* Freehold
This three - bedroom Grade ii - listed terrace house is a fine example of Georgian
architecture in Bristol’s Cotham and Redland Conservation Area. Unfolding
behind an elegant 18th - century façade, the house spans 2, 000 sq ft over five
storeys, where light pours in through sash windows to illuminate original
carved fireplaces, niches and decorative moulding. Gardens at the front and
the rear of the house are lush with rambling roses, magnolia and clematis. An
abundance of independent shops, grocers and cafés on Cotham Hill are within a
few minutes’ walk from the house, as are local train stations with services to
Temple Meads, from which trains run to London in just over an hour and a half.
Setting the Scene
The area of Cotham was largely laid to pasture until the middle of the 18th
century, when small groups of houses emerged on hilltop sites, surrounded by
deep valleys and grasslands.
The development of Cotham Vale, which follows a historic route along field
boundaries, began in the late 18th century and continued throughout the
decades that followed. The resulting streetscape is characterised by a
collection of late Georgian villas and Victorian terraces with facades of
Pennant sandstone and traditional Bath limestone. For more information, please
see the History section.
The Grand Tour
Entry to the house is from a front patio planted with fragrant honeysuckle and
a ‘Buff Beauty’ rose. The front door is beneath a pedimented surround and is
topped with an original arched petal fanlight. Behind is a timber - panelled
hallway adorned with moulded arches, where walls are painted in ‘Oxford Stone’
by Farrow and Ball.
An original six - panelled door opens to the sitting room at the front of the
plan. The elegantly proportioned room is finished with ‘French Grey’ by Farrow
& Ball, and original boards of stained pine run underfoot. Light is drawn in
through the panes of an eight - over - eight sash window fitted with embrasure
shutters. At one side of the room, an open fireplace sits within an 18th -
century fluted surround with carved rosette corner blocks. Walls are lined
with bespoke bookshelves that stand neatly around a round - headed niche.
At the rear is a second reception room, currently used as a library. This room
(a later addition by the current owners of the house) makes use of reclaimed
pine floorboards, moulded cornicing and gentle curves that mimic the Georgian
character of the building. Expansive curved bay windows extend towards the
garden, and a seat looking over the magnolia and greengage trees makes a
lovely spot for some reading. A pair of doors crowned with an original
fanlight opens from the library to the study. Here, an intricately decorated
cast iron fireplace is flanked by arched alcoves, ideal for displaying a vase
of cut flowers or a favourite piece of art. A handy WC also opens from the
library.
From the hallway, a staircase with weathered pine treads descends to the lower
ground floor where there is the dining room and the kitchen. The dining room
has a warm and inviting feel, with heavy flagstone floors underfoot, rich
timber - panelled walls, and a large open fireplace. French doors opening to the
front patio can be closed with timber shutters, making the room perfect for
hosting friends for wine and cheese by the firelight. To the right of the room
is a vaulted storage room that would make an excellent wine cellar. The
kitchen opens from the dining room and there is a pantry for keeping dry
ingredients and conserves.
The staircase rises past an impressive arched window with views over the leafy
garden to the first floor where there are two double bedrooms arranged around
a landing. The bedroom to the front of the plan is finished in ‘Cornforth
White’ by Farrow & Ball, and fitted with deep built - in cupboards, bookcases
and a shelf for records. The bedroom to the rear also has excellent storage,
as well as a small en suite.
Upstairs is a further double bedroom and a family bathroom, and a staircase
leads to the loft room on the third floor.
The Great Outdoors
A stepped garden with original stone walls and painted iron fences extends
from the rear of the house. The garden is planted with mature apple, fig,
greengage, mirabelle and hazelnut trees and a wonderfully fragrant magnolia
grandiflora. Wild strawberries, burkwood viburnums, daphnes and rambling
‘Wedding Day’ and ‘Felicite e Perpetue’ rose varieties weave themselves along
the terraces. In the middle of the garden is a stone - rimmed pond that attracts
birds and wildlife, complete with a sculpture, ‘The Three Graces’, by Charles
Mason. Behind the pond is a summerhouse surrounded by established plantings
that would make a lovely office space.
The patio at the front of the house is brimming with clematis montana,
honeysuckle and rose, and ‘Winter Gem’ bush that blooms each winter with
pretty white flowers and a strong, sweet scent.
Out and About
Cotham has a myriad of cafés and independent shops, many of which are found on
Cotham Hill, a five - minute walk from the house. Here, 1B Pitville is known for
its filter coffee, while Fed is perfect for a caffeine and cake break. For
fresh produce, there is Cotham Fruits and Vegetables, their array of goods
spilling onto the corner outside. For wine there is Corks of Cotham, and just
around the corner Ruby and White butchers offers a range of meats, charcuterie
and cheeses.
For the culinary minded there are plenty of options within walking distance;
Elia Bar Café serves delicious Greek food. Wilsons, a small, independently
owned and run farm - to - table restaurant cultivates its own market garden where
the vast majority of the vegetables, herbs and flowers on the menu are grown.
Bulrush offers tasting menus made with locally sourced and foraged
ingredients.
For days out in the sun, Clifton Downs is approximately a 25 - minute walk from
the house. Cotham Gardens is nearby, ideal for walking the dog, relaxing on a
park bench with a good book, or taking a stroll along the oak - lined and lamp -
lit Lovers’ Walk. For more outdoor pursuits, Bristol Lido is a 15 - minute walk
away.
Well - served for cultural activities and annual festivals, the city has a
thriving art and music scene, with Arnolfini and Spike Island leading a well -
regarded annual programme of contemporary exhibitions and performances. The
Watershed, a much - loved institution located along the harbourside, hosts talks
and events alongside a programme of independent film screenings. Many of
Bristol’s industrial buildings have been converted into theatres, bars and
venues. The most renowned is the Tobacco Factory, which houses a restaurant,
theatre, brewery and other facilities.
There is a good selection of schools in the area, including Bristol Grammar
School which is a 15 - minute walk from the house, and Clifton College
Preparatory and Upper School, just over a 20 - minutes walk away. Cotham Gardens
Primary School, St Johns Church of England Primary and St Peter and Paul
Primary School are all within short walking distance.
The intercity rail service is easily accessed from Clifton Downs station and
Redlands station (both a 10 - minute walk from the house), providing a direct
route to Temple Meads. The unesco World Heritage city of Bath is a short
15 - minute train journey from Temple Meads or about a 40 - minute drive. Rail
connections to London are excellent, with direct services from Temple Meads to
Paddington in less than two hours. Bristol is also incredibly well - placed for
easy access to the surrounding countryside and the Devon and Dorset
coastlines. The city’s busy International Airport is reachable by car or bus
in around 40 minutes.
Council Tax Band: E

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