Australian Cottage

A paired-back renovation reveals the house's handsome and timeworn Victorian fibres

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This wonderful three-bedroom, double-fronted house lies on on St Peter’s Road in Margate, Kent, and has an extensive south-facing garden at its rear. The home’s interiors have undergone a simple and pared-back renovation, exposing many of its Victorian bones in the process. It sits equidistant from the verdant delights of Dane Park and Dane Valley Woods and is a short walk from Margate’s cultural and culinary highlights, as well as its much-loved beach.

Setting the Scene

Margate was once a small fishing village. ‘Meregate’ had a large, partly 12th-century church – St John’s – set on a hill with a track leading down to a cluster of houses around the harbour. The local fishing industry gave way to an increasing popularity for sea bathing in the 1730s, which sparked the growth of Margate as a fashionable resort, praised for its fine sand that extends several miles either side of the original harbour. Hoys, or sailing vessels, later steamships and eventually trains all brought visitors down to its restorative coastline from London.

A short walk from the house and built in 1845 by John Holman, the nearby Draper’s Mill was run by wind until 1916 and by engine until the late 1930s. It was saved from demolition and is now restored and open to the public, standing as a sterling example of an early Victorian smock mill.

The Grand Tour

Australian Cottage is set back from St Peter’s Road behind a smart privet hedge and has off-street parking. A green-painted front door is set centrally into the building’s red-brick façade, with a bay window on one side. Inside, a long hallway leads the eye directly to the mature garden at the rear.

On one side lies an expansive and bright dual-aspect living/dining room. Stretching the whole depth of the house, it has beautiful French doors at the far end that lead directly onto the patio terrace and the garden beyond. The space is grounded by original Victorian floorboards and has two fireplaces, both stripped back to brick. At the front is an exposed bay window, restored to reveal its original grain; as is the case across the house, the sash windows inset are double glazed.

The kitchen has an industrial quality to it that embodies the renovation’s overarching light-touch approach. Stainless-steel units face the sash window, adjacent to a brick fireplace alcove. A Fisher and Paykel fridge and a freestanding oven are set within, while a handy scullery sits to one side with a beautiful marble countertop and sink with copper taps. There is a WC at this level and separate laundry area with tongue-and-groove panelling.

Upstairs is home to three double bedrooms and a shower room. The principal room has its own freestanding bathtub tucked in the corner for a luxuriously private soak as well as peaceful garden views. The other two double rooms both have built-in shelving, one of which has walls finished in a patinated raw plaster.

The house is currently used as a successful holiday let; more information can be provided on request.

The Great Outdoors

The terrace immediately abutting the house is a perfect south-facing spot for dining in the warmer months, with direct access from the living room, hallway and scullery. Beyond the terrace is an impressively long stretching lawn, softly interrupted with mature bushes and trees that make it an oasis for wildlife and birds. There’s also a useful garden shed discreetly sited at the rear.

Out and About

The seaside town of Margate is renowned for its creative community, exemplified by Turner Contemporary. Synonymous with the town and visually unmistakable, the building was designed by architect David Chipperfield. It is a brilliant art space, with far-reaching views over the sea, named after landscape painter J. M. W. Turner, who went to school in Margate and would later return to the town throughout his life. He called its skies and sunsets “the loveliest in Europe”. Bolstering Margate’s thriving artistic scene, Carl Freedman Gallery and The Tracey Emin Foundation/TKE Studios are also 13 minutes from the house on foot.

Beautiful Dane Park with its ornamental fountain, mature trees and vast green spaces is less than less than half a mile away, as well as a short walk to Margate beach and the seafront in the other direction; the community sauna here is a popular local spot.

Margate Old Town and its host of numerous restaurants, including Angela’s, a sustainable seafood bistro and its fun-loving sister Dory‘s; Sargasso is a fantastic wine bar with a seasonally changing menu and the family run Bottega Caruso for homemade Italian cuisine. For keen cooks, further foodie highlights can be found at the International food centre, Oast bakery and the monthly farmers market.

For live music, Where Else is a highly regarded music venue. Margate is also famous for Dreamland, a vintage theme park with rides, musical events and a drive-in cinema. It also runs a rich and celebrated musical programme throughout the summer season. Don’t Miss Margate is a go-to for discovering local events. The Carlton in Westgate is a family-run cinema showing a mix of blockbuster and independent films across three screens.

Margate is home to many independent shops such as Werkhaus, the Margate Bookshop and the Margate-born sustainable beauty brand People Care. Planet Care. There is a plethora of walking routes such as the Viking Coastal Trail, an eight-mile trail that links the towns of Ramsgate, Broadstairs and Margate along Kent’s cliffs and beaches.

For health and fitness, the Walpole Bay Tidal Pool and community sauna as well as That Running Club run a range of events, or for mindfulness, Turner Contemporary hosts a series of sound baths, guided meditation and yoga.

The nearby coastal towns of Broadstairs and Ramsgate are also well known for their array of pubs, restaurants, and independent shops, as are Herne Bay and Whitstable, which are just slightly further afield.

The town has excellent links to London, with trains from Margate to London St Pancras in under 90 minutes or London Victoria in around 95. There are trains to Canterbury in half an hour. Connections to Europe are also very good, with the Eurotunnel running to Calais from Folkestone.

Council Tax Band: D

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.