53 Newbury Street Wantage | | OX12 8DJ 53 NEWBURY STREET

Beautifully positioned on one of the most desirable residential streets in the historic market town of Wantage is this elegant Victorian villa, which has been stylishly yet very sensitively renovated and refurbished by the current owners. 53 Newbury Street, is a beautifully renovated semi-detached 7 bedroomed Victorian Town House, which has been extensively refurbished by the present owners. Retaining many of the original features associated with the period. Such as fireplaces throughout, high ceilings, sash windows, plate racks to walls, high skirtings, and Traditional period radiators. The property has been tastefully renovated retaining many of the original features, whilst adding a modern contemporary new Kitchen, with Belfast sinks and quartz worksurfaces. The property is serviced by gas central heating and has a newly upgraded electrical consumer boxes. The two main bathrooms are also modern but in period style with free standing baths and showers, presented with panelling to walls, as well as floor and wall tiling. The main part of the principle house consists of six double bedrooms, with three presented with built in handmade wardrobes. There is an attached separate modern one-bedroom ground floor Annexe extension to the rear.

Originally occupied in the late 18th Century by the town’s Surgeon general Dr James Staley, this property has noted history within Wantage as being the home of the Newbury Street Doctor’s surgery for several years, before being returned to a residential home in the 1980s. and more recently to three separate apartments. Before the current renovations took place.

53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 1 28/08/2020 09:27 Accomodation The present owners have returned the property to its original proportions, retaining many original features such as Victorian tiling, fireplaces and plate rack rails, whilst creating a modern family home within a short stroll of the town centre.

The property is accessed directly from Newbury Street, via a front drive with off road parking for up to four vehicles. The ornate cast porch with lead glazed entrance, features original tiles and leads to a large entrance hall, with continued Victorian tiling to the hall and stairs. From here a delightfully appointed generously proportioned sitting room is accessed with high ceilings and plate rails, plus the original feature bay window to the front, which affords a feeling of light to this space. An open fireplace with surround and slate hearth, with adjacent fitted cupboards create a focal point and the room is complimented by period Victorian polished radiators.

The formal dining room is also accessed from the central inner hall, and features a cast fireplace with slate hearth, high ceilings, plate rail and period radiator. The room also has french doors leading out to an attractive side patio, and garden and beyond into the main formal garden and entertaining space.

To the rear of the inner hall is a large utility room featuring limestone flooring, vaulted ceiling and cupboards with a butler sink housed within quartz topping and space for large American style fridge freezer and other appliances. This room leads directly into the Kitchen which is presented with blue modern shaker- style cupboards, fireplace with mantle shelf housing a range cooker. Extensive cupboard storage, with butler sink framed by large sash window to the side of the property, there is also a large central island with feature lighting which provides space for casual dining. The kitchen is complemented by extensive quartz topping which affords ample preparation space. The limestone flooring continues throughout to a boot room area, with underfloor heating and access to a side door to the driveway and rear garden. A period style cloakroom with high ceiling is accessed off the boot room area, with large shoe storage area.

53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 2 28/08/2020 09:27 53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 3 28/08/2020 09:27 Seller Insight

My husband and I have always loved period properties and this is a particularly fine example of a Victorian family home,” says the owner. “However, when we bought it four years ago it was definitely in need a quite a bit of TLC. For many years it housed the town’s doctor’s surgery, but shortly before we came here a developer had begun to turn it into flats. The ceilings had been dropped, plasterboard had been used to cover a lot of the lovely original features and the layout had been messed about with terribly. The brief we set ourselves was to return it to its former glory, reinstate all of its wonderful character and charm, but at the same time transform it into a comfortable family home that would be very conducive to modern living, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results of all of our hard work.”

“Over time we’ve restored, enhanced and where necessary reinstated all of the lovely period features, we’ve decorated throughout in a way that’s very sympathetic to the style of the house, but added modern twists here and there, and we’ve also made more sense of the layout. For instance, the kitchen we inherited was the size of a large cupboard so we rejigged rooms to create a lovely big family kitchen with a range cooker, an island for informal meals and we had a beautiful mix of navy blue and cream cabinetry installed along with elegant pale quartz work surfaces. The house as a whole is now just lovely; it’s been brought up to modern standards, but in a way that maintains every bit of its Victorian charm.”

“The house has been beautifully refurbished, and we also had to do an awful lot of work to the garden, which is now just lovely. It took around three weeks to clear and once that was done we found we had much more space than we’d originally thought. We made the decision not to have any grass; instead the space has been designed with entertaining and ease of maintenance in mind. It’s hard landscaped with well-established borders that create lots of colour and interest, and right at the very end we’ve added a garden room, which is attached to the side of the garage. It’s a fantastic entertaining space with a dining table that can seat up to twelve people, and we have a dishwasher and fridge freezer down there as well as the BBQ so there’s no need to go back and forwards to the kitchen.”

“Each room is just beautiful, but the hallway is definitely a standout feature of the house. It has the gorgeous Minton tiles, which are accentuated by the pale colour that we’ve used on the walls. The moment you step in through the front door you get a sense of the grandeur that the Victorians loved.”

“For us the location has been absolutely superb. If we head out in one direction we can access all of the fabulous shops and amenities of the town, and in the other we have parks and stunning open countryside. The house is also very well placed in terms of accessing an array of good schools, and for a commuter it’s ideal – if I catch the train at Parkway, door to door I can be in London in under an hour.”

“As well as this lovely big family home, we also have a large one-bed annex. We’ve always rented it out, but it could be ideal for multi-generational living.”

“There’s just so much that we’ll miss when we move,” says the owner. “The proportions of the house as a whole, all of the beautiful features and the overall character of the house, and the sheer convenience of the location. We’re moving because the house is simply too big for us; it needs a family to fill it with fun and laughter, and it’s now ready for its new custodians to enjoy.”*

* These comments are the personal views of the current owner and are included as an insight into life at the property. They have not been independently verified, should not be relied on without verification and do not necessarily reflect the views of the agent.

53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 4 28/08/2020 09:27 53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 5 28/08/2020 09:27 53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 6 28/08/2020 09:27 53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 7 28/08/2020 09:27 The central staircase with hardwood French polished handrail, leads up to a large landing area. From this the spacious principal double bedroom is accessed, featuring two large sash windows to the front of the property, framed by an original cast iron fireplace with slate hearth, complimented by bespoke built-in wardrobes with lighting. This room affords an attractive street view, with ample light, and Victorian radiators.

The second well-proportioned guest double bedroom features a large original marble fireplace with Victorian tiled hearth, large overhanging bay window to the side and Victorian radiator. The third double bedroom features a large sash window, period Victorian radiator and two bespoke large built in wardrobes, framing a small cast iron fireplace with slate hearth. (could be used for as a large dressing room.

The main bathroom, features a free standing roll-top bath, overhanging bay window, plus walk in large double shower enclosure, heated period towel rail and is presented with wall panelling and tiling to wall and floors, along with a built in cupboard for storage.

53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 8 28/08/2020 09:27 53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 9 28/08/2020 09:27 53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 10 28/08/2020 09:27 Rising to the second floor the fourth double bedroom is spacious and features built-in wardrobes and cupboards with shelving plus sash window with radiator with Victorian cover. The fifth double bedroom features laminate flooring built in wardrobes and dual aspect sash windows. The sixth double bedroom, currently used as a study/ large office features a window and radiator with cover. Broadband to the property is of high speed and runs at upload 18.5mbs download 75mbs

The second full bathroom features a roll-top bath with shower screen and modern stylish digital electric rain shower, with handheld shower and sash window to the front of the property. It also has a large walk in original linen cupboard and is presented with wooden wall panelling and tiling to walls and floor.

53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 11 28/08/2020 09:28 53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 12 28/08/2020 09:28 Annexe The property has an attached self-contained one-bedroom annexe, under tiled roof. This consists of a modern kitchen, bathroom, sitting room with patio doors and double bedroom. Currently this is on a separate title to the main house and is rented out on a shorthold tenancy providing additional income. However, this could be incorporated into the main property (subject to planning consent) or could provide additional family accommodation or additional income for Airbnb. Note no garden, or parking is legally within the title of the annexe currently. This is purely at the discretion of the owner. Although the current tenant does have a small table to rear and one space to park, the tenant will vacate if preferred, but would be willing to sign a new short hold tenancy agreement if this was preferential to the new owner.

Hard landscaped for ease and well established planted shaped borders with plants, and shrubs, there is a central circular paved feature, and bench seats around focal point (presently used for a firepit), then steps leading up to a garden entertaining room, with atrium roof light.

A pedestrian door leads to the double garage from the garden, currently with gated access to side of garden room to access separate land to rear (Note the negotiable extra parking space beyond this which is available by separate negotiation). The garage has the benefit of vehicular access from Newbury Street by way of different access. There is also a paved patio area to give additional access to Annexe and French doors to the main dwellings formal dining room.

53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 13 28/08/2020 09:28 53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 14 28/08/2020 09:28 Outside The property has a driveway to front and side which can easily accommodate 4 vehicles off road. The front of the property is enclosed by wall with piers. There is an impressive Victorian porch to front door. The property has access to side to Boot room, cloakroom, and a rear gate gives access to the garden.

Accessed from the boot /cloak room or dining room, the rear garden of the property is bordered by mature evergreen hedging, panelled and close board fencing, with sleeper retainers and is laid to gravel with shaped borders. The central circular paving creates sculptured areas for seating and to the rear, paved steps lead up to a pedestrian door access to the garage, and a large covered al-fresco dining area, with atrium roof light. There is ample space for seating and entertaining. The large double garage has separate vehicular access from Newbury Street and is entered via an electric double garage door. It has several windows which provide light, with electric wall heaters and separate electric consumer box and water supply. It also contains a large loft area for storage.

To the rear of the alfresco garden room there is a large concrete area for parking for up to 4 plus vehicles, with vehicular access, contained by fencing and large brick walling (which is available by separate negotiation.)

53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 15 28/08/2020 09:28 LOCATION

Wantage is most famous as the birthplace of Alfred the Great. A statue of King Alfred sculpted in 1877 by Count Gleichen, a relative of Queen Victoria, stands in the busy marketplace. Alfred was born here in AD 849, when Wantage was an important Saxon town.

Today the town boasts a thriving community with a traditional central marketplace, with Waitrose, Sainsburys and a variety of independent shops a short walk away, serving your every day needs locally. You may enjoy several eateries and coffee shops within the marketplace. There are two weekly markets on Saturday and Wednesday with a Farmers market selling home produce, locally baked breads and an amazing fish stall.

Whilst passing the time of day in the many eateries and coffee shops that surround the marketplace, you can walk through to the spires of St Peter’s and St Paul’s Church and Clock Tower, seen from the square. The Betjeman gardens are also a tribute to a former resident Sir John Betjeman.

There is a sports centre with swimming pool, squash courts, badminton, and the new state of the art modern tennis club with six floodlight courts in the nearby Manor Park. Here you will find the refurbished band stand for local music events and Bowls Club. As well as many local community events, the town also benefits from The Beacon Centre which has a vast array of cultural and entertainment events on offer. The annual book festival is a highlight each year, with the Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman a previous inhabitant of the town.

Wantage sits in the heart of The Vale of the White Horse district which is known for its white chalk horse on the hillside of the Ridgeway, just minutes’ drive from Wantage. Access to the rolling countryside, and National trust walks, as well as off-road mountain biking, the Ridgeway affords fabulous elevated views across the vale and beyond. The ridgeway path is known to run extensively from east to west of the country.

Wantage is a town that is well located for any additional activities such as retail shopping and theatre access, as it is situated close to both Reading 28.8 miles, Oxford 13.2 miles and Swindon 21.0 miles. With excellent commuter links via Didcot Parkway Train station 9.2 miles or by road. Didcot Parkway to London Paddington by train is 45 minutes. It is also located within 1.5 hour’s drive of the south coast, for family days to the seaside.

53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 16 28/08/2020 09:29 53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 17 28/08/2020 09:30 Local Schooling Independent Senior schools Birmingham Airport 78.2 miles car 1h 45 mins. Primary schools in Wantage St Helen & St Katharine Bristol Airport 78.2 miles car 1h 46 mins. Stockham Primary School, Wantage CE Primary School, and Charlton Primary School. Our Lady’s Abingdon Senior School Local authority Fitzwaryn School specialist school SEN Vale of the White Horse District Council. Abingdon 135 Eastern Avenue, Park drive, Milton, Abingdon OX14 4SB. Secondary schools in Wantage Distances by Road to King Alfred’s - Centre Site, and King Alfred’s Academy - West site. Abingdon 11.4 miles. Viewing arrangements Didcot Girls’ School (girls only) up to sixth form Oxford 16.8 miles Strictly via sole agents Fine & Country Oxford. Tel 01865 953244 St Birinus School (boys only) up to sixth form Reading 29.0 miles Swindon 21.8 miles. Website: www.fineandcountry.com/uk/oxford Independent private schools St Hugh’s School Distance to Train stations These statements must not be amended but added to the brochure for Cokethorpe Didcot Parkway 9.2 miles 20 minutes by car, then 45 minutes to London this property. Preparatory School Paddington. Abingdon Preparatory School Oxford Station 15.2 miles 27 minutes by car, then 65 minutes to London Disclosure: In accordance with Section 21 of The Estate Agents Act 1979 Paddington. (Declaration of Interest), please note that a vendor of this property is a Airports Heathrow 57.0 miles car 1h 1 mins. Train or coach services member of Fine & Country Oxford.

Registered in and Wales. Registration number 09929046 F & C (Midlands) Limited,1 Regent Street, Rugby CV21 2PE copyright © 2020 Fine & Country Ltd.

53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 18 28/08/2020 09:30 ANNEXE

Agents notes: All measurements are approximate and for general guidance only and whilst every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy, they must not be relied on. The fixtures, fittings and appliances referred to have not been tested and therefore no guarantee can be given that they are in working order. Internal photographs are reproduced for general information and it must not be inferred that any item shown is included with the property. For a free valuation, contact the numbers listed on the brochure. Printed 28.08.2020

53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 19 28/08/2020 09:30 53 Newbury Street Pages.indd 20 28/08/2020 09:30 FINE & COUNTRY

Fine & Country is a global network of estate This unique approach to luxury homes marketing agencies specialising in the marketing, sale and delivers high quality, intelligent and creative rental of luxury residential property. With offices concepts for property promotion combined with in the UK, Australia, Egypt, France, Hungary, Italy, the latest technology and marketing techniques. Malta, Namibia, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, The Channel Islands, UAE, USA and West We understand moving home is one of the Africa we combine the widespread exposure of the most important decisions you make; your home international marketplace with the local expertise is both a financial and emotional investment. and knowledge of carefully selected independent With Fine & Country you benefit from the local property professionals. knowledge, experience, expertise and contacts of a well trained, educated and courteous team of Fine & Country appreciates the most exclusive professionals, working to make the sale or purchase properties require a more compelling, sophisticated of your property as stress free as possible. and intelligent presentation - leading to a common, yet uniquely exercised and successful strategy emphasising the lifestyle qualities of the property.

The production of these particulars has generated a £10 donation THE FINE & COUNTRY to the Fine & Country Foundation, charity no. 1160989, striving to relieve homelessness. FOUNDATION Visit fineandcountry.com/uk/foundation 6 Fine & Country Tel: +44 (0)1865 953 244 [email protected] Prama House, 267 Banbury Road, Summertown, Oxford OX2 7HT