South Brink Hall South Brink | Wisbech | Cambridgeshire | PE13 1JQ A CLASS OF ITS OWN South Brink Hall (1897) Victorian Listed Grade II* Building A home of peaceful tranquillity, security, lifestyle elegance and vibrant history. Ex-boys grammar school. A CLASS OF ITS OWN • An 19th Century Grade II* Listed Property Overlooking the River Nene • An Extraordinary Conversion of a Former Historic Grammar School • Well Maintained & Interior Designed with Great Flair and Imagination • Offering a Reception Hall and Dining /Entertaining Space • Magnificent Drawing Room with High Ceilings & Large Windows • Mezzanine Sitting Room, Study or Studio Overlooking the Reception Room • Two Elegant Bedrooms with High Ceilings, Both En-Suite and Large Windows • Front and Rear Landscaped Outside Space, Court Yard and Eating Areas • Private Rear Parking Access with None Permit Parking to the Front • Accommodation extends to 2,984 sq. ft. Unique Architectural Features more classrooms were needed for the school. Nowadays, Since South Brink Hall was designed and built as a school the latter two are solicitors’ offices whilst South Brink Hall it enjoys a number of unique architectural features rarely, is a stunning extremely comfortable and spacious home. if ever seen in a domestic dwelling. Chiefly among these are the extensive wood panelling which clothes the entire Classical Entrance former library. The mullion windows facing north and west, The current owner and his wife came here in 1999 and the vaulted wooden ceiling which would not be out of it is largely they who have masterfully transformed the character in a traditional country church and the elegant building into such a luxurious and yet homely place to live. bell tower with weathervane fronted by carved stonework; Behind the original Victorian iron railings on the street, and the entire front enjoys original Victorian iron railings and after treading across the deeply gravelled forecourt and gates which escaped the cull of decorative ironwork ringing the bell beside the hefty black wooden entrance, throughout the land in the early 1940’s as Britain’s thirst for I await with intrigue at what lies within. The door opens raw materials to back the war was at its peak. into a charming enclosed courtyard that feels as if you have been magically transported into ancient times. Essentially South Brink Hall enjoys a range of architectural Completely laid with Brazilian paving, a central square pond features you would typically expect to find in a well- features a slender nymph fountain – ‘Virginia’ – stretching planned and constructed country manor house. up to the blue sky above. A pair of decorative classical pillars stand behind, perfectly suiting the scene, with the South Brink Hall stands overlooking the banks of the River partially plastered, pale pink walls accentuating the rows Nene with a view of the undeniably fine architecture of of columnar cypress trees also reaching up to the heavens. Wisbech’s North Brink, including the Georgian National From here you step through another door, classic fanlight Trust property, Peckover House. That is not to say the above (a Downing Street look-a-like entrance in the heart properties on the South Brink are not of considerable of Wisbech) into a wide, warm, welcoming double-height, note. Indeed, the red brick terracotta-tiled roofed building carpeted hall flooded with light from skylights above. The of South Brink Hall is very handsome and has acquired eclectic taste of the owners, evident in the mix of classical Grade II starred status. ornaments, the antique and contemporary furniture and the artwork on the walls, provides an interesting Old School and exciting environment. A previous owner’s penchant As denoted on the foundation stone set into the wall for Gaudi-esque plasterwork adds to the decorative outside, South Brink Hall was constructed at the end of contrasts. I am also struck not only by the comfort and the the 19th century, the ‘stone laid by Alexander Peckover Esq. sumptuousness but by the quiet. LLD FSA, Lord Lieutenant of the County of Cambridge’ in April 1897. It was used for almost a hundred years by one Magnificent Reception Room of the oldest schools in the country, Wisbech Grammar To the left, I am directed over a high-gloss black tiled floor School, before moving across the river to North Brink. with a spacious downstairs cloakroom on the right, and Next door but one, the imposing yellow brick Queen through open double doors into the magnificent drawing Anne building was the headmaster’s home as well as room which easily accommodates the owner’s baby grand housing some of the boarders, and the red brick building piano, two harps and an abundance of furniture. This in between with stepped gable, which matches the Hall’s reception room was originally the library when it was the central window externally, was built in the 1920s when school building although the upper level and staircase was This reception room was originally the library when it was the school building, although the upper level and staircase was only introduced when it was converted into a home” only introduced when it was converted into a home. The bookcases have now gone but the wooden panelling remains, well above head height all around the large room, above which are walls of exposed red brick. Along the north side are the vast mullioned windows divided into small panes, many still with the original Victorian glass. The central window is massive, twice the height of the others, and on one gable end is a further window to the west. The vaulted timber ceiling with its arched trusses and carved cross beams, all in excellent condition, is quite a sight to behold. A central square panel with Victorian fretwork indicates the access to the bell tower. One feature added is the contemporary, black, solid-fuel burning fire. Suspended within a vast fireplace with marble supports and large slabs of marble and granite for hearth and mantle. This modern addition is not only an interesting feature but also provides an enormous amount of extra heat. Underneath the carpet in this room is the original herringbone woodblock floor. Now clad in a creamy coloured carpet. Certainly, there is a wonderful feeling of warmth and homeliness which you wouldn’t think possible in a room of these dimensions. A slightly more robust carpet leads up the central staircase to the mezzanine floor. This spacious area currently accommodates two double beds side by side, and the owner’s desk and two free standing wardrobes by the windows. Contemporary Bathrooms Underneath the upper level, on the far side a door leads in to the master bedroom which was originally the headmaster’s study. A lavatory and bidet are to one side and under an arch on the other is a walk-in wet room with a modern basin and vanity unit together with a super-heated towel rail. Both the wet room and the lavatory area are tiled in contemporary metallic Porcelanosa tiles. Three extremely large windows, the central one the biggest, overlook to the south. The four- poster bed is quite at home here along with the large bespoke wardrobe. Moving back through the reception room, another door leads off on the same side to the south into the second bedroom with its en suite, wall mounted heater, wc, bidet, marble sink and sunken bath. The space is lined in beige travertine tiles and creates an inviting place to relax and soak. The dimensions and windows of the bedroom are exactly the same as the other bedroom; it also has stencilled, bespoke wardrobe of large proportions. This room is furnished with rugs so the parquet floor is revealed here. From this second bedroom the corridor leads westwards with double French doors opening onto the back garden to the south, meaning light floods in to this thoroughfare. Beyond it you are back in the main entrance hall but at the far end, where steps lead down under an arch, you are en route to the kitchen. Turning the corner; the utility appliances are neatly concealed behind floor to ceiling cupboard doors, washing machine, tumble dryer and the gas boiler. Down further steps you find yourself in the dining room. This has underfloor heating and a door opening onto the sunny gravel terrace outside. The dining area leads to the kitchen which includes handmade base- level and wall-mounted painted timber units with green ceramic tiled worktops and splashbacks, with a window to the west. An induction hob is in the worktops on the one side, and an eye-level integrated microwave with an oven below. On the other side, there is space and plumbing for a dishwasher as well as the fridge freezer, and a butler sink with waste disposal unit set within the worktops. A Taste of the Mediterranean The south facing gravelled garden is reminiscent of hotter climates. “When we first came here it was full of broken concrete and buddleia, so we started from scratch, cleaning everything and planted all that you see”. The rear boundary has a thick evergreen laurel hedge culminating in a thicket of bay trees, behind which is an older people’s home assuring you of quiet at all times; underfoot is pea shingle. As with the inside, the property is a haven of peace and tranquillity. A table and chairs stand in an ideal place outside the back door for al fresco dining amongst the slender cypresses, and the neatly trained box and privet. Through an archway in a wall with rustic plasterwork you find a raised Italianate fountain of cherubs and steps rising up to the French doors at the back of the property, from where you have a lovely view of the bell tower over the steep roofs.