London SW9Sold

Burnley Road

An elegant London townhouse with high ceilings, and light-filled rooms

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Set in the middle of the Stockwell Park Conservation Area is this immaculate four-bedroom Victorian house with a lovely garden. Internal accommodation exceeds 1,900 sq ft and is arranged over four floors. The house has been comprehensively renovated by the current owners, who have cleverly reconfigured the spaces while celebrating the house’s original features. Shaded from the road by a crab apple tree, the home is wonderfully private and is filled with light thanks to its south-facing position.

Setting the Scene

The register reveals that the plots of Burnley Road and neighbouring St Michael’s and St Martin’s were laid out and sold off in 1862. In the years after, they were built to an agreed pattern by various private developers. This was in the middle of a Victorian building boom in south London, driven mainly by new bridges and railway lines across the Thames, providing a better connection with the rest of the city.

Arranged in classically proportioned three-storey terraces, the houses have raised ground floors rendered with stucco. The upper floors are London stock brick. Victorian houses masquerading as Georgian homes, the façades are finished with decorative Italianate details.

Over the years, the current owners have made many changes to the house, reconfiguring it to suit their needs and to take advantage of the light on the south side of the house. It was thoroughly refurbished in 2019. For more information, please see the History section.

The Grand Tour

Entry to the house is on the raised ground floor, straight into a wide hallway. On the left, the drawing room runs the length of the house. Benefitting from tall sash windows on each side, flanked by their original shutters, the room is bathed in light throughout the day. This wonderful quality of light is maximised by the white-painted walls, crowned by cornicing and complemented by narrow oak floorboards. An original marble fireplace has the potential of being a working fire.

Stairs descend to the lower-ground floor, where a kitchen is positioned at the front of the house, taking advantage of its south-facing orientation. Zinc worktops are set against smart grey-painted cabinetry, with glazed cupboards above that are perfect for storing crockery. More cabinetry runs along one wall; inspired by a Parisian bar, it is also topped with zinc with a distinctive patina. The same narrow floorboards as the living room are found underfoot. A door from here opens straight into the front garden.

A wonderful snug is found where the original kitchen used to be. Painted a rich duck egg blue by Farrow and Ball, the room has been clad in floor-to-ceiling bookshelves on two sides, and elegant panelling has been applied to the other walls. It has been a brilliant library and study over the years. There is also a useful utility room with a guest WC on this floor.

The first floor is home to the principal bedroom. Another incredibly bright south-facing room, it has wonderfully high ceilings. It shares the same narrow floorboards and new column radiators found throughout the house. An en suite shower room, clad in matt ceramic mosaic tiles, is lined with built-in shelves.

A separate bathroom is also found on this floor, where a luxurious bath has a marble surround and a chrome rainfall shower above. The sink is set on a freestanding marble-topped vanity in front of a window, which frames views over the garden.

The top floor comprises three further bedrooms, two generous double bedrooms, and a smaller room currently used as a study.

The Great Outdoors

The rear garden is a wonderful oasis, comprising a paved area closest to the house, perfect for eating outdoors. The rest combines grass, beautifully planted borders, and climbers. Surrounded by walls and fencing, the garden feels private and offers a good view of the back of the terrace and the sweet-smelling wisteria that climbs the house.

Out and About

Situated between the busier hubs of Brixton, Clapham and Vauxhall, Stockwell is known as ‘Little Portugal’ for its large and diverse Portuguese-speaking community. The area has several good pubs, including the local favourite, The Canton Arms, and a short distance to the south is The Landor, with its large garden. Brixton, a lively area known for its excellent food and bar scene, is within easy reach, where Brixton Village, Market Row and Acre Lane are all highly recommended destinations. The Ritzy Cinema, Electric Brixton and Brixton O2 Academy are much-loved institutions. There are also regular farmer’s markets in Brixton and Oval.

The Stockwell Park Residents’ Association is very active, and holds events throughout the year.

Slade Gardens, off Stockwell Park Road, is a five minute walk from the house, with its children’s play area, adventure playground and One O’Clock Club.

The beautiful Myatts Fields Park is a 15-minute stroll towards Camberwell, and for more expansive walks, the open fields of Burgess Park and Battersea Park are a 30-minute walk east and west, respectively. There are tennis courts, a café and a lake at Burgess Park. The beautiful Battersea Park has an extensive frontage and riverside promenade to the Thames, where wide, tree-lined avenues meander around a large boating lake and through open lawned areas.

Stockwell station is approximately four minutes’ walk for Victoria and Northern Line services to Oxford Circus, London Bridge, Waterloo and Kings Cross.

Council Tax Band: C

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

Stockwell’s name was first recorded in 1197 and referred to a tree stump beside a well-spring. A now-demolished manor was built on the north side of the green at the centre of the settlement, with a well on the other side.

In 1838, William Cox of Kennington started to develop the area as a high-class estate. Later, several public, philanthropic institutions arrived, including an orphanage and college.

On Burnley Road, both sides of the street are still intact, with few external changes since they were built and no bomb damage during the war. The road’s most famous resident was Violette Szabo, GC, the Special Operations Executive agent who was captured and executed by the Gestapo in Ravensbruck on the 5th of February 1945, aged 23.