Marine Parade, Brighton

Stunning views over open water stream through this end of terrace, 5 storey Regency house with a spacious, south facing courtyard and off street parking. The main house has 3 double bedrooms all en-suite, 2 receptions, a kitchen diner and a study whilst the self-contained 3 double bedroom apartment with a cinema room currently provides a substantial income. In an exclusive location opposite beaches with art galleries, a Lido, and bistro bars it is within walking distance of the Lanes, Brighton College and County Hospital with Brighton Station’s direct trains to Gatwick and London about 7-10 minutes by cab. Built between 1810 – 1824 as a then detached seaside retreat probably for the Duke of Bedford, this Grade II listed beauty comes with an interesting history becoming a luxury guest house for the rich and famous during the 1800’s. Bought by the impressionist artist Cecil D’Oyly John (a favourite of the late Queen Mother) in 1959, the house was subsequently purchased by playwright Sir Terence Rattigan whose friends Vivien Leigh, Margaret Leighton and Laurence Olivier often visited the house. There is a fascinating narrative of this dream coastal home by the current owners available upon request.

Introduction - No expense has been spared to create a beautiful home which embraces the building’s evolution, preserving precious period details and incorporating only the best materials and appliances the 21st century has to offer. An elegant living room with sea views, a Chesney’s wood burning stove and Rattigan’s sweeping staircase opens to the sunny walled garden and the handmade kitchen breakfast room with an Everhot range including a moveable walnut table designed to fit precisely to the curve of the bow window. There’s a discreet cloakroom with restored panelling and Drummonds fittings. An iconic first floor reception with an open marble fireplace looks out to sea and opens to a balcony, and the classic study was used by Rattigan. On the upper two floors all 3 double bedrooms are stylish and en-suite, one once was for sole use of actor Margaret Leighton, and the principal has a fitted dressing room and design-led bathroom lined in Spanish marble. Good to go as an apartment for inter-generational living or to generate an income, the 3 bed lower floor has a stunning ‘English Rose’ aluminium kitchen and the bar in the Art Deco inspired cinema room is high gloss Rosewood and Bird’s Eye Maple veneers.

The Parking, Courtyard Garden And Entrance: - Tucked back from the sea road, an electronic gate rolls aside to spacious off street parking with a charging point for an electric car. Sunny, secure and private behind walls, the south facing courtyard garden is a rare sun trap in a city generally built obliquely to the sea and it is larger than many within walking distance of the Royal Pavilion. Ideal for entertaining and paved with Indian sandstone there is also an irrigation system for ease of maintenance.

The impressive entrance porch is topped by an iconic, wrought iron balcony and opens into the inviting living room.

The Living Room & 2nd Entrance: - A room of classic proportions this elegant room looks to the sea with 7.53 x 7.47m (24’8 x 24’6) of versatile space to enjoy. There’s high quality Brinton tartan carpet floor covering. The oak stained panelling, decorative ceiling and Chesney’s wood burning stove and the marble fireplace were installed by the current owners. The backlit, sweeping staircase was reclaimed from a Kensington yard between 1961-1967 to enable the owner Sir Terence Rattigan to make a dramatic entrance when he came down to greet his famous guests.

A second, discreet door to this historic home is to the west, the hallway tiled in traditional style, and it is perfect for supermarket deliveries as steps lead up towards the kitchen breakfast room.

The Kitchen Breakfast Room & Guest Cloakroom - Designed to welcome friends, family and embrace oblique views of the end of the glittering pier through the west facing bow, the kitchen breakfast room has rare, Regency pull -up shutters. Created by Woodworks of Brighton and installed in 2018, its classic real wood cabinets have walnut drawers to match the walnut floor and the handmade, walnut table. Perfect for everyday use but also for parties, the table is on casters and designed to fit exactly to the window from the side or either end, but will also sit happily in the centre of the room for buffets. An Everhot electric range has 3 ovens and an induction as well as traditional iron griddle and high spec Miele appliances include a steam combi oven, microwave, 2 fridges, 2 freezers and a dishwasher.

Discreetly hidden away on this floor, the meticulous attention to detail continues in the guest w.c. which has original panels (found by the current and inspiring the panels in the living room), Drummond fittings and Lefroy Brooks lighting.

The First Floor Reception & Study - With triple windows which rise from floor to ceiling along the frontage of the house to frame the fabulous coastal setting, the grand reception flows out to a wrought iron balcony with space for a table and chairs from which to enjoy a picture postcard view stretching from east to west. Teak is underfoot, the majority of the wood panelling was reclaimed from a 1720’s country house by previous owners who breathed new life into the house between 1967 and 1988, employing a gilder for a month to decorate the plaster work and sourcing the working, marble fireplace from the ballroom of the London house of the Cadbury family. The current owners re-gilded the room in 2017.

Across the hallway, the study is blissfully quiet with 4.5 x 4.0m (14’9 x 13’1) to share, and the wall of handmade cabinets put in by Rattigan and improved by the current owners are downlit. The exquisite Georgian fireplace exhibits a Rattigan sourced fire basket, and a bust of Rattigan, on the shelves - which will stay with the house.

The Margaret Leighton Suite, 2nd Floor - On the west side of this graceful house, the first of the double bedrooms is quiet and comfortable with a fitted wardrobe, an original fireplace and a glimpse over the sea to the pier which lights up in the evenings. Apparently dedicated by Rattigan to his muse, BAFTA winning actor Margaret Leighton, no-one else was allowed to use this space and he installed a pink en-suite for her – now refurbished with underfloor heat and full sheet, 3 x 3m marbled tiles around the chic, drench head shower. The signed photograph of Margaret will stay with the house.

The Principal Suite - A dream come true you can relax and enjoy the stunning, waterfront setting in this magnificent principal suite - even from the bed. With the graceful proportions only Regency properties provide, the bedroom of 4.76 x 4.17m (15’7 x 13’8) - excluding the dressing room and bathroom - is a restful refuge with subtle touches of luxury in the dimmer switches for ambient lighting by the bed and usb charging points in the plug sockets. “Timerous Beasties” wallpaper lifts your mood whilst the windows have secondary glazing and black out blinds to ensure a good night’s sleep.

The solid wood wardrobes lining the dressing room were designed and made by Peter Handerson Furniture with sophisticated storage, walnut interiors and concealed space, power and plumbing for utility machines just where they are needed.

A soothing refuge, the en-suite bathroom has a Regency influence but incorporates great contemporary design with a freestanding Lusso Stone bathtub raised for the view with a built in marble shelf for a glass of bubbly. The joists beneath the room were reinforced to take the weight of the exotic Spanish ‘Nero Marquina Extra’ marble, which is heated.

The Guest Suite And Attic, 3rd Floor - Up in the Georgian Dutch gable looking out to open water, the airy, vaulted guest room is a serene sanctuary. Brimming with character the fireplace is believed to be an original and in working order. There is a large walk in, organised closet and a bright stylish en-suite shower room. There’s a tea and coffee station in the glory hole which leads to a huge attic with velux window ideal for long term storage items.

The Lower Floor - This glamorous 3 bed apartment in Art Deco style has its own coded entrance from Bedford Street but is also connected to the house via an internal staircase with a door which can be locked to make it completely self-contained.

A labour of love beginning in 2016, the lower floor has undergone a major renovation including damp proofing, sound proofing the ceilings, new windows and the installation of two new hot water tanks, one for upstairs, the other for this level.

Three quiet, private bedrooms are generous double rooms which share a chic shower room. The kitchen with a stable door to the light well is a gleaming treat, restored and relocated from upstairs originally made by English Rose, a post 2nd World War company using surplus aluminium previously stockpiled for manufacturing the nose cones of Spitfires and Lancaster bombers.

At the far end of the apartment, the cinema room which was once the kitchen and laundry of the Regency house as there is a (covered) well in the southwest corner and a (now closed) passageway from the room to the beach. Roger Hancock (brother of the comedian Tony Hancock) and his wife Annie Hancock owned the house between 1991-2016. Roger was a theatrical agent representing clients including Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Eric Sykes and Frankie Howard amongst other illustrious names, he and Annie created a cinema room. Restored and upgraded by the current owners this room is arguably one of the most stunning rooms in the house. It has been used by UK and foreign TV and Film companies for location filming. The cinema room boasts stained glass doors, a Karndean parquet floor, an Art Deco lit staircase and a high gloss rosewood and birds eye maple bar and TV surround made by John Nicholas, specialists in fittings for luxury yachts. The cinema room is wired with surround sound to enjoy films and TV with full cinematic sound effect. The granite topped bar comes with a double Klarstein wine cooler, Miele fridge and dishwasher.

The substantial figures for the weekend rental of this space are available upon request.

Good To Know - Council Tax; House, Band G, Apartment Band D

2 mins walk to shops & cafés, 15 to cultural heart

Queen’s Park’s tennis courts, café, playground 3 mins drive

County Hospital 2 by car, 10 on foot

Education - St Luke’s Primary outstanding 4 mins drive

Brighton College 7 mins walk, 3 by car

Varndean High School, Dorothy Stringer

Varndean 6th Form College, BHASVIC, BIMM
Brighton Girls, Brighton Waldorf, Roedean easy reach

Location Guide - In a great location opposite beaches with cafés, volleyball courts and a Lido, the Royal Pavilion, arts venues and Lanes of central Brighton are all within a 15-20 minute scenic stroll along the seafront or past the lively bars and restaurants of St James’ Street (which hosts Pride) too! Kemptown has plenty of small supermarkets, pharmacies and post offices as well as an al fresco lifestyle and it hosts the hospitals, Amex and good schools including Brighton College. Buses serve the whole of the city of Brighton & Hove, and the proximity to Brighton train station with its fast link to Gatwick and London makes commuting possible. For those who need a car, both the A23/27 and coast road are easy to reach.

Vendor's Comments - “We have loved bringing this beautiful, Regency house back to life. Expecting it to be our forever home with glorious views to the sea from every room, we wanted to keep the integrity of this rare house whilst making it a comfortable, contemporary home. We have used only high quality fittings and skilled local craftsmen, and we hope you will love it as much as we have. 15 minutes’ walk from the Dome, theatres, the Royal Pavilion, its gardens and winter skating ring friends love to visit and they enjoy the garden and the balcony too, where we can relax in private after a busy day. There are plenty of activities for any age group along the seafront opposite or in Queen’s Park which is just a short walk, and Kemptown has something for everyone from picnics by the sea, exploring the beach bars or enjoying the vast choice of restaurants and festivals. We feel privileged to have been brief custodians of this special house.”