This three-bedroom converted mews house lies in a leafy part of Fallowfield, Manchester, built c.1860 and converted in the mid-20th century. Filled with natural light, the low-build house makes the most of its position, with all rooms overlooking a private, landscaped garden. Enclosed in an arboreal plot, the house is accessed along a private gravelled driveway and has parking for two cars. Fallowfield is wonderfully located; equidistant from Manchester’s city centre and Didsbury, the area has many much-loved local amenities and public parks. Local buses run to the city centre regularly, taking as little as 10 minutes.
Setting the Scene
Originally the coaching mews for Beaumont House, the house is a perfect example of vernacular domestic architecture. Low, broad and utilitarian, the coach house sat behind the much grander main house that faced Wilmslow Road. The current owners have a series of deeds and land registry documents dating back to 1861, when a Mr William Hatton Egerton leased the plot of land for the building of the main house and ancillary mews behind. For more information, please see the History section below.
The Grand Tour
The façade of the house is built from Victorian stock brick more recently refreshed with a wash of white paint. Entry to the home is via a glazed porch to the front, which acts as a boot room and windbreak. Beyond is a sunny hallway with stairs to the first floor; hardy terracotta tiles run underfoot and the space has exposed brick arches leading to the reception room next door.
The main reception space is bathed in natural light from patio doors that run the width of the room; terracotta tiles continue underfoot here. An original chimney breast houses a wood-burning stove and the room has been finished in neutral whites and greens.
Ahead is a large open-plan kitchen currently configured to have a dining space. The space has direct access to the garden via glazed doors and has been designed to mimic the colours of the garden with glossy cabinetry and tiles in British racing green. With open cabinetry and shelving, the space is perfect for cooking and entertaining. Beyond is a utility room with a separate WC.
A large bedroom lies at the far end of the plan with direct access to the garden, while at the opposite end of the house is an artist’s studio or study.
Ascending to the first floor, there are two large bedrooms and a family bathroom. The larger of the two bedrooms occupies the corner end of the plan and has dual-aspect windows overlooking the garden. The bathroom has been finished with bright floral wallpaper and has a twin vanity, WC and bath with an overhead shower.
The Great Outdoors
Externally, the house sits in a secluded, off-road garden bursting with greenery. A private driveway leads to a covered parking area and the garden beyond. Established trees encircle the plot, which is laid out with a mixture of ornamental grasses, ferns and the glorious wisteria that covers the house. Flagged and gravelled pathways lead between colourful flowerbeds and seating areas, while a potting shed sits at the end of the garden.
Out and About
Wilmslow Road is superbly located for the local amenities in Fallowfield including coveted eateries, celebrated pubs and the peaceful wonders of Ladyburn and Platt Fields Parks. The local cooperative, Platt Fields Market Garden supplies a number of neighbourhood restaurants with fresh produce. Their café and a farm shop are open to the public and are perfectly located for a post-coffee stroll across the verdant park. Haus is an ever-popular spot for brunch – later in the day, they serve excellent woodfired pizza and a diverse cocktail menu.
Manchester’s city centre is accessible in less than 20 minutes by car or half an hour by bus and has an ever-expanding array of restaurants and bars as well as playing host to some of the country’s best-loved and most renowned music venues.
The nearest station is Mauldeth Road, serviced by the Styal line operating between Manchester Airport and Manchester Piccadilly, reached in 20 and 17 minutes respectively.
Council Tax Band: B
History
The neighbourhood of Fallowfield was, up until the late-19th century, a predominantly agricultural outcrop of the city of Manchester. As the Industrial Revolution marched on and the population of Manchester boomed, increasing numbers of the merchant class, seeking clean air, established homes on the fringes of the metropolitan area where green space was abundant.
Prominent architects like Alfred Waterhouse, who had cemented his national acclaim in 1868 when he was appointed architect of the new Manchester Town Hall, were responsible for the establishment of many grand villas in this then burgeoning fashionable and thriving neighbourhood.
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