The West House, set back from Elmfield Park, is a truly exceptional and very impressive three storey semi detached villa. The property was purchased by the current owners in 1974, when it was bought from the Fenwick family.
The West House is a very impressive property. It has a discreet and quiet entrance leading to its lovely courtyard and private drive, with parking for many cars. This lies adjacent to an old coach house and stable, which now provides two garages and has had planning permission in the past to be converted into a one bedroomed mews house.
The house was originally constructed in 1894 by Henry Murton and John Moses. The properties were described as a pair of town villas in the London style. They were the first two houses to be built within this area of Gosforth. The West House is one of the very few houses in central Gosforth to occupy a garden site of circa 0.47 acres.
The front garden leads to its own private mews entrance and courtyard, which has a beautiful setting adjacent to the family kitchen and has a range of outbuildings.
The rear garden is principally designed for family recreation. It has large open stone terraces adjacent to the three principal reception rooms that overlook this area. The main lawned gardens are extensive, with rose beds and mature trees. The house has the further benefit of leading onto Kenton Road, one of the very few houses left in this area that does so, and there is obvious potential should people consider the application for building a new dwelling or dwellings.
The property itself is a stylish and elegant family home. It has been very well maintained by its owners, which is immediately visible from the front approach, which has a beautiful panelled door with polished brass furniture leading through to the entrance vestibule and reception hall. The hall is a focal point of the house, with its bespoke hanging staircase which sweeps from the first floor landing above.
Leading from the hall is a butler’s pantry with excellent storage cupboards. Doors lead through to the drawing room, an elegant and recently decorated room with beautiful fireplace and window views over the gardens and enclosed terrace. The family lounge is equally impressive, with fabulous views and great natural light. The dining room is the third of the reception rooms to enjoy an aspect over the gardens and enclosed terrace, with double doors onto the stone terraces and an elaborately carved oak fireplace which originated from the Fenwick house in Brook Street, London.
The breakfasting kitchen is at the front of the house and overlooks the courtyard. It is equipped with a range of oak cabinets and built-in appliances and leads to its own stone walk-in larder.
To the first floor the master bedroom has an en-suite dressing room, extensively fitted with high quality cherry wood mirrored fittings, as well as an en-suite bathroom.
There are two further double bedrooms at first floor level, a family bathroom and separate wc. There is also a large utility room.
The stairs then continue to the second floor, leading to three further bedrooms, one of which is used as an office. There is a separate wc and a walk-in luggage store room.
The West House has gas radiator central heating, with two boilers separately controlling the ground, first and second floors. The house has recently had many of the rooms redecorated.
This impressive villa extends with a floor area to approximately 4363 sq ft.
The architectural styling and features of the West House are superb and very unique to the area, which has been appreciated by the very few owners the house has enjoyed over its history.
Its location, set back from Elmfield Park, is also to be highly admired. It has a stunning garden site and enjoys ease of access to Gosforth High Street. The area is very well supported by private schools.
A truly exceptional house with beautiful features which must be viewed to fully appreciate.
consent.
The property comprises:
Access to the property is from the front, where a beautiful oak panelled door with brass furniture leads through to the:
ENTRANCE VESTIBULE
With oak herringbone flooring with border detailing, cross leaded windows to the side, wall lighting and natural light from the lantern roof light above. An internal panelled and cross leaded door connects through to the:
RECEPTION HALL
22’5 x 15’10 (6.84m x 4.83m)
This is a beautiful focal point to the house. It has skirting heating, wall lighting, tall ceiling with cornicing, infra red alarm sensor, a magnificent bespoke hanging staircase and five doors leading off to principal reception rooms.
A cloaks passage connects to a:
SEPARATE WC
With close coupled wc and Royal Doulton wash basin.
DRAWING ROOM (south & west facing)
24’9 x 15’11 (7.56m x 4.86m)
This is a very elegant and tasteful room with beautiful plasterwork to the ceiling and a magnificent window which has a glazed door leading out onto the semi enclosed veranda and terrace, as well as cross leaded upper window panes. It also has an attractive side facing window to the southern elevation, with cross leaded feature. The focal point of the room is the beautiful pine fireplace made for an open fire, with marble trim and brick hearth.
BUTLER’S PANTRY (front facing)
With radiators and bespoke storage cupboards with concealed sink unit, an opening hatch through to the hall for entertaining/bar facility, corner cross leaded window and a door to a general store cupboard with good shelving and alarm control panel.
LOUNGE (rear facing)
19’2 x 15’9 (5.86m x 4.8m) measurements into bay
A magnificent room with a beautiful bay window and a glazed door that leads onto the rear terrace and stone patio. The egg and dart cornicing and the plasterwork to the ceiling are both elegant and very fine. The mahogany fireplace surround frames the beautiful hand painted insert tiles in the delft style to the hearth and coal burning open Baxi fire. There are gas skirting heaters, wall lighting and an infra red alarm sensor. The lounge is surrounded by a pull-out canopy, ideal for summer months.
DINING ROOM (rear facing)
19’4 x 14’10 (5.89m x 4.54m)
With stripped wood flooring and an arched window with glazed doors leading out onto the semi enclosed veranda and terrace. The focal point of the room is the high mantled, elaborately detailed and carved oak fireplace which originated from the Fenwick House in Brook Street, London. It is matched by fossilised Durham marble which trims the recess, where there are fire bricks and a slate hearth surrounding the open fireplace. The room has been newly decorated in neutral colours.
From the dining room a door connects to the:
BREAKFASTING KITCHEN (front facing)
19’4 x 14’11 (5.91m x 4.55m) plus 7’10 x 11’4 (2.39m x 3.45m)
With a raised dais and floor in part with exposed wood floor boarding, providing an ideal breakfasting area. There is a double panelled radiator and a glazed sash window overlooking the beautiful mews courtyard to the front of the house. The main feature of the kitchen is the beamed ceiling with central island unit fitted with a range of oak base cabinets, tiled worktops, stainless steel sink, two ring NEFF gas hob and breakfasting bar. There is a suspended ceiling above the island with extractor system and concealed lighting. The kitchen has further good base, wall and drawer storage units and a central chimney breast with exposed brickwork, which conceals the NEFF two ring electric and two ring gas hobs with extractor hood above, as well as the NEFF deep fat fryer. The wall cabinets are complemented with tiled surrounds to the worktops with concealed lighting. The kitchen also accommodates the Westinghouse split level electric double oven, a built-in dishwasher, a stainless steel double sink unit with separate waste disposal and built-in Liebherr refrigerator and matching freezer. Further features include ceramic tiled flooring, inset spotlights to the ceiling, independent access from the hall and a lovely window view overlooking the mews, for which a panelled and glazed door also gives access. A baton door leads from the kitchen to the larder, with tiled floor and stone shelves.
Returning to the reception hall the magnificent staircase with its mahogany curved handrails and matching newel posts leads up to the:
GALLERIED FIRST FLOOR LANDING
With single panelled radiator, window overlooking the front approach to the house, semi circular curved ceiling, attractive cornice detailing, wall lighting, recesses with concealed lighting and elegant wallpaper decoration.
MASTER BEDROOM (rear facing)
18’10 x 14’9 (5.74m x 4.5m)
A very attractive room which enjoys good natural light from its south westerly facing window aspects and lovely views over the gardens. It has stripped wood floor boarding, mahogany fireplace surround with hand painted tiled insert and hearth, gas skirting heaters and elegant wallpaper decoration.
EN-SUITE BATHROOM
With white five piece suite comprising bath, pedestal wash hand basin, shower cubicle, close coupled wc, bidet unit, double panelled radiator, half wall height tiling, wood flooring, high ceiling with picture rail and cornicing, Expelair unit and opaque glazing to the window.
EN-SUITE DRESSING ROOM
15’9 x 11’7 (4.81m x 3.54m) measurements include fitted furniture
Extensively equipped with hand made cherry wood furniture including dressing table, drawer cabinets and wardrobes concealing excellent hanging rail and shelf storage space. The room has spotlighting to the ceiling, stripped wood flooring and two sash windows overlooking the rear gardens with fitted bench seating.
BEDROOM TWO (rear facing)
16’7 x 15’4 (5.07m x 4.67m)
With two sash windows enjoying views over the south west gardens at the rear, two fitted double wardrobes concealing excellent hanging rail and shelf storage space, two double panelled radiators and spotlighting to the ceiling.
BEDROOM THREE (side & front facing)
12’3 x 14’2 (3.74m x 4.32m)
With side facing sash windows overlooking the gardens, high ceiling with cornicing, built-in single and double wardrobes in cedar wood with hanging rails and shelf storage space and double panelled radiator
FAMILY BATHROOM
Comprising large panelled bath with shower unit above and folding screen doors, vanity wash hand basin with store cupboards beneath, cedar wood panelled ceiling, ceramic tiling to three walls, fitted wall mirror and double panelled radiator.
SEPARATE WC
Comprising close coupled wc and lovely window view to the front of the house.
LAUNDRY ROOM (front facing)
9’4 x 16’4 (2.85m x 4.99m) measurements into bay window
With bay window overlooking front gardens, stainless steel sink and drainer with store cupboards beneath, plumbing for an automatic washing machine, walk-in linen store cupboard and separate built-in shelved airing cupboard. This could be another bedroom to the house if required.
The main staircase then continues to the second floor of the house, with natural light from the skylight in the roof void.
SECOND FLOOR LANDING
With single panelled radiator and five doors to further accommodation.
BEDROOM FOUR (rear facing)
14’6 x 15’3 (4.43m x 4.66m) measurements into dormer window
Enjoying high levels over the south west facing rear gardens, period fireplace surround with open grate, T fall ceiling in part, spotlighting and double panelled radiator.
BEDROOM FIVE (rear facing)
16’11 x 12’3 (5.17m x 3.73m)
The room excludes its passageway which has a door leading off to a large walk-in general store cupboard with shelving, which could make an en-suite shower or bathroom if required. The room is currently used as a professional office and study and is set within the roof timbers with angled ceiling, double panelled radiator, period fireplace and dormer windows enjoying aspects to both the front and rear of the house.
BEDROOM SIX (front facing)
10’4 x 13’3 (3.15m x 4.03m)
Enjoying views over the front gardens from its dormer window, exposed roofing timbers and double panelled radiator.
SEPARATE WC
Comprising close coupled wc, wash hand basin and wood flooring.
A door also leads from the landing to a walk-in luggage and general store cupboard with shelving. This room would equally make a good bathroom for the second floor if required.
EXTERNALLY
Access is gained at the front of the property from Elmfield Park, where a gated entrance leads into a private drive and courtyard. The drive contrasts very well with stone flags, red tarmac and gravelled areas and is complemented by the beautifully presented borders with their Dutch brick wall boundaries. The impressive front gardens are further complemented by a rectangular grassed area with lavender bed borders, which is lit up in the evening. The gardens are well presented, with a trellis fence, brick walled borders and a gate concealing a private mews courtyard, which has a painted brick work surrounding the kitchen and an external lantern light. The mews courtyard has a half tiled floor covering and contrasting paintwork, as well as a range of outbuildings including a general store with shelving and high capacity gas meter, a recess that leads to a door connecting to the freezer room and a separate boiler room which accommodates two gas fired central boilers, which provide domestic hot water and separate central heating to the ground, first and second floors of the house.
The courtyard and mews also has a separate door to a bin store and access to a gardener’s wc.
Adjacent to this access leads to the separate stable and coach house, which now provide two garages.
GARAGE ONE
18’11 x 9’10 (5.78m x 3m)
With sliding screen doors, cobbled flooring, fluorescent tube lighting and ladder access into the hayloft above. Leading from the garage are excellent general store rooms including separate wc, large store room with power supply, cold water supply, power point and independent access to the second garage.
GARAGE TWO
25’2 x 12’2 (7.67m x 3.72m) narrowing at the rear to 8’6 (2.91m)
With opening doors, power supply, fluorescent tube lighting and painted walls.
ESTATE AGENTS NOTE
The coach house and stables have historically had planning permission passed to convert this area into a one bedroom mews house. This planning permission has since lapsed, but the plans are still available on file.
Adjacent to the main entrance to the property there is a gated access which leads to the rear garden. The rear of the property is stunning and very much a feature of the house. To the foreground of the property there are two semi enclosed verandas adjacent to the dining room and the drawing room. They have tiled flooring and a sheltered area with external lighting and lead on to the larger open stone terrace and patio.
The formal gardens extend with lawned areas and ornately curved rose beds. The Dutch brick wall boundary surrounding the house at the front is impressive and is supported by well stocked shrub borders and trees.
The lawned gardens are significant in size and this house is one of a few properties within its area which has a garden leading onto Kenton Road at the rear. Its southern boundary is constructed in stone, with fence boarding above.
The rear garden is protected and screened from the principal garden with a fence and brick partition, surrounded by ivy, plants and shrubs. There is also a substantial timber garden store shed, which could be used as an office.
The total grounds surrounding West House extend to just under 0.47 acres.
The rear garden does show obvious potential for the possible creation of a further dwelling or dwellings, subject to suitable planning and building consent.
