutters, and light pours through the panes to fall on darkly stained original floorboards that have recently been restored. The current owners have arranged a dining table to sit beneath the window, making a bright spot to enjoy a lazy weekend breakfast. At one side of the room, an intricate fireplace surround provides a wonderful focal point, and useful shelves are built into the alcoves on either side.

The kitchen is positioned at the rear of the plan, composed of timber cabinetry with a quartz worktop, a deep butler sink and a four-ring induction hob. Here, the walls are washed in ‘Setting Plaster’ by Farrow & Ball and finished with offset tiles.

From the sitting area, a pair of glazed doors open to the bedroom, creating a wonderful ambience as light floods the apartment from two sides. In the bedroom, there is a two-over-two sash window and built-in wardrobes that provide excellent storage. The shower room is also to the front of the plan.

Out and About

Brookfield Road is perfectly located between the pubs, shops, restaurants and Sunday markets of Victoria Park Village, Hackney Wick and Chatsworth Road. Victoria Park Village is home to a wonderful array of organic cafes, shops and delis including Ginger Pig butchers, The Deli Downstairs, Jonathan Norris fishmongers, Bottle Apostle wine merchants and Gail’s bakery. In addition, there are numerous excellent pubs and bars including the Lauriston, the Empress and the Royal Inn on the Park, and Bar Bruno.

Hackney Wick has seen a significant influx of cultural investment since the 2012 Olympics. There are numerous restaurants and bars including the award-winning Cornerstone, Silo and Crate Brewery. The Here East campus is a short walk away and operates as a co-working hub and cultural centre, while award-winning theatre and music venue The Yard is also close by.

The green spaces of the Olympic Park, Victoria Park and Hackney Downs are all within easy walking distance.

Homerton and Hackney Wick stations are equidistant, running London Overground services to Highbury & Islington (Victoria Line) in one direction, and Stratford International (Jubilee Line) in the other.

Tenure: Share of Freehold
Lease Length: Approx. 987 years remaining
Service Charge: Approx. £250 per annum
Ground Rent: N/A
Council Tax Band: B

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. Inigo has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.

History

During the latter part of the Saxon era, Hackney was encompassed within the boundaries of the Stepney manor and did not have an individual listing in the Domesday Book of 1086. Its name was recorded in 1198 as “Hacas ey“, a Saxon word meaning “a raised place in the marsh”. The first evidenced settlements among the fields of Hackney include villages to the north of present-day Victoria Park at Grove Street and at Well Street.

During the medieval period, south of the hamlet at Grove Street, lay a deer park belonging to Bishop Bonner. Following the Dissolution, the park became agricultural land and Rocque’s Map of 1745 shows the area populated with small fields and market gardens, and was eventually known as Bonner’s Fields by the 18th century. It wasn’t until the mid-19th century that the urban area around Grove Street began to expand as a result of the creation of Victoria Park just to the south.

Victoria Park was created after a mass petition signed by 30,000 people was presented to the Queen. It requested an open green space be made available for the ‘healthful recreation’ of the working class in the East End. In 1841 the Government passed the York House and Victoria Park Act, which allowed them to purchase 218 acres of land on which to lay out the park. Victoria Park was the first and largest of the new London parks of the era, designed by James Pennethorne of the Office of Works and opened to the public in 1846.