London SE10£1,500,000 Freehold

Ballast Quay

Elegant sash windows capture views that stretch from the home's history-laden surroundings towards the dramatic cityscape in the distance

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This exquisite five-storey Georgian house sits on a particularly picturesque section of the River Thames in Greenwich, south-east London. Grade II-listed, its finishes are homely and gentle, opting for a palette of rich colours and roster of natural materials to enhance its handsome bones. An enchanting private garden unfurls at the rear, chock-full with mature trees and perennial plants, while a private, residents-only garden sits at the fore. The River Thames’ footpath runs in front of the house, guiding westwards towards the village-like delights of central Greenwich and eastwards towards the Millennium Dome.

Setting the Scene

‘Ballast Quay’ is what the area has been known as since at least the 1660s, when it was featured on Samuel Travers’ map of the Royal Manor of Greenwich, though it is thought that its name comes from an earlier trade of ballasting ships with gravel from local pits brought down from the hill of Blackheath behind. Following the Act of Union of 1800, the area was known as Union Wharf before readopting its original name in the mid-20th century.

Built in the early 1800s, the houses in Ballast Quay can be seen on Wyld’s map of 1827. Grade II-listed since 1973, the home is a stellar example of the period’s architecture, with subtle, almost undetectable later additions. A wealth of original features can be spotted inside, from working cast-iron fireplaces to honey-hued oak floorboards that bear some evidence of their seafaring provenance. For more information, see the History section.

The Grand Tour

Formed of London stock brick and white-framed sash windows, the house’s slimline frontage is striking, belying the colourful interiors within. Atop a stone step, the front door has polished brass handles on either side and is painted Amsterdam green. A glazed curved fanlight casts light into the entrance hallway, where the joinery has been painted a playful blue. Original oak floorboards run underfoot across much of the home.

At the front of the ground floor is a reception space currently configured as a dining room. Light enters through a six-over-six sash window – an excellent spot for watching the day-to-day goings-on along the river. A distinguished, almost Bloomsbury-esque yellow patterned paper from The Designers’ Guild lines the walls and a cast-iron fireplace with brilliant tiles sits to one side.

The kitchen is at the rear, with artisan-crafted pine units, a teak wood drainer and worktop and plenty of space to display glassware in glazed hung cupboards. Reclaimed tiles form a splash-back behind the hob, next to a tall sash window above a deep butler’s sink. The view is to the garden, the greenery of which complements the sage-painted walls within.

A cerulean-painted staircase winds its way through the house, uniting each of the five storeys. The basement storey downstairs houses a creative workroom and a utility space.

The sitting room is currently arranged at the front of the first floor, with an orange paper similar to that of the dining space, also from The Designers’ Guild. A sash window with wonderful river and city views is opposite a cast-iron fireplace, the mantel of which provides a handy spot to arrange postcards and photographs. If necessary, the room would make for a wonderful fourth bedroom.

Across the remaining two storeys are three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The bedroom currently used as the principle is a masterclass in colour, with a royal blue paper from The Designers’ Guild along each of its walls, its rich hue enhanced by the copious natural light. An additional cast-iron fireplace can be found here.

In the third back bedroom is an original fire surround that has been decoratively painted by the current owners. Upstairs, the sensitively converted loft is home to a similarly well-proportioned bedroom with casement windows offering sweeping views of the river bend.

There are bathrooms on the first and third storeys; the former has a bathtub with a surround of handmade Portuguese tiles, while the latter has a walk-in shower. Cohesive with the rest of the home, both have blue schemes that nod to the area’s nautical past.

The Great Outdoors

A delightful garden sits at the rear of the house, accessed via double doors. Its borders teem with established shrubs and plants, including Japanese maple and lilac trees, and a climbing rose that covers what was once a lavatory outhouse and is now a potting shed.

Residents of Ballast Quay also have access to a private residents’ garden opposite. A treasure trove of plantings, the green space is a wonderful spot to relax in on a summers day, or to sit and read in the shade cast by a stately London plane tree. The garden is also home to a glass-fronted greenhouse. An indication of the strong sense of community that prevails, the Quay’s residents join together annually to open the garden to the public, baking and serving cakes to raise money for charity.

Out and About

Ballast Quay is ideally situated for the area’s plethora of cultural and culinary attractions. Closest are the historic Georgian riverside pub The Cutty Sark (which sits next to the house), the noteworthy Pelton Arms, and the wine store and bar, Theatre of Wine. A 10-minute stroll along the banks of the Thames brings one to the heart of Greenwich, where attractions abound, namely the National Maritime Museum, the Royal Observatory and Greenwich Park. Dining options here include the bustling Trafalgar Tavern, an outpost of Sticks’n’Sushi and Goddard’s Pie and Mash shop. Slightly further afield, a pleasurable walk up the hill and across the heath is Blackheath Village, which offers a range of local restaurants, delicatessens, and a weekly farmers’ market on Sundays.

There are plenty of state-run primary schools in the area, along with a handful of good secondary options. There are also stellar private options nearby, including Blackheath High School GDST, Blackheath Prep, and Heath House.

Maze Hill station is the closest and runs Thameslink services to London Canon Street and Luton. Alternatively, the DLR runs from Cutty Sark to Canary Wharf in one direction and to Bank in the other. The Jubilee line connects North Greenwich and the peninsula with central London destinations. The Thames Clipper provides a picturesque river journey to Tower Bridge, Embankment and beyond – including to the Tate museums. By road, the A2 links to the M25.

Council Tax Band: F

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

The history of the land that Ballast Quay is sited on can be traced back to the rule of Alfred the Great when, in 918, it was gifted by Aelfrida, Alfred’s daughter, to the monks of the Abbey of St Peter in Ghent. In 1414, the land was repossessed by Henry V and became part of the Royal Manor of Greenwich. It was an important location for successive generations of royals: Elizabeth I was born in the Royal Palace of Placentia, that formerly stood by the river on the Royal Naval College site.

Ballast Quay sits on land owned by the charity Morden College, founded in 1695 to care for the retired ‘Turkey Merchants’ – elderly former members of the Levant Company set up in the reign of Elizabeth I to maintain trade and political alliance with the Ottoman Empire. Sir John Morden bought the land in 1698, and the charity’s first tenants were the individual developers who had worked on the wharfs and built houses.

Read more about the history of Ballast Quay here.