Lansdowne Place, Hove

A fine Regency town house on Lansdowne Place, in the Brunswick Town Conservation Area; this Grade II listed, bow-fronted house was built in 1834 and is said to be the last house that architect Charles Busby constructed. The house was purchased in 1920 by the family of the current owner, who were renowned tapestry restorers. In recent years the property has been divided into three dwellings and the unusual opportunity has now arisen to buy the entire building and freehold.

The main entrance to this four-storey house is on the raised ground floor under a portico and flanked by two elegant ionic columns. Smart iron railings and a tiled path lead to the steps, which take you to the front door. Once inside the entrance hall, which has a black and white tiled floor, you find two reception rooms to your left. The front room has a curved bay with two sash windows. The magnificent fireplace has the original black, Belgian, fossil-marble surround, a Regency fireguard around the hearth, and a wood burner has been installed. This room was originally designed for the men, with the back reception room being for the ladies, where there is a fireplace with what was considered a more feminine design. After the house was bought by tapestry restorers, the front room was, for a period, used by four weavers, and the huge tapestries were brought in through the front windows. There is also a well-appointed kitchen on this floor, which opens to the garden, and a bathroom with Burlington sanitaryware and fittings.

The first floor of the house is graced with an exceptional reception room across the full width of the property, which has floor-to-ceiling sash windows, and French doors onto the balcony created by the portico, which has views of the sea. The original curved, hand-blown glass is still intact, both here, and in the front reception room on the ground floor. There is another extraordinary fireplace in this room, which is inset with rare Delft tiles. A large wood burner has been installed. There is also a kitchen/breakfast room on this floor, and at the rear there is a bedroom which has another stunning fireplace, purchased in the 1950s, which is said to have come from a Syrian palace. On the second floor there are three further bedrooms, and two bathrooms. The largest bedroom is at the front of the property, the middle bedroom has an ensuite and access to a gaming room in the loft, via a pull-down ladder.

The self-contained apartment on the lower ground floor still has stairs to the upper levels of the house, visible in the cupboard off the hallway, suggesting that reinstating the building to one home would be straightforward. There is a beautiful kitchen/sitting room with a central island and an AGA, with built-in dressers on either side. The cabinetry is in Farrow & Ball ‘Railings’ and the island is topped with a stunning marble-effect counter, within which the butler sink is set. On the floor are restored terracotta tiles and a wide sash window looks out onto the lower patio. The bedroom at the rear of the property has an ensuite shower room with Burlington fittings. At the front of the house the reception room/bedroom is into the curved bay and has polished floorboards and a built-in wardrobe.

The garden does not disappoint, being much larger than many outside spaces in the area. High, flintstone walls, on either side, provide privacy; reclaimed Regency Yorkstone has been used to create a patio area in front of the lawn which is flanked by flower borders and mature trees, including two bay trees, a magnolia that was planted in 1955, and two cherry trees. The aspect to the west gives sun all afternoon and into the late summer evenings. Planning permission has been granted for a detached, copper-roofed, summer house, at the rear of the garden. The initial building works on the foundations, drainage, electricity and water supply, have been completed and signed off by Building Control.

Underfloor heating has been installed on the lower ground floor of the property and there are two further modern, electric boilers and immersion heaters installed in the house, meaning that currently the four floors of the house are catered for by three independent systems.

You will be living close enough to the beach to enjoy sea views and what is more, you are in the heart of Hove. On Western Road, there is a choice of restaurants, pubs, cafés and independent retailers, and you can stroll into central Brighton or jump onto one of many buses to another part of the city. Or wander down to the beach of course, which is only moments away. Transport opportunities are excellent. Both Brighton and Hove train stations are within walking distance or can be reached by bus.